Nitric oxide is produced naturally within the body by most of the cells and is crucial for the health of the blood vessels. Nitric oxide is used by the body to widen and relax blood vessels which in turn improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
Many people today who are not eating the right foods or taking supplement compounds that make nitric oxide may have lower levels than normal and higher blood pressure.
Let's get into the top benefits of nitric oxide
Increases exercise performance
The ability of nitric oxide to widen the blood vessels allows your body to perform at a higher level and deliver more oxygen as well as other nutrients to the rest of the body.
Common nitric oxide supplements contain normal nitric oxide forming ingredients such as nitrate or the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline.
Some studies have found that the nitrate improves the performance of endurance athletes and effectively raises their nitric oxide levels. nitric-oxide-benefits-1
The amino acid L-citrulline has also proven to be an effective performance enhancer in endurance athletes by raising nitric oxide levels. nitric-oxide-benefits-2
It was found that when the amino acid L-arginine was consumed it was broken down in the gut and not effectively absorbed. So if you are looking for a nitric oxide supplement make sure they contain nitrate or L-citrulline as these are more effectively absorbed by the body and raise nitric oxide levels. nitric-oxide-benefits-3
Lowers blood pressure
Foods that raise nitric oxide levels
If you want to include natural foods in your diet to raise your nitric oxide levels turn to the vegetables like beetroot and dark leafy greens like spinach. These plant sources contain nitrates which will effectively raise the bodies nitric oxide levels. Studies have shown that these nitrate containing plants effectively lower blood pressure with nitric oxide to dilate and widen the blood vessels. nitric-oxide-benefits-4
Many studies have found that the intake of nitrate supplements effectively lower the blood pressure of the majority of participants in the study. nitric-oxide-benefits-5
Promotes muscle recovery
The muscles in your body become sore after a workout due to lactate. It has been found that supplementing L-citrulline can reduce the soreness after a workout by increasing the nitric oxide levels in the body. This study found that those who took L-citrulline after benching experienced up to 40% less soreness than the placebo group. nitric-oxide-benefits-6
This may be because of nitric oxides ability to increase blood flow and nutrient delivery to the muscles during and post workout. This could decrease the amount of lactate stored up in the muscles after a workout. nitric-oxide-benefits-7
Erectile dysfunction
Many men suffer from erectile dysfunction and are not able to get enough blood flow. Studies found that supplementing L-citrulline increase nitric oxide which in turn widens the blood vessels allow more blood flow. nitric-oxide-benefits-8
In studies it was discovered that L-citrulline could in fact increase the hardness and performance of men who supplemented this amino acid. nitric-oxide-benefits-9
Conclusion
Nitric oxide is a very important nutrient in the body that regulates the widening of blood vessels. It's important to eat foods or take natural supplements that will raise your nitric oxide levels to increase blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increase overall performance. Always consult your doctor before taking any supplements as they may interfere with certain medications.
Learn how garlic can also lower your blood pressure and increase the production of nitric oxide.
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