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Does Your Body Make Enough Nitric Oxide?

Updated: Apr 30, 2023

By R. Freeman - BioNAV® Health and Wellness



Happy Seniors, Opt-Ed, Natural Foods, Supplements
BioNAV Article: Does Your Body Make Enough Nitric Oxide?

Recent publications have revealed some interesting studies about Nitric Oxide (NO) and the impact it has on the human body. For example, studies have found that NO plays an important role in lower blood pressure, heart health, and nutrient delivery. These findings suggest Nitric Oxide could possibly be, what some healthcare experts call, a miracle molecule for improving overall health.


Nitric Oxide has also been linked to improved circulation, lower blood pressure levels, increased oxygenation of the body's tissues, better nutrient absorption, and delivery. In addition, its antioxidant properties may be beneficial in fighting inflammation and cell damage.


Nitric Oxide Benefits

Nitric Oxide has been studied extensively over the past two decades, revealing some of its amazing benefits. If you are looking to improve your fitness, look no further than Nitric Oxide. This powerful natural compound is known to boost energy production, increased blood flow, and promote overall cardiovascular health.


Studies have shown that supplementing with NO can help reduce stress levels and

fatigue by increasing the amount of oxygen available in the body. With more oxygen circulating, your muscles will work more efficiently during exercise. This translates into increased stamina for improved athletic performance or just better daily functioning.


Nitric Oxide also helps with respiratory health due to its ability to open up airways in the lungs. This improved breathing helps athletes to improve their fitness by providing more oxygen to the muscles. Nitric Oxide also supports optimum nutrition absorption and is an essential part of many anti-aging treatments.


Why Do We Need More Nitric Oxide?

With the aging process, our bodies produce less of this compound and therefore need to find other ways to increase its levels. Proper nutrition including NO-rich foods like garlic and spinach can help. Regular fitness regimens such as aerobic and anaerobic exercise or HIIT will also promote the production of Nitric Oxide.


Ultimately, Nitric Oxide is an essential component in fitness and overall health. With proper supplementation, diet, and exercise routines, you can boost your Nitric Oxide production to maximize exercise performance, increase oxygen delivery throughout the body, improve blood flow, and enhance respiratory health.


What Are the Symptoms of Nitric Oxide Deficiency?

If you are not producing enough Nitric Oxide, the deficiency can manifest itself in several ways. Five commonly identified nitric oxide deficiency symptoms include:

  • Shallow breathing

  • Fatigue & exhaustion

  • Poor circulation

  • Low immunity

  • Difficulty managing stress

Shallow Breathing: Not having enough NO can make it difficult to take in oxygen while exercising or during physical activity. This symptom is especially prevalent in athletes who are pushing themselves too hard without proper rest or nutrition.


Fatigue and Exhaustion: Low levels of NO cause your muscles to become fatigued more quickly and also reduce overall energy production in the body. This translates into feeling exhausted and unmotivated even if you have had enough sleep or gotten regular exercise.


Poor Circulation: Nitric Oxide is a necessary component for proper circulation and a deficiency can cause problems in this area. Lack of NO can lead to numbness, tingling, or even pain in the limbs due to poor blood flow.


Low Immunity: A lack of Nitric Oxide can also impair your immune system’s ability to fight off illnesses, leaving you more susceptible to infection.


Difficulty Managing Stress: Last but not least, having lower levels of NO can make it difficult to manage stress effectively. This deficiency makes it challenging for you to relax which then leads to increased anxiety and difficulty sleeping.


Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

Focusing your diet on leafy greens and/or using nitric oxide supplementation is also an effective way of naturally lowering high blood pressure. Nitric Oxide helps expand blood vessels (vasodilation) and lowers their resistance while increasing the flexibility of their walls.


This helps reduce overall vascular tension which in turn lowers the elevated pressure caused by hypertension. Additionally, NO helps boost circulation throughout the body, ensuring that oxygen-rich nutrients reach all areas of the body to improve performance.


Which Foods Contain Nitric Oxide?

Leafy greens are an excellent source of Nitric Oxide and other essential nutrients. Spinach, cabbage, kale, and other leafy veggies are great sources of this compound. Other foods to consider include beetroot, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, garlic, and other herbs like basil or oregano.

green foods
Food greens that help increase natural nitric oxide

All these items contain high levels of NO and provide the body with an excellent source of nutrition that it produces naturally. With a proper diet rich in nitric oxide-producing foods you can ensure that your body receives all the benefits that come with increased nitric oxide production.


Taking Nitric Oxide Supplements as a Food Alternative

Nitric Oxide supplementation is a great way to improve your health and well-being. Nitric oxide is an essential compound found in the body that plays a role in many important physiological processes, including blood pressure regulation, muscle contraction, immunity, and inflammation. Consuming nitric oxide supplements provides additional amounts of this vital molecule, allowing better absorption into the bloodstream for enhanced health benefits.


One common NO supplement is the amino acid L-Arginine. This amino acid serves as a precursor to nitric oxide and is necessary for the production of NO in the body. L-Arginine supplements can help to increase Nitric Oxide production and improve circulation, leading to improved exercise performance, muscular contraction, and strength. Other nitric oxide-related supplements include l-citrulline, l-carnitine, and other amino acid derivatives.


amino acids, supplements, increase energy
Supplements that help produce nitric oxide

The time it takes for taking Nitric Oxide supplements to be absorbed into the bloodstream widely varies from 24 hours up to 3 months, depending on several factors such as dosage size and method of taking them. Generally speaking, taking Nitric Oxide supplements in capsule form provides faster absorption than taking drinkable products due to their increased surface area in contact with saliva or stomach acid.


What Does Nitric Oxide Do to the Heart?

Nitric Oxide plays a vital role in keeping the heart healthy and functioning properly. Its most important job is to regulate or lower blood pressure levels by dilating blood vessels, which helps lower the overall heart rate and decreases strain on the heart muscle.


It also increases oxygen delivery to the heart muscles while reducing inflammation within those same muscles. In addition, NO helps produce more mitochondria (the powerhouses of cells), allowing them to draw energy from nutrients more efficiently and support heart health better.


The importance of nitric oxide for healthy heart function cannot be overstated as it directly impacts how well your heart works and how well you can maintain your cardiovascular fitness.


What are the Nitric Oxide Side Effects?

When experiencing elevated nitric oxide levels, the side effects are generally mild and short-lived, but they can vary depending on the dosage taken. Some of the most common side effects include nausea, headaches, dizziness, flushing of the skin, and a tingly feeling in the extremities. In some cases, Nitric Oxide supplements can interact with medications such as dietary nitrates or Viagra so it is best to consult a healthcare professional before combining any prescribed medications and nitric oxide supplements.


What Happens if Nitric Oxide Levels Become too High?

Having high levels of nitric oxide can lead to airway lining inflammation and increased risk for asthma and other respiratory conditions. People exposed to high levels of nitric oxide may experience coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing due to airway narrowing. They may also experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, and a feeling of tightness in the chest.


In extreme cases, high levels of nitric oxide can lead to anaphylactic shock. It is important to seek medical attention if any of these symptoms are present. Exposure to high levels of nitric oxide should be avoided whenever possible as it can cause significant physical and psychological distress.


The Take Away

Nitric Oxide has plentiful health benefits and very mild side effects when taken correctly. Its role in keeping your heart healthy by lowering blood pressure levels while increasing oxygen delivery cannot be overstated. And when Nitric Oxide is absorbed into the bloodstream properly, staying on an active routine of aerobic and anaerobic exercises can help you improve your overall athletic performance.


It is very important to get nitric oxide levels checked and/or take nitric oxide supplements in moderation for the best results. For those who are worried about nitric oxide side effects, it would be wise to consult with a healthcare professional before taking any Nitric Oxide supplementation. With proper care and knowledge, Nitric Oxide can provide many positive benefits to our cardiovascular system, immune system, and overall blood vessel health.


About:
BioNAV® Health & Wellness is a new non-medical Health & Wellness startup that specializes in stress management and prevention. Our goal is to educate the public about the 5-Core Values of Living a Healthy Lifestyle: Fitness, Nutrition, Hydration, Sleep, and Breathing. Join our Stress Management & Prevention Community today!



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