Nitric Oxide protects your heart and also helps you grow
Nitric oxide supplements are currently riding the crest of the wave.
They are marketed as a source of inexhaustible muscular energy that guarantee results by increasing blood flow and quickly supplying nutrients to the muscles. They have also been shown to increase growth hormone production when accompanied by exercise.
These claims are supported by facts: nitric oxide supplements have been shown to increase the width of the veins and capillaries, and therefore increases blood flow, which can aid physical performance and lead to remarkable improvements in the gym, whether you’re doing medium or high intensity exercise. Above all (this is very important), it helps patients with heart disease repair the endothelium, the cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels. Increased blood flow to muscles speeds up the intake of nutrients – a fundamental requirement for protein synthesis. So it plays a key role in muscular development. But remember one thing: nitric oxide supplements do not contain nitric oxide as such, which is a gas; the ideal way to keep it would be as a spray. This class of supplements form inducers, in this case, one or more forms of the amino acid arginine, usually as alpha arginine ketoglutarate, a salt formed by 2 molecules of arginine and 1 of alpha ketoglutarate, a combination that elevates the levels of nitric oxide in blood, and with this, aids muscular development, strength and the performance.
Nitric oxide supplements can enhance the development and performance of muscles and improve health: they do it in 5 basic ways.
There are 5 MAIN benefits for people who regularly consume nitric oxide supplements.
1 Improves performance
If L-arginine is added with L-citrulline (a non-protein amino acid), it leads to immediate, noticeable improvements in the time it takes to recover (between sets and between training sessions) as well as a remarkable increase in the pump you feel in whatever muscle you train. It also causes protein synthesis to occur more quickly, which can help you achieve your goal of bigger muscles more quickly.
2 Helps muscle recovery
Citrulline malate (an excellent inducer of nitric oxide) can reduce stiffness that has been brought on by intense training. How much depends on how much you take and the type of exercise performed.
3 Blood pressure
Nitrates and flavonoids increase nitric oxide levels. This faster flow increases the width of the veins and capillaries and, therefore, can be useful to control blood pressure in individuals who suffer from hypertension or systolic and diastolic pressures that are above normal rates. In such cases, always seek medical advice before beginning any treatment with taking N.O externally.
4 Erection problems
Nitric oxide plays a fundamental role in initiating and maintaining erections. Several supplements it contains, such as L-arginine, L-citrulline and pycnogenol, increase nitric oxide levels in men with erectile problems. In most cases, it has a positive outcome.
5 Diabetes
People who suffer from this disease, which is one of the most widespread of our time, often have an imbalance in the production of nitric oxide. People with diabetes can control blood sugar levels better when they take L-arginine. If you take nitric oxide supplements, start by taking small doses and slowly increase them to find your optimal level based on monitoring any improvements you see in physical recovery, acquiring a pump and reduced blood pressure, as well as any possible side effects.
WHAT IS NITRIC OXIDE? HOW DOES IT HELP THE HUMAN BODY?
It is a vasodilator, which means it relaxes the small internal muscles of the veins, making them wider. Doing this increases the speed and volume of blood flow, which reduces blood pressure and helps more nutrients reach the cells. Nitric oxide is produced by practically all the cells of the human body. It is one of the most important molecules for the health of the circulation system. Nitric oxide supplements do not contain nitric oxide as such: what they do have are a series of compounds such as L-arginine and citrulline (amino acids) or pycnogenol (a substance extracted from the bark of the French pine, Pinus pinaster), which the body uses to manufacture nitric oxide and thus leads to improvements in general health and functional performance. Research supports the view that the consumption of nitric oxide supplements promotes overall better performance in exercise and sport so it is particularly useful to people seeking gains in these areas. The properties of N.O. Also mean that it plays a key role in kick-starting protein synthesis, which is essential for muscle development. Nevertheless nitric oxide supplement is not a magic bullet that immediately stimulates gains. It is a valuable tool for training harder and longer, delaying fatigue and pumping muscles to their fullest.
IS NITRIC OXIDE A HEALTHY SUPPLEMENT? WHEN AND HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU TAKE?
There are no specific proven health problems related to the consumption of nitric oxide. However, people with intolerances to consuming it exogenously, or who take too much without first going through an adaptation process may suffer stomach discomfort, such as diarrhoea and may feel weak and nauseous. They may also deposit dark red stools, although they should not experience any bleeding. They can suffer slight complications caused by taking excessive amounts of nitric oxide, which can depress the production of internal testosterone, the male hormone that plays a major role in muscle development. There are still no precise recommendations on the ideal daily dose of nitric oxide supplements, or for how long you should take them. Elite weight trainers say anecdotally that when you start, and are unaware of the effects, it is best to take between 2 to 6 grams, always taking into account that as they are amino acids – in this case arginine alpha ketoglutarate – there is a possibility – however remote- of overdosing. Athletes typically ingest doses ranging from 3 to 30 grams per day, divided into 2 to 4 doses of similar amounts. N.O. absorbs better on an empty stomach. The ideal times to take it seem to be in a fasted state in the morning or before and after training. If you follow this protocol, the doses could be on average between 1 to 5 grams, depending on how much you weigh, the intensity of your training and the level you’re at. Quantities greater than 25 grams per day have not been shown to have negative effects or toxicity among athletes and weightlifters.
Ref: Andric SA, Janjic MM, Stojkov NJ, Kostic TS. Testosterone-induced modulation of nitric oxide-cGMP signalling pathway and androgenesis in the mouse Leydig cells. Biol Reprod. 2010 Sep; 83 (3): 434-42. Epub 2010 May 12.
