Proclaimed as the “Molecule of the Year” in 1992, Nitric Oxide (NO) or Nitrogen Monoxide is an important signaling molecule in mammals, including humans. It is of great importance to regulate numerous functions in the human body. The Nitric Oxide molecule is a free radical, having achieved great significance in the fields of Neuroscience, physiology, and immunology.
There is a surge in the amount of nitric oxide (NO) supplements in the market. Most of these products are derived from the Noni plant and contain Arginine in one form or another. Arginine is an amino acid that increases growth hormone (GH) levels. Additionally, it drives the synthesis of NO, more so in people suffering with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and also in those who smoke. NO, taken in supplemental form through Arginine intake, further helps to enhance NO production during wound healing and oxidative stress, and is beneficial in your muscle-building quest.
Most NO supplements use Arginine in the form of Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, because this form enhances the absorption of arginine, indirectly also providing glutamine, which in turn plays an important role for body builders. Most Nitric Oxide products also offer forskolin, citrulline and inulin to further enhance the effects of NO.
Besides technical applications, NO serves quite a few biological functions. Nitric oxide is produced in greater quantities in people living at higher altitudes, where it protects them from hypoxia, a medical condition characterized by lack of adequate oxygen supply to the body as a whole, or a region of the body. A high salt intake has been found to lessen NO production.
Nitric Oxide is also a key vertebrate biological messenger, and it is also known as Endothelium Derived Relaxing Factor (EDRF). Nitric Oxide is utilized by the inner lining of the blood vessels to signal to the surrounding muscles to relax. Effects of Nitric oxide include blood vessel dilation, modulation of the hair cycle, and penile erections.
Nitric Oxide plays a positive role in diseases and conditions such as heart disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, high blood pressure, impotence, fertility, pain relief, control of inflammation, diabetes, digestion, tuberculosis , memory enhancement, weight Loss, and wound healing. It also helps in the formation of blood clots and in the regulating of the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver and other vital organs, and is safely used in full-term babies with lung problems.
Nitric oxide is toxic to bacteria and other human pathogens. Inhaled Nitric oxide has been known to help a victim of paraquat poisoning survive and recover. Nitric Oxide is also important for the regulation of most or all major classes of protein.
Nitric Oxide is the molecule of life! Rich in B-sitosterol, ursolic, ghycosides, plant sterols, anthrquinoidenes, potassium, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, Vitamin C and iron, it is an important regulator for our immune system and overall health. Nitric Oxide products can be taken twice a day on an empty stomach. However, for clear dosing guidelines, you may consult a fitness expert or find out for yourself through tolerance mapping, which entails that you start by taking small NO dosage, gradually increasing the quantity you intake to a level where you experience maximum benefits with minimum side effects.