Beetroot juice to help people with lung scarring breathe better

This study is testing whether nitrate-rich beetroot juice can help people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (a disease that causes scarring in the lungs) exercise better and feel less short of breath. Researchers found that people with this lung disease have lower levels of a natural chemical called nitrite in their blood after exercise, unlike healthy people. They believe that nitrate-rich beetroot juice might help restore this chemical and improve exercise performance.

People with lung scarring often struggle with breathlessness and exercise, which makes daily life harder and reduces their independence. While pulmonary rehabilitation (breathing exercises and training) helps some patients, not everyone responds the same way. This study aims to find a simple, natural way to boost the benefits of exercise training and improve quality of life.