Nitric Oxide

Last Updated: August 17, 2022

Nitric oxide (NO) is composed of nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O). The human body creates NO from dietary arginine and nitrate. NO plays a major signaling role in vascular relaxation, and elevated levels are associated with better blood flow and lower blood pressure.

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Overview

The human body converts nitrate to nitric oxide (NO), which is a signaling molecule associated with several physiological functions involving blood pressure regulation, cardiovascular health, mitochondria production, calcium transport, oxidative stress, and skeletal muscle repair.[23] It plays a prominent role as a vasodilator, which means it relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow.

Nitrate supplementation, whether in its pure form (e.g. sodium/potassium nitrate), or via foods (e.g. beetroot juice/powder), may temporarily reduce the body’s oxygen demand during exercise. A decrease in oxygen demand may result in improved exercise and muscular performance.[24][25]

Examine Database: Nitric Oxide
Arginine
Cocoa Extract
Tart Cherry Juice
Ginkgo Biloba
Magnesium
Blueberry
Citrulline
L-Carnitine
Grape Juice
Curcumin
Hesperidin
Punicalagins
Pycnogenol
Astaxanthin
DHEA
Fish Oil
Garlic
Rooibos
Schisandra
Betaine
Coenzyme Q10
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References
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  24. ^Stephen J Bailey, Paul Winyard, Anni Vanhatalo, Jamie R Blackwell, Fred J Dimenna, Daryl P Wilkerson, Joanna Tarr, Nigel Benjamin, Andrew M JonesDietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humansJ Appl Physiol (1985).(2009 Oct)
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Examine Database References
  1. Arginine - Lucotti P, Setola E, Monti LD, Galluccio E, Costa S, Sandoli EP, Fermo I, Rabaiotti G, Gatti R, Piatti PBeneficial effects of a long-term oral L-arginine treatment added to a hypocaloric diet and exercise training program in obese, insulin-resistant type 2 diabetic patientsAm J Physiol Endocrinol Metab.(2006 Nov)
  2. Arginine - Willoughby DS, Boucher T, Reid J, Skelton G, Clark MEffects of 7 days of arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate supplementation on blood flow, plasma L-arginine, nitric oxide metabolites, and asymmetric dimethyl arginine after resistance exerciseInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab.(2011 Aug)
  3. Arginine - Stephen J. Bailey, Paul G. Winyard, Anni Vanhatalo, Jamie R. Blackwell, Fred J. DiMenna, Daryl Paul Wilkerson, and Andrew M. JonesAcute L-arginine supplementation reduces the O2 cost of moderate-intensity exercise and enhances high-intensity exercise toleranceJournal of Applied Physiology.()
  4. Cocoa Extract - Loffredo L, Perri L, Catasca E, Pignatelli P, Brancorsini M, Nocella C, De Falco E, Bartimoccia S, Frati G, Carnevale R, Violi FDark chocolate acutely improves walking autonomy in patients with peripheral artery diseaseJ Am Heart Assoc.(2014 Jul 2)
  5. Blueberry - Johnson SA, Figueroa A, Navaei N, Wong A, Kalfon R, Ormsbee LT, Feresin RG, Elam ML, Hooshmand S, Payton ME, Arjmandi BHDaily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trialJ Acad Nutr Diet.(2015 Mar)
  6. Ginkgo Biloba - Li XS, Zheng WY, Lou SX, Lu XW, Ye SHEffect of Ginkgo leaf extract on vascular endothelial function in patients with early stage diabetic nephropathyChin J Integr Med.(2009 Feb)
  7. Grape Juice - Albers AR, Varghese S, Vitseva O, Vita JA, Freedman JEThe antiinflammatory effects of purple grape juice consumption in subjects with stable coronary artery diseaseArterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol.(2004 Nov)
  8. Arginine - Schwedhelm E, Maas R, Freese R, Jung D, Lukacs Z, Jambrecina A, Spickler W, Schulze F, Böger RHPharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolismBr J Clin Pharmacol.(2008 Jan)
  9. Garlic - Mau Bhattacharyya, G V Girish, Soumendra K Karmohapatra, S A Samad, Asru K SinhaSystemic production of IFN-alpha by garlic (Allium sativum) in humansJ Interferon Cytokine Res.(2007 May)
  10. Betaine - Trepanowski JF, Farney TM, McCarthy CG, Schilling BK, Craig SA, Bloomer RJThe effects of chronic betaine supplementation on exercise performance, skeletal muscle oxygen saturation and associated biochemical parameters in resistance trained menJ Strength Cond Res.(2011 Dec)
  11. Fish Oil - Filaire E, Massart A, Portier H, Rouveix M, Rosado F, Bage AS, Gobert M, Durand DEffect of 6 Weeks of n-3 fatty-acid supplementation on oxidative stress in Judo athletesInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab.(2010 Dec)
  12. Arginine - Jabłecka A, Bogdański P, Balcer N, Cieślewicz A, Skołuda A, Musialik KThe effect of oral L-arginine supplementation on fasting glucose, HbA1c, nitric oxide and total antioxidant status in diabetic patients with atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease of lower extremitiesEur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci.(2012 Mar)
  13. Ginkgo Biloba - Rodríguez M, Ringstad L, Schäfer P, Just S, Hofer HW, Malmsten M, Siegel GReduction of atherosclerotic nanoplaque formation and size by Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761) in cardiovascular high-risk patientsAtherosclerosis.(2007 Jun)
  14. Arginine - Böger RH, Bode-Böger SM, Thiele W, Creutzig A, Alexander K, Frölich JCRestoring vascular nitric oxide formation by L-arginine improves the symptoms of intermittent claudication in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive diseaseJ Am Coll Cardiol.(1998 Nov)
  15. Cocoa Extract - Verawati Sudarma, Sri Sukmaniah, Parlindungan SiregarEffect of dark chocolate on nitric oxide serum levels and blood pressure in prehypertension subjectsActa Med Indones.(2011 Oct)
  16. Astaxanthin - Petyaev IM, Klochkov VA, Chalyk NE, Pristensky DV, Chernyshova MP, Kyle NH, Bashmakov YKMarkers of Hypoxia and Oxidative Stress in Aging Volunteers Ingesting Lycosomal Formulation of Dark Chocolate Containing AstaxanthinJ Nutr Health Aging.(2018)
  17. Curcumin - DiSilvestro RA, Joseph E, Zhao S, Bomser JDiverse effects of a low dose supplement of lipidated curcumin in healthy middle aged peopleNutr J.(2012 Sep 26)
  18. L-Carnitine - Bloomer RJ, Tschume LC, Smith WAGlycine propionyl-L-carnitine modulates lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide in human subjectsInt J Vitam Nutr Res.(2009 May)
  19. L-Carnitine - Hamid Reza Talari, Zeinab Jafari Azad, Yaser Hamidian, Mansooreh Samimi, Hamid Reza Gilasi, Faraneh Ebrahimi Afshar, Vahidreza Ostadmohammadi, Zatollah AsemiEffects of Carnitine Administration on Carotid Intima-media Thickness and Inflammatory Factors in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled TrialInt J Prev Med.(2019 Jun 7)
  20. Cocoa Extract - Loffredo L, Carnevale R, Perri L, Catasca E, Augelletti T, Cangemi R, Albanese F, Piccheri C, Nocella C, Pignatelli P, Violi FNOX2-mediated arterial dysfunction in smokers: acute effect of dark chocolateHeart.(2011 Nov)
  21. Hesperidin - Morand C, Dubray C, Milenkovic D, Lioger D, Martin JF, Scalbert A, Mazur AHesperidin contributes to the vascular protective effects of orange juice: a randomized crossover study in healthy volunteersAm J Clin Nutr.(2011 Jan)
  22. Coenzyme Q10 - Jahangard L, Yasrebifar F, Haghighi M, Ranjbar A, Mehrpooya MInfluence of adjuvant Coenzyme Q10 on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with bipolar disorders during the depressive episodeMol Biol Rep.(2019 Oct)
  23. Citrulline - Sureda A, Córdova A, Ferrer MD, Pérez G, Tur JA, Pons AL-citrulline-malate influence over branched chain amino acid utilization during exerciseEur J Appl Physiol.(2010 Sep)
  24. Rooibos - Persson IA, Persson K, Hägg S, Andersson RGEffects of green tea, black tea and Rooibos tea on angiotensin-converting enzyme and nitric oxide in healthy volunteersPublic Health Nutr.(2010 May)
  25. Blueberry - Del Bo C, Riso P, Campolo J, Møller P, Loft S, Klimis-Zacas D, Brambilla A, Rizzolo A, Porrini MA single portion of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L) improves protection against DNA damage but not vascular function in healthy male volunteersNutr Res.(2013 Mar)
  26. Arginine - Liu TH, Wu CL, Chiang CW, Lo YW, Tseng HF, Chang CKNo effect of short-term arginine supplementation on nitric oxide production, metabolism and performance in intermittent exercise in athletesJ Nutr Biochem.(2009 Jun)
  27. Cocoa Extract - Hammer A, Koppensteiner R, Steiner S, Niessner A, Goliasch G, Gschwandtner M, Hoke MDark chocolate and vascular function in patients with peripheral artery disease: a randomized, controlled cross-over trialClin Hemorheol Microcirc.(2015)
  28. Pycnogenol - Liu X, Wei J, Tan F, Zhou S, Würthwein G, Rohdewald PPycnogenol, French maritime pine bark extract, improves endothelial function of hypertensive patientsLife Sci.(2004 Jan 2)
  29. Citrulline - Ochiai M, Hayashi T, Morita M, Ina K, Maeda M, Watanabe F, Morishita KShort-term effects of L-citrulline supplementation on arterial stiffness in middle-aged menInt J Cardiol.(2012 Mar 8)
  30. DHEA - Martina V, Benso A, Gigliardi VR, Masha A, Origlia C, Granata R, Ghigo EShort-term dehydroepiandrosterone treatment increases platelet cGMP production in elderly male subjectsClin Endocrinol (Oxf).(2006 Mar)
  31. Punicalagins - Pantuck AJ, Leppert JT, Zomorodian N, Aronson W, Hong J, Barnard RJ, Seeram N, Liker H, Wang H, Elashoff R, Heber D, Aviram M, Ignarro L, Belldegrun APhase II study of pomegranate juice for men with rising prostate-specific antigen following surgery or radiation for prostate cancerClin Cancer Res.(2006 Jul 1)
  32. Schisandra - Panossian AG, Oganessian AS, Ambartsumian M, Gabrielian ES, Wagner H, Wikman GEffects of heavy physical exercise and adaptogens on nitric oxide content in human salivaPhytomedicine.(1999 Mar)
  33. Tart Cherry Juice - Chai SC, Davis K, Zhang Z, Zha L, Kirschner KFEffects of Tart Cherry Juice on Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Older Adults.Nutrients.(2019-Jan-22)
  34. Tart Cherry Juice - Keane KM, Bailey SJ, Vanhatalo A, Jones AM, Howatson GEffects of montmorency tart cherry (L. Prunus Cerasus) consumption on nitric oxide biomarkers and exercise performance.Scand J Med Sci Sports.(2018-Jul)
  35. Tart Cherry Juice - Keane KM, George TW, Constantinou CL, Brown MA, Clifford T, Howatson GEffects of Montmorency tart cherry (Prunus Cerasus L.) consumption on vascular function in men with early hypertension.Am J Clin Nutr.(2016-Jun)
  36. Magnesium - Nicola Veronese, Damiano Pizzol, Lee Smith, Ligia J Dominguez, Mario BarbagalloEffect of Magnesium Supplementation on Inflammatory Parameters: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsNutrients.(2022 Feb 5)
  37. Magnesium - Chua FB, Cinco JE, Paz-Pacheco EEfficacy of Magnesium Supplementation on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Meta-analysis.J ASEAN Fed Endocr Soc.(2017)