Use of Beetroot Juice to Protect Against Postoperative Ileus Following Colorectal Surgery: BEET IT Study

The goal of the BEET IT study is to examine if preoperative intake of beetroot juice can ameliorate gastrointestinal (GI) recovery after colorectal surgery and thereby help to reduce the duration of postoperative ileus (POI) and prevent prolonged POI. Adult patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery are randomized 1:1 to consume either concentrated beetroot juice (active intervention) or nitrate-depleted concentrated beetroot juice (placebo) during the week before their surgery. Blood, tissue and/or fecal samples are collected at specific time points pre- and/or postoperatively to study markers related to inflammation, oxidative stress and GI function. Patients are followed from the week before surgery (start of the intervention) until 3 months post-surgery. The study takes place at 5 hospitals in Flanders, Belgium.

NCT Number	NCT05133024
Lead Sponsor	University Hospital, Ghent Collaborators: Research Foundation Flanders
Conditions	Postoperative Ileus
Enrollment	170 participants
Start Date	2021-03-31
Primary Completion	2026-09-30 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-12-30 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-02-10