A surprising discovery from King's College London researchers reveals that chewing sugary bubble gum after eating nitrate-rich vegetables like beetroot can produce a measurable, though temporary, drop in blood pressure. The finding points to an overlooked mechanism by which the body converts dietary compounds into blood-vessel-relaxing compounds.
The key lies in mouth chemistry. Nitrates from vegetables are biologically inert until bacteria in the mouth convert them into nitrite, which helps relax blood vessels and improve circulation. Scientists have long wondered whether tweaking the chemical environment of saliva could speed this conversion. The King's College team decided to test whether increasing mouth acidity through chewing sugary gum would enhance the process.
In a controlled study, healthy volunteers drank beetroot juice and then chewed either Hubba Bubba bubble gum or Wrigley's Extra sugar-free gum for three to six hours. Blood and saliva samples were collected regularly, and blood pressure was monitored throughout. Each participant returned at least a week later to repeat the experiment with the opposite gum type.
The results were clear. Sugary gum lowered saliva pH by 1.4 points compared to sugar-free gum, boosting nitrite levels in the mouth by 45% and in the bloodstream by 25%. Systolic blood pressure dropped nearly 3 millimeters of mercury, while diastolic pressure fell almost 2 millimeters of mercury in the sugary gum group.
The mechanism matters, but so do the caveats. Researchers stress this is not a treatment recommendation. The blood pressure reduction lasted only a few hours, and regular consumption of sugary products carries well-known risks for teeth and metabolic health. The implications are narrower: athletes who already consume beetroot for its performance-enhancing nitrate content might see a modest boost by combining it with sugary gum.
Dr. Andrew Webb, a clinical senior lecturer at King's College, noted that while earlier research suggested increasing acidity would inhibit nitrate conversion, this had never been tested across the whole body over extended periods. The grapefruit juice finding, which had the opposite effect, made the research question logical. "The classic culinary tradition of following a starter and main course with a sweet dessert, especially if they contain nitrate-rich leaves and vegetables, may temporarily increase blood pressure-lowering and exercise enhancement," he said.
Co-author Dr. Charlotte Mills from the University of Reading emphasized that the discovery opens avenues for future research. The goal is to identify tooth-friendly, metabolically sound alternatives that achieve the same nitrate-conversion boost without the downsides of sugar. Because dietary nitrate is already recognized as a sports supplement, optimizing its absorption in athletes is a logical next step.
The research team plans a larger study focused on athletes to examine how sugary gum influences nitrate metabolism, blood pressure, and exercise performance. The findings appeared in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Author Jessica Williams: "This is a clever proof-of-concept that mouth chemistry matters more than we thought, but let's not pretend a sugar habit is the answer to blood pressure control."
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