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Nitrates in vegetables protect against gastric ulcers 5-7-08
Fruits and vegetables that are rich in nitrates protect the stomach from
damage. This takes place through conversion of nitrates into nitrites by the
bacteria in the oral cavity and subsequent transformation into biologically
active nitric oxide in the stomach. The Swedish researcher Joel Petersson has
described the process, which also means that antibacterial mouthwashes can be
harmful for the stomach.
"Nitrates in food have long been erroneously linked to an increased risk of
cancer," says Joel Petersson of Uppsala University's Department of Medical Cell
Biology.
He instead thinks that nitrate-rich vegetables such as spinach, lettuce,
radishes and beetroot have a positive affect on the stomach by activating the
mucous membranes' own protective mechanisms, thus reducing the risk of problems
such as gastric ulcers.
In the body the blood circulation transports nitrates to the salivary glands,
where they are concentrated. When we have eaten nitrate-rich food our saliva
thus contains large amounts of nitrates, which the bacteria of the oral cavity
partially convert into nitrites. When we swallow the nitrites they come into
contact with acid gastric juice, and are then converted into the biologically
active substance nitric oxide. This results in our developing high levels of
nitric oxide in the stomach after eating vegetables.
It has long been known that nitric oxide is produced by various enzymes in the
human body, but the fact that nitric oxide can also be formed in the stomach
from nitrites in the saliva, entirely without the involvement of enzymes, is a
relatively new discovery. Researchers still have very little idea of how the
stomach is affected by these high levels of nitric oxide. Joel Petersson's
thesis shows that the nitric oxide that is formed in the stomach stimulates the
protective mechanisms of the mucous membrane – because the stomach constantly
has to protect itself so as not to be broken down together with the food
ingested. Two such important defense mechanisms are the stomach's constant
renewal of the mucous layer that covers the mucous membrane and its maintenance
of a stable blood flow in the mucous membrane. The nitric oxide widens the blood
vessels in the mucous membrane, thus increasing the blood flow and regulating
elimination of the important mucus. Together, these factors lead to a more
resistant mucous membrane.
Using animal models Joel Petersson and his colleagues have shown that nitrate
additives in food protect against both gastric ulcers and the minor damage that
often occurs in the gastrointestinal tract as a result of ingestion of
anti-inflammatory drugs.
"These sorts of drugs are very common in the event of pain and inflammation.
They have the major disadvantage of causing a large number of serious side
effects in the form of bleeding and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract. With
the aid of a nitrate-rich diet you can thus avoid such damage," he explains.
The thesis also shows that the bacteria in the oral cavity are very important to
the process of nitrates in food protecting the stomach's mucous membrane. This
has been examined in that rats have been given nitrate-rich feed, whereby some
of them have also simultaneously received an antibacterial oral spray. When
these rats were then given anti inflammatory drugs, damage to the mucous
membrane only occurred in the ones that had received the oral spray. In the
latter the nitrates no longer had a protective effect on the mucous membrane, as
the oral spray had killed the important bacteria that normally convert nitrates
into nitrites.
"This shows how important our oral flora is. The fact that these bacteria are
not just involved in our oral hygiene but also play an important role in the
normal functions of the gastrointestinal tract is not entirely new. It is
currently an important issue, as antibacterial mouthwashes have become more and
more common. If a mouthwash eliminates the bacterial flora in the mouth this may
be important to the normal functioning of the stomach, as the protective levels
of nitric oxide greatly decrease," says Joel Petersson.
In his opinion the research results also provide a new approach to the
importance of fruit and vegetables in our diet.
"If we followed the National Swedish Food Administration's recommendation and
ate 500 g of fruit and vegetables per person per day it would definitely be
better for our stomachs.
Nitrates in vegetables protect against gastric ulcers
Fruits and vegetables that are rich in nitrates protect the stomach from damage.
This takes place through conversion of nitrates into nitrites by the bacteria in
the oral cavity and subsequent transformation into biologically active nitric
oxide in the stomach. The Swedish researcher Joel Petersson has described the
process, which also means that antibacterial mouthwashes can be harmful for the
stomach.
"Nitrates in food have long been erroneously linked to an increased risk of
cancer," says Joel Petersson of Uppsala University's Department of Medical Cell
Biology.
He instead thinks that nitrate-rich vegetables such as spinach, lettuce,
radishes and beetroot have a positive affect on the stomach by activating the
mucous membranes' own protective mechanisms, thus reducing the risk of problems
such as gastric ulcers.
In the body the blood circulation transports nitrates to the salivary glands,
where they are concentrated. When we have eaten nitrate-rich food our saliva
thus contains large amounts of nitrates, which the bacteria of the oral cavity
partially convert into nitrites. When we swallow the nitrites they come into
contact with acid gastric juice, and are then converted into the biologically
active substance nitric oxide. This results in our developing high levels of
nitric oxide in the stomach after eating vegetables.
It has long been known that nitric oxide is produced by various enzymes in the
human body, but the fact that nitric oxide can also be formed in the stomach
from nitrites in the saliva, entirely without the involvement of enzymes, is a
relatively new discovery. Researchers still have very little idea of how the
stomach is affected by these high levels of nitric oxide. Joel Petersson's
thesis shows that the nitric oxide that is formed in the stomach stimulates the
protective mechanisms of the mucous membrane – because the stomach constantly
has to protect itself so as not to be broken down together with the food
ingested. Two such important defense mechanisms are the stomach's constant
renewal of the mucous layer that covers the mucous membrane and its maintenance
of a stable blood flow in the mucous membrane. The nitric oxide widens the blood
vessels in the mucous membrane, thus increasing the blood flow and regulating
elimination of the important mucus. Together, these factors lead to a more
resistant mucous membrane.
Using animal models Joel Petersson and his colleagues have shown that nitrate
additives in food protect against both gastric ulcers and the minor damage that
often occurs in the gastrointestinal tract as a result of ingestion of
anti-inflammatory drugs.
"These sorts of drugs are very common in the event of pain and inflammation.
They have the major disadvantage of causing a large number of serious side
effects in the form of bleeding and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract. With
the aid of a nitrate-rich diet you can thus avoid such damage," he explains.
The thesis also shows that the bacteria in the oral cavity are very important to
the process of nitrates in food protecting the stomach's mucous membrane. This
has been examined in that rats have been given nitrate-rich feed, whereby some
of them have also simultaneously received an antibacterial oral spray. When
these rats were then given anti inflammatory drugs, damage to the mucous
membrane only occurred in the ones that had received the oral spray. In the
latter the nitrates no longer had a protective effect on the mucous membrane, as
the oral spray had killed the important bacteria that normally convert nitrates
into nitrites.
"This shows how important our oral flora is. The fact that these bacteria are
not just involved in our oral hygiene but also play an important role in the
normal functions of the gastrointestinal tract is not entirely new. It is
currently an important issue, as antibacterial mouthwashes have become more and
more common. If a mouthwash eliminates the bacterial flora in the mouth this may
be important to the normal functioning of the stomach, as the protective levels
of nitric oxide greatly decrease," says Joel Petersson.
In his opinion the research results also provide a new approach to the
importance of fruit and vegetables in our diet.
"If we followed the National Swedish Food Administration's recommendation and
ate 500 g of fruit and vegetables per person per day it would definitely be
better for our stomachs.