Supplements to aid in the production of Nitric Oxide

In 1998 Robert F. Furchgott, Louis J. Ignarro, and Ferid Murad shared the Nobel Prize for their discoveries into nitric oxide. They explored its function as a signalling molecule produced by various cells in the body, including nerve cells in the brain (neurons), immune cells, and cells found in the lining of blood vessels aiding the cardiovascular system. Before this, it was known that we exhale tiny amounts of this chemical compound, but researchers paid little attention to nitric oxide’s role in the body. Its molecules being so small and having such a short life span (just a few seconds) that scientists didn’t think nitric oxide did much in the body.

Once Nitric oxide was proclaimed “Molecule of the year” and its physiological importance officially recognized with the Nobel prize in 1998, it led to yet further research. Not only in the way it relaxes the blood vessels keeping them flexible, allowing them to dilate, thus boosting blood flow, and helping to control blood pressure but in other beneficial ways. It has been found to be essential in the immune system, and the nervous system, all around the body and including the brain.

Many scientists say “ Life is a dying process” in that you are at your healthiest the instant you are born. From that point on the nitric oxide levels in your body begin to decrease and by the time you are in your 40s you really need to take whatever steps necessary to boost your nitric oxide production. nitric oxide diffuses from vascular endothelial cells that line your arteries and veins to the middle layer of blood vessel walls. It acts on the vascular smooth muscle cells as a vasodilator widening blood vessels and increasing blood flow.

This will help ensure that you live longer and that the quality of your life will be much better as you do so.

Nitrous oxide is broken down in the body and decreases due to oxidisation by consuming foods rich in antioxidants we can help prevent this. As ever, diet is important. We should aim to eat fresh vegetables, fruits, and fish oils also, garlic and green tea that are two foods especially rich in antioxidants.

So a good diet can help protect you. Foods rich in antioxidants help to prevent oxidation and by so doing help boost your levels of nitric oxide. As well as the aforementioned foods, any foods rich in vitamin C and vitamin E are also good because they help stabilise the nitric oxide in the body.

Folic Acid is also important for your cardiovascular system in that it can actually reduce the levels of homocysteine in the body. Homocysteine is a common amino acid in your blood that you mostly get from eating meat. High levels of it are linked to the early development of heart disease.

Just as important as a healthy diet is exercise, no question about it, and although everyone has known this for centuries what has been learned in the last few decades is that exercise stimulates nitrous oxide production. When you exercise your heart beats faster and stronger because of an increase in blood flow through the arteries. As mentioned earlier with nitric oxide being a vasodilator widening the arteries in order to accommodate an increased blood flow can help when exercising pumping the blood better to the muscles needed.

Unfortunately, life today has led many of us to have a rather sedentary lifestyle. Little exercise combined with a poor diet can give rise to increasing levels of obesity. This, in turn, can lead to very low amounts of nitric oxide in the body which can lead to heart disease, secondary diabetes, and other associated ailments.

As with all of our articles concerning supplements, the preferred method of improving your body’s health is through a good diet and plenty of exercise but for those of us who need a little help, there are, thank goodness supplements available. Kyani for example is a brand that have produced NITROFX. This is a blend of including the concentrate of Noni (Morinda citrifolia) that helps support the body’s natural production of Nitric Oxide.

Drops are placed under the tongue and blend with the mucus in the mouth to help absorption into the body. After taking there is another positive effect in that users (especially those in the older bracket) report increased mental alertness. After all the aid to increased nitro oxide production and improved blood flow is not just good for the body but for the mind as well!