Sodium Nitrite to Treat Arterial Aging

Clinical Translation of Nitrite Therapy to Treat Arterial Aging in Humans

The proposed research will determine the effectiveness of nitrite, a naturally occurring compound in the body, for improving the health and function of arteries in middle-aged and older adults. The study also will provide insight into how sodium nitrite therapy improves artery health by determining the physiological mechanisms (biological reasons) involved. Overall, the proposed research will provide important new scientific evidence on the effectiveness of sodium nitrite for decreasing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases with aging.

The improvement in blood vessel function and stiffness will be determined over a 10 week period. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either placebo (0 mg/day), low dose (80 mg/day) or high dose (160 mg/day) sodium nitrite. Main outcome measures will be performed at baseline and week 10.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 50-79 years of age
• Ability to provide informed consent
• Score greater than 22 on the mini mental state exam
• Blood pressure greater than 100/60 mmHg for past 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• Are taking any of the following medications/drugs: hormone replacement therapy, anti-hypertensives, nitrates, nervous system depressants, allopurinol, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, blood thinners
• Are currently sick/have chronic clinical diseases such as kidney disease, diabetes, or unstable cardiovascular disease
• Are hypersensitive to nitrates or nitrites
• Have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
• Have blood methemoglobin greater than 2%
• Have a BMI greater than 40 kg/m^2
• Have a baseline FMD of greater than 6%
• Have not been post-menopausal for at least 1 year
• Perform regular vigorous aerobic/endurance exercise