Archives for May 2015

7 Ways to Boost Nitric Oxide Naturally

May 18, 2015 by Matt 7 Comments

Before I tell you how to boost nitric oxide naturally, make sure you read “5 Reasons Why Nitric Oxide is Important.”

Ok, welcome back.

Boosting nitric oxide naturally can be a breeze, but in order to accurately gauge your nitric oxide levels I recommend using Berkely Nitric Oxide Test Strips.

So what is the easiest way to boost nitric oxide levels naturally?

1. Eat Foods that are High in Nitrates

Nitrates are involved in nitric oxide production.

Nitrates work like this: while you chew nitrate rich food in your mouth, friendly bacteria breaks it down into nitrite.

Then, you swallow the nitrite where it is converted into nitric oxide by the acidic environment in the gut(S,S,S,S).

Just another reason why it is important to have optimal gut health!

Since this nitric oxide pathway is dependent on bacteria, you should avoid anti-bacterial mouthwash like the plague.

This study shows that using mouthwash completely eliminated the effects of dietary nitrates.

Which foods are high in nitrates?

Arugula lettuce is the absolute best source.
Beetroot juice is in second with half as many nitrates as Arugula.
Then it’s your typical vegetables: carrots, celery, iceberg, romaine, spinach, kale, chard, etc.

Click here for a more in-depth chart of nitrate rich foods.

Why else are nitrates/nitrites beneficial?

According to this study, nitrite even performs as a signalling molecule of gene expression.

“We further find that nitrite readily affects cyclic GMP production, cytochrome P₄₅₀ activities, and heat shock protein 70 and heme oxygenase-1 expression in a variety of tissues.”
This is a substantial discovery. Things that change gene expression fall under the research of epigenetics. Epigenetics are the future of health.

Click here for more information about nitrates and nitrites.

2. Exercise

We all know that exercise is good for the body. As it turns out, exercise is also a great way to boost nitric oxide levels.

It isn’t just weight-lifting either. All forms of exercise increase nitric oxide levels: walking, running, climbing, biking, weight-lifting…everything(S,S,S,S,S)!

In fact, this study shows that exercise boosts levels of the enzymes that create nitric oxide, and that these enzymes remain elevated up to a week later!

So NO excuses people. Be active and stay attractive.

3. Sunlight

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you’ve surely heard of the importance of Sunlight and Vitamin D.

What you probably don’t know is that sunlight is also responsible for triggering the production of Nitric Oxide.

How does sunlight increase nitric oxide?

Well, your skin stores nitric oxide metabolites(nitrate/nitrite). When UV rays from the sun touch your skin they change these metabolites into the more active form – nitric oxide – which is then released into your bloodstream(S).

“Sun exposure can improve health and even prolong life, because the benefits of reducing blood pressure, cutting heart attacks and strokes, far outweigh the risk of getting skin cancer(S).”

So sunlight raises levels of the all-important vitamin d, increases the amazing nitric oxide, and makes me tan? Say no more.

4. L-Citrulline

Citrulline is an amino acid that is naturally found in watermelon. It also happens to significantly raise nitric oxide, even more so than l-arginine.

The reason for this is that l-citrulline is better absorbed by the gut.

Because of this fact, l-citrulline is better at raising levels of l-arginine than arginine itself!

It is able to raise arginine levels through the arginine/ornithine/citrulline cycle(S).

Raising plasma arginine levels is important because arginine is directly used by Nitric Oxide Synthases(NOS) to produce Nitric Oxide.

How do I recommend getting more citrulline in your diet?

The best way to consume adequate citrulline is through supplementation.

You could try eating watermelons all day, but that would be a huge waste of time…then again, I sure love me some watermelon.

These guys have the right idea:

Bulk Supplements Pure L-Citrulline DL-Malate is the best way to consume citrulline.

For dosing, it is acceptable to use between 3,000mg – 8,000mg per day – with or without meals.

5. Niacin

Being one of the 80 essential human nutrients, Niacin(vitamin b3) is very important.

Niacin has numerous benefits, but to stay on topic: niacin is beneficial for its ability to raise good HDL cholesterol levels, while lowering bad LDL cholesterol.

This study shows that the niacin-induced increase in HDL resulted in higher levels of Nitric Oxide Synthase expression in endothelial cells.

In other words:

Niacin ⇒ More HDL ⇒ More Nitric Oxide Synthase ⇒ More Nitric Oxide.

The dosage for Niacin varies greatly, but I recommend starting off with a low amount like Carlson Lab’s 50 mg Niacin.

This way you can work up to a higher dose, while minimizing the annoying “niacin flush” that most of us are familiar with.
Low-dose niacin(50mg) is still effective at raising HDL levels(S).

6. Ginseng

Behold, the almighty ginseng.

Ginseng belongs to a powerful class of plants known as “adaptogenic herbs.”

Ginseng is very popular, and even the great Bruce Lee was known to consume it(Source: “The Art of Expressing the Human Body“).

I love Bruce Lee, so don’t get me started on him.

Anyways there are many different kinds of ginseng, but the one we care about is very specific.

Panax Ginseng, Korean Ginseng, and Red Ginseng are all names for the type we want.

How does Ginseng boost Nitric Oxide?

Ginseng directly stimulates Nitric Oxide Synthase, and as I’ve said before: More Nitric Oxide Synthase activity ⇒ More NO.

It is believed that the ginsenosides in ginseng are responsible for increasing Nitric Oxide Synthase activity(S,S).

There is also some evidence that ginseng can raise testosterone levels…but whether or not that is true, I think it is still worth it for the nitric oxide boost alone(S,S).

Since ginseng is such a popular herb, there are many products to choose from; however, according to Consumer Labs, most of them don’t quite live up to their claims.

Therefore, it is recommended to stick with a high-potency brand that did pass their test.

One of these trusted brands is Solgar Full Potency Korean Ginseng. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.

7. Nitroxyl

If you are like me, then you likely don’t want to take a bunch of different supplements and you’d rather just take one that “has them all.”

Well, Nitroxyl is just that.

Nitroxyl is the most comprehensive nitric oxide boosting formulation I have seen to-date!

On top of that, they don’t hide behind a”proprietary blend” – which I discussed the dangers of in “Is Cellucor C4 Preworkout Safe?”

What is in Nitroxyl?

Vitamin C 8.4mg
L-citrulline 250mg
Hawthorn Berry Powder 150mg
Beet Root Powder 100mg
Alpha GPC 25mg
N-Acetyl L-Carnitine 25mg
Pomegranate Fruit Extract 20mg
Theobromine(from Cocoa Powder) 20mg
Vinpocetine 10mg
Huperzine A 50mcg

All of these ingredients are proven to work synergistically to raise Nitric Oxide levels in the body. You’ll notice that some ingredients are even ones that I mentioned in this article.

Nitroxyl is your one stop shop for nitric oxide boosting compounds. Hop on or get left behind.

NOTE: The only competition Nitroxyl has is Neo40. Neo40 seems to be marketed towards the 40+ year old crowd, under the assumption that older people have poor functioning nitric oxide pathways.

Even though Neo40 will also work, it is much more expensive when compared to Nitroxyl. It also has less ingredients and hides behind a proprietary blend. However, the cool thing about Neo40 is that it is sold in the form of lozenges which are designed to dissolve in the mouth. As we learned earlier, food-based nitric oxide production begins in the mouth.

The moral of the story is that you can try either – they both will work. However, Nitroxyl is by-far the better bang for your buck.

That concludes the “7 Ways to Boost Nitric Oxide Naturally.”

It should be noted that this list is by no means complete and it is only designed to help you get started on your path to boosting nitric oxide naturally.

Remember to test your nitric oxide levels with Berkely’s Nitric Oxide Test Strips.

PEACE!

-Matt

Photos by: Domdeen, Arztsamui, Naito8, and Keira

5 Reasons Nitric Oxide is Important

May 12, 2015 by Matt 3 Comments

This is not actually what Nitric Oxide looks like.

Nitric Oxide? What’s That?

Is it what they use in their cars in Fast and the Furious? Nope.

Is it the “laughing gas” they give you at the dentist? Sure isn’t.

Ok, so what is Nitric Oxide then?

Nitric Oxide is simply (NO). It is one molecule of nitrogen attached to one molecule of oxygen.

Nitric Oxide is produced naturally inside the body and it is critical for optimal health.

The chemical used by Vin Diesel, dentists, and in aerosol cans is Nitrous Oxide (N2O). The extra nitrogen molecule in Nitrous Oxide completely changes the gas.

Now that we have that cleared up, lets dive into the 5 reasons why nitric oxide is important!

1. Cardiovascular Health

In your head, picture a river.

The water in the river represents your blood, and the channel that it flows through represents your vein.

Well what happens if a tree falls into the river and debris starts accumulating in that spot?

The river flow will slow down, and the water won’t be able to nourish the plants that are downstream as well as it did before the blockage.

This is essentially what happens to our veins as we age, and this is where Nitric Oxide steps in.

Nitric oxide is a potent vasodilator, which means that it widens the blood vessels and therefore improves blood flow.

This vasodilation lowers blood pressure and heart rate(S). It is also responsible for the bulging veins you see in body builders and for the “pump” that all weight lifters know and love.

Just listen to what Arnold has to say about “the pump:”

Increased blood flow brings with it increased oxygen and nutrients to the cells that need it. Increased blood flow also means better waste removal(lactic acid, etc).

Therefore, more NO = increased blood flow = faster muscle growth and quicker recovery from exercise(S,S).

The discovery of how powerful NO is as a cardio-protective molecule actually led to these researchers receiving a Nobel Prize.

Evidence that Nitric Oxide is Cardio-Protective:

Impairment of NO is shown to be an independent risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events(S).
“Atherosclerosis, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, thrombosis and stroke have all been linked to abnormalities in NO signaling(S).”
Low NO faciliates the process that causes arterial plaque and leads to the hardening of arteries(this is bad)(S).

In other words, Low NO = No Good.

2. Better Immunity

Macrophages produce NO to kill invading bacteria(S).
NO also exhibits antitumor activity(S).

In this study they show that “plasma levels of nitrite and nitrates increased upon infection, suggesting an increase in endogenous production of NOs.” What this means is that NO levels increase in order to fight off infections.

It also goes on to say “NO generated by macrophages could kill leukemia cells.” Leukemia is a type of cancer by the way.

It’s pretty crazy that this molecule is able to both pump up your muscles and fight off infections.

Better blood flow, better immunity, ok what else?

3. Boosts Brain Function

Aside from the obvious boost that improved blood flow would mean for the brain; nitric oxide also acts as a neurotransmitter or more specifically, a gasotransmitter(S).

A) Mood Boost – NO appears to have a definite connection with neuronal serotonin levels, and as I’ve said before – serotonin is the happy chemical.

See, I told you I said it before.

This study shows the potential link between NO levels and serotonin levels.
Here they discuss the potential of NO as a novel treatment for mood disorders. Hint: it also suggests a serotonin connection.

-So increased levels of nitric oxide can put you in a better mood? That’s a first…usually gas puts people in a bad mood. 😛

B) Enhances memory – Nitric oxide enhances memory because it is necessary for Long-term potentiation(LTP) in the hippocampus(S,S).

LTP is considered a vital process in learning and memory and without it we really wouldn’t know much.

NO facilitates this learning process.

C) Activates Neuronal Development – This is pretty cool. Nitric Oxide actually turns on the genes that promote neuron growth including dendritic growth and branching(S,S).

Dendrites are the root-like part of neurons that literally branch out and make connections with other neurons.

Longer dendrites are associated with easier learning, better recall, and higher computational power(S,S).

All of these benefits from such a simple molecule…

Better blood flow, better immunity, better brain function, ok what else?

4. Better Sleep

“It is widely accepted that nitric oxide facilitates sleep(S).”

NO is intimately involved in non-rapid eye movement sleep(NREM sleep) and sleep homeostasis(S).

In this study they show that inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis(one of the pathways that creates NO) suppresses spontaneous sleep.

In other words, no “NO” = no zZz’s

Increased levels of NO results in increased levels of cGMP. At night, levels of cGMP are higher which suggests an increase in NO.

It is through this relationship, that this study proposes NO and cGMP are involved in the circadian rhythm.

NO may also help with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is associated with lower levels of nitric oxide(S,S).

Learn what sleep apnea is here and consider taking the Sleep Apnea Quiz.

Nitric oxide makes blood vessels more elastic. On the other hand, sleep apnea makes your blood vessels less elastic because it causes lower nitric oxide levels. This implies that sleep apnea could be ameliorated by correcting a nitric oxide deficiency.

Snoring may also be a sign of sleep apnea: “Loud frequent snoring is one of the indicators of OSA(obstructive sleep apnea), which is a chronic condition characterized by pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep(S).”

If you have sleep apnea you more than likely have low levels of nitric oxide and are at risk for further vascular diseases(S).

But as always, consult a doctor.

Better blood flow, better immunity, better brain function, better sleep, ok what else?

5. Better Sex 😮

Woop, Woop! There it is!

That’s right ladies and gentleman, increased nitric oxide levels results in better sexual function.

For men this means harder erections, since NO is directly responsible for flooding the corpus cavernosum with the blood that results in an erection. Nitric Oxide is also the foundation which drugs like Viagra work upon(S).

For women this means increased blood flow to the vagina which leads to clitoral engorgement, enhanced sensitivity, and increased lubrication(S).

I don’t think this needs any further explanation…NO is no joke.

Let’s recap.

Increased NO results in:

Better blood flow
Better immunity
Better brain function
Better sleep, and
Better sex!

Hopefully now you understand why Nitric Oxide is important.

What are some factors that put you at risk for low nitric oxide?

Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, history of heart disease, poor diet, and sleep apnea are some common ones.

How do you test your Nitric Oxide levels?

Berkely Nitric Oxide Test Strips of course.

Where can you go to learn more about the power of Nitric Oxide?

The Nitric Oxide (NO) Solution. I haven’t read this book yet but it is on my list of books to read. There just isn’t enough time in a day!

How do I naturally boost my levels of Nitric Oxide?

I teach you this in my article “7 Ways to Boost Nitric Oxide Naturally”

I hope you enjoyed this article! Let me know what you guys would like for me to post about next.

You can leave a comment below or email me directly at matt@remedyrising.com.

Give me some feedback people!

Until next time,

PEACE