Nitric Oxide

Nitric Oxide (NO) is a gas that’s naturally produced in the body; it's used to communicate between cells. To make nitric oxide, enzymes in the body break down the amino acid, Arginine
See also :

• L-Arginine
• L-Citrulline

Special Precautions of Nitric Oxide

• Blood Pressure Changes : Because nitric oxide affects blood vessels, a decrease in blood pressure is a potential side effect. Symptoms associated with low blood pressure include headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting and loss of balance. These symptoms may be worse when standing from a sitting position or when urinating. Discontinue use and consult your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms.
• Stomach Discomfort : Medline Plus states that stomach discomfort is a side effect of nitric oxide supplements. Symptoms include nausea, stomach cramps or an increase in the number of stools. It is best to take this supplement with food to avoid stomach discomfort. Consult your doctor immediately if you are experiencing stomach discomfort with nitric oxide use.
• Changes in Body Electrolytes : Nitric oxide supplements may change the chemical environment of your body. This can result in high potassium, high chloride, low sodium, low phosphate, high blood urea nitrogen and high creatinine levels. You should not use nitric oxide supplements if you have kidney or liver disease. These organs regulate electrolytes and may be sensitive to side effects of nitric oxide supplement use.
• Increased Bleeding : Medline Plus states that nitric oxide supplements may increase the risk of bleeding. Therefore, you should ask your doctor about using nitric oxide supplements if you have a bleeding disorder or are using blood-thinning medications (aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, heparin or lovenox).
• Arginine Injection : Your doctor may give you an arginine injection to increase nitric oxide levels in your body. Common side effects of this injection, according to Medline Plus, include low back pain, flushing, headache, numbness, restless legs, irritation of the veins and death of the tissues surrounding the injection site. You may place an ice pack on the injection site as needed for pain. Consult your doctor if these symptoms do not resolve.

Benefits and uses of Nitric Oxide are

Nitric oxide is a gas molecule that plays a role in a number of functions in the body, including kidney function, penile erection and lowering inflammation. Moreover, nitric oxide helps smooth muscle in arterioles dilate and relax, thereby increasing blood flow. When nitric oxide becomes deficient, you can grow more susceptible to high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and heart disease. Nitric oxide is the body's natural way of preventing strokes and heart attacks—as long our bodies produce enough of it. Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies lose the ability to produce nitric oxide. According to Japanese scientists, between the ages of 20 and 70, a person's natural supply of nitric oxide declines by 75%. Sadly, this means just when you begin to need nitric oxide the most, you are growing steadily more deficient.

• Blood Circulation – Nitric Oxide regulates blood circulation throughout the body, increases the diameter of blood vessels and prevents formation of clots. It assists the endothelial cells in controlling and relaxing blood vessels. Nitric Oxide supplements can also boost the oxygen levels within your body, reduce blood pressure levels and keep your heart healthy and functioning optimally.
• Immune System – The Immune cells within our body release Nitric Oxide to destroy bacteria, virus and other harmful foreign elements that can cause an infection. The quality of blood cells in the bone marrow, the immunity-boosting cells and the muscle cells is enhanced with Nitric Oxide supplements. NO is also known to prevent tumor and cancerous growths within the body cells.
• Endurance level – Nitric Oxide increases the endurance level of the muscle cells, enabling you to lift heavier load and perform strenuous activities with ease. This is again one of the major reasons why body builders consider Nitric Oxide supplementation extremely beneficial.
• Increases Alertness – Nitric Oxide acts as an intracellular messenger between various cells in the body, including the nerve cells. With adequate amount of NO present in the body, the communication between nerve cells is faster, leading to quick responses and an increase in focus and vigilance.
• Increases Sexual Energy – One of the most popular benefits of Nitric Oxide is that it stimulates, invigorates and amplifies the sexual response mechanism within the body. Sensory and mental stimulation causes the nerve cells to release nitric oxide. This causes the penis muscles to relax, allowing blood to flow into the penis and create an erection. The process remains the same for women too, as blood flow increases in their vaginal tissues. This is how Loss of Libido, lack of sexual energy etc can be easily treated with nitric oxide supplementation.
• Pain Relief – Nitric Oxide supplementation can provide long-term relief from the pain associated with arthritis and joint inflammation. This is because it activates the anti-inflammatory mechanism within the body cells, and helps in reducing inflammation.
• Increases Muscle Mass – Nitric Oxide supplements widen the blood channels that lead to skeletal muscles, allowing for better blood flow and an increase in the lean muscle mass. With an increase in blood flow, the amount of nutrients available for the muscles is more, which again contributes toward increasing their size.
• Better Intra-cellular Communication – Nitric Oxide improves the process of communication between various cells in the body, including the nerve and the brain cells. Nitric Oxide supplementation is therefore extremely beneficial for enhancing memory, learning abilities and concentration levels. It also aids in treating various disorders especially insomnia and gastrointestinal ailments.

food Sources of Nitric Oxide

• Eat more Beets, and Beetroot - You can juice beets if you don’t care for raw or cooked beets, but use organic and throw in the roots, fruit, and even the leaves. Beets naturally boost the production of nitric oxide in the body and help to support energy levels, largely due to the large amount of nitrates found within the root vegetable. Beetroot juice also supports immunity and helps to protect against cancer – two of many health benefits of beetroot.
• Consume Hawthorn Extract - Hawthorn is often used to prevent heart disease because it prevents arterial walls form becoming coated with plaque, acts as a calcium-channel blocker and helps the endothelial cells that line our blood vessels to secrete nitric oxide.
• Exercise Every Day - When you work harder physically, the heart has to pump harder to supply oxygen to the body. The additional pressure against the arterial walls – from more blood passing through, causes more nitric oxide to be released.
• Eat more L-Arginine and L-Citrulline Amino Acids - Nuts and fruits are the best vegetarian sources of these amino acids, but they also exist in meat and dairy. However, the antioxidants in fruits and nuts also protect the nitric oxide that is created by eating these foods. Citrulline is recycled into L-arginine, which then produces more nitric oxide.
• Other nutrients can help your body absorb and harness the nitric oxide surge, such as...
  • Magnesium : supports healthy heart rhythm, facilitates blood flow by relaxing arterial muscles and preventing buildup.
  • Vitamin C : allows cells throughout the body to receive nitric oxide, speeds tissue growth and repair, aids bones in absorbing calcium.
  • Vitamin B12 : enhances cellular processing of nitric oxide, maintains brain and nerve health.