Dietary Nitrate and Muscle Power With Aging

The purpose of this study is to see if drinking beetroot juice (BRJ) is beneficial for aging patients. We hope to determine the effect of BRJ on exercise performance. BRJ improves exercise performance in athletes and normal people. We are trying to determine if BRJ improves exercise performance in aging patients. We will be comparing the effects of BRJ versus the effects of a placebo (BRJ without the nitrates that are naturally occurring in beets and other similar foods). It is thought that the benefits of BRJ may come from its natural nitrate content. Although BRJ is available for purchase in grocery stores, for the purposes of this study it is considered investigational, which means that it has not been approved as a medical therapy.