UCLA doctors treat 82-year-old for methemoglobinemia caused by beetroot consumption

An 82-year-old man in the United States was hospitalized in critical condition after consuming excessive amounts of beetroot. The patient, who sought to improve his health, consumed up to three kilograms of cooked beetroot per week and also drank the cooking water.

Upon arrival at the University of California, Los Angeles emergency room, the man exhibited dangerously low blood pressure, slate-gray skin, and an oxygen saturation level of 88% despite receiving supplemental oxygen. Doctors initially suspected a cardiac event due to the patient's history of coronary artery disease, but further testing revealed a rare blood disorder known as methemoglobinemia.

Medical examinations showed that approximately 21% of the patient's hemoglobin had converted to methemoglobin, a form that cannot effectively transport oxygen. Physicians determined the condition was likely caused by a combination of the high nitrate content naturally found in beetroot and a nitrate-containing medication the man was taking.