However, many of these studies are based on animals or very small human groups. Research shows nitric oxide supplementation may promote vasodilation, or the opening of blood vessels.

Vasodilators like nitric oxide help relax the smooth muscle cells in the walls of your blood vessels. This helps promote blood flow through the body. For this reason, increased levels of nitric oxide may help improve conditions related to blood flow and cardiovascular health.

Nitric oxide helps widen blood vessels to let more blood flow through them. Due to this benefit, it may help reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension , or high blood pressure. Research has shown L-arginine given intravenously IV can be especially beneficial for pregnant women who either have or are at risk for developing pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia involves dangerously high blood pressure during pregnancy. It can be life-threatening to the pregnant parent and to the fetus.

Peripheral artery disease reduces blood flow to the arms and legs. Blood flow is reduced because the arteries have narrowed. A vasodilator like nitric oxide can help widen the arteries and allow more blood to travel into the extremities.

Angina is chest pain that results from reduced blood flow to the heart, and is typically a symptom of heart disease. Nitroglycerin is a type of medication that forms nitric oxide in the body.

It relieves angina by relaxing the walls of the blood vessels leading to the heart. Erectile dysfunction ED is the inability to get or sustain an erection long enough to have sex. Nitric oxide may help improve blood flow to the penis and therefore reduce symptoms of ED. Taking an L-arginine supplement may be even more effective for ED when taken with medications such as sildenafil and tadalafil.

The most common supplement people take to help their body produce nitric oxide is L-arginine. This amino acid is present in foods such as meat and dairy. It also can be taken by mouth as a pill, applied to the skin as a cream, given intravenously through an IV , or inhaled as a supplement.

However, research shows eating foods rich in nitrates may be safer and more effective than taking L-arginine supplements. Nitrates occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, and water.

Green, leafy vegetables like arugula tend to contain the highest concentration of nitrates. Beets , celery, and carrots are also good sources of nitrates. Eating nitrate-rich foods offers the same potential health benefits as taking supplements that produce nitric oxide.

In several studies, for example, drinking beetroot juice seemed to improve oxygen uptake and blood flow during exercise. There is no standard dosage for L-arginine supplements or nitrate-rich foods.

Keep in mind that most people already get about 5 grams g of L-arginine per day from their diet. That said, taking between 2. Taking about 6 g per day has been shown to improve strength and power during exercise.

Some people take up to 24 g per day to get benefits. However, taking more than 9 g per day may increase the risk of side effects. Nitric oxide is a type of compound called a free radical. Free radicals are produced naturally during normal cell reactions.

They are highly reactive in the body, and they are important for several bodily processes. However, free radicals are unstable, and at high levels they can build up and create a state called oxidative stress.

During oxidative stress, there are not enough antioxidants to control the free radicals. This imbalance can lead to cell damage and ultimately to diseases like cancer.

Taking L-arginine at a controlled level for a short time has been proven to be safe for most people, including pregnant people and children. If you are breastfeeding, have recently had a heart attack, or have liver or kidney disease, L-arginine supplements may not be safe for you. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking this supplement.

Also, people with a genetic condition called guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency GAMT may not be able to process arginine. They should not take L-arginine supplements.

L-arginine supplements can interact with several medications and other supplements. Ask your healthcare provider about taking it with:. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA the way medicines are regulated. Energy boost for endless endurance Skin splitting muscle pumps, to maximize muscle growth Stimulant free and can stack with any pre-workout for maximum results.

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The best part about this amplifier? Privacy Statement Terms of Use Contact Us. The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging.

You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Information about each product is taken from the labels of the products or from the manufacturer's advertising material.

Popeye's® Supplements Canada is not responsible for any statements or claims that various manufacturers make about their products. We cannot be held responsible for typographical errors or product formulation changes Sport supplementation should be used by persons 18 years and older. While there are many potential uses and benefits for nitric oxide supplements, there is not a lot of research to support some of the claims.

According to an article published in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications , taking nitric oxide supplements offers several heart boosting effects.

These include reducing arterial stiffness, reducing blood pressure , and improving carotid artery blood flow. However, it is important to note that the researchers studied animals, not humans, to find these effects.

Researchers theorize that taking nitric oxide supplements could enhance the delivery of oxygen to muscles. This could potentially improve athletic performance and reduce soreness after a workout. According to an article in the journal Sports Medicine , studies have shown that taking nitric oxide supplements may enhance tolerance to exercise.

However, this only applies to those who did not exercise regularly or only exercised at a moderate rate. The research has not shown that nitric oxide supplements can help elite athletes.

Researchers carried out these studies on young males, so they do not know how nitric oxide supplements may affect older people and females. Because nitric oxide supplements enhance blood flow, researchers have conducted studies to determine if it could enhance blood flow for people with erectile dysfunction ED.

According to an article in the journal Future Science OA , some studies have shown taking nitric oxide may reduce ED in those with mild to moderate ED. Preeclampsia , which is a form of high blood pressure that can occur in pregnancy, can be dangerous for both the woman and baby.

A study in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation found that pregnant women who took L-arginine supplements for a prolonged period had lower blood pressure readings than pregnant women who did not take L-arginine.

Although researchers need to conduct more studies, the results are promising for women struggling with high blood pressure in pregnancy. These are just some examples of more extensive studies that examined the effectiveness of nitric oxide.

However, there are no studies that establish how much nitric oxide supplements people should take to achieve the same results as the study participants did.

People take nitric oxide for a variety of reasons, many of which do not have any scientific research to support them. Most of these benefits are anecdotal, meaning that people may have reported a benefit, but there is no proof backed up by a scientific study. For most people, taking nitric oxide supplements does not cause side effects.

When side effects do occur, they are often mild and may include:. However, some people should not take the supplements because of the risk of potential side effects.

These include people with:. Doctors also have some concerns that taking nitric oxide supplements could make some conditions worse.

These include kidney disease, herpes , and after a person has had a heart attack. A study published in in JAMA found that people taking L-arginine after a heart attack had a higher chance of death, experiencing a repeat heart attack, and being hospitalized than people who did not.

This article does not give a comprehensive list of potential conditions where a person should not take nitric oxide supplements. The supplements may also interfere with medications, such as those for diabetes and high blood pressure. Anyone thinking about taking nitric oxide supplements should talk to their doctor first to ensure they will not interfere with existing conditions or any other medications they are taking.

Nitric oxide supplements have been available for decades, but as there is little scientific evidence to back up their use for specific health benefits, doctors do not routinely recommend them. Instead, doctors may prefer to recommend lifestyle modifications or medications that scientists have proven to treat medical conditions effectively.