Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation on Cerebrovascular Aging and Arterial Stiffness Study

Exclusion Criteria

• •Current or history of cardiovascular disease disease (heart attack, stroke, heart failure, cardiomyopathy or peripheral artery disease, heart angioplasty/stent or bypass surgery, valve replacement, carotid endarterectomy, heart transplant.
• •Medical history of stroke or other neurological disorder or systemic illness that could potentially affect cognition or brain function (outside of a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's Disease) or could affect their safety or comfort while undergoing the imaging or cardiovascular studies.
• •Subjects with evidence of cardiovascular disease at baseline or during the exercise test (evidence of myocardial infarction, abnormal cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, conduction delays, \>1mm S-T segment depression or elevation; \>3 beat ventricular tachycardia; atrial fibrillation) will be excluded from the study.
• •Wilson's disease, hemochromatosis
• •Individuals taking clonidine or other short-acting beta blocker
• •Resting blood pressure \> 200/ 110 mmHg or systolic \<90 mmHg
• •Medical history of chronic major psychiatric or current diagnosis of major psychiatric disease (other than dementia).
• •Systemic illness or neurological disorder potentially affecting cognition or cerebral blood flow other than mild cognitive impairment
• •Unable to provide informed consent due to cognitive impairment
• •Currently taking medications that may affect cerebral blood flow (e.g. papaverine, indomethacin, acetazolamide, etc) or efficacy of beetroot juice (proton pump inhibitors)
• •Current clinically abnormal thyroid function not adequately regulated by thyroid hormone supplementation or medication.
• •Allergic to beets
• •Current tobacco user or history of tobacco use within the past 3 months (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, hookah, electronic cigarettes) or living with someone who smokes/has smoked in the past 3 months.
• •Current diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes (Type I or insulin dependent Type II)
• •Current diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung disease, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, chronic bronchitis
• •History of renal failure, dialysis or kidney transplant
• •Current diagnosis or history of liver disease or HIV/AIDS, or cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancers).
• •Current diagnosis or history of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Wegener's granulomatosis
• •Vulnerable populations (prisoners, etc) will not be eligible.
• •Unwillingness to wash out from a vitamin or dietary supplement regime prior to enrollment and maintain throughout the duration of the study.
• •Inability to comply with experimental instructions.
• •Uncontrolled intercurrent illness that would limit compliance with study requirements per investigator.
• •Inability to fast or hold morning medications doses until after testing is complete.
• •Hormone replacement use within the past 6 months
• •Currently enrolled in another study using an study medication, supplement, device or intervention.