Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule that’s produced naturally by your body, and it’s important for many aspects of your health. There’s no denying that NO supplements are extremely popular. Men and women spend tens of millions of dollars on them every year in hopes of building muscle and strength and increasing endurance.
Truth be told, I have experienced the benefits of a wide range of NO boosters. These formulas are something to behold. Interestingly, NO products provide benefits to not only athletes, but to young and old alike. Moreover, these products can be beneficial for not only those that take these great products, but retailers as well.
That said, why do I espouse NO the way I do? Over the past three decades I have bolstered my knowledge on the science behind NO and it is compelling to say the least. Much of this article will deal with what I have learned over the years and how retailers can help their customers address what is often perceived as a chronic lack of energy.
In a nutshell, NO is a gas naturally found in the body. Its function is to help the 50 trillion cells in the body communicate with each other by transmitting signals throughout the entire body. NO is required for key physiological body functions. It is useful in treating a variety of health challenges, including insomnia, obesity, diabetes and libido. It is because of these benefits that NO boosters have profound mass appeal, which, if strategically merchandised, will create new profit centers for retailers.
Depending on the requirement, NO can act as a hormone, a neurotransmitter and an intracellular messenger. People who exercise regularly or perform rigorous physical activities need a higher amount of NO, as it allows for increased blood flow. Signs of NO deficiency include extreme fatigue and physical weakness.
NO has the following benefits, including, but not limited to, the following:
• Increases endurance and strength
• Reduces inflammation
• Improves sleep quality
• Regulates blood pressure and increases blood flow to the sexual organs by dilating arteries
• Enhances memory by transmitting information between nerve cells in the brain
• Assists the immune system at fighting off harmful bacteria
Antioxidants and NO
NO is an unstable molecule that degrades quickly in the bloodstream, so it must be constantly replenished. One way to increase its stability and limit its breakdown is by consuming antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals, which contribute to the short life of NO. There are many antioxidants on retailer shelves, including dozens of formulas containing the very popular antioxidant vitamin C. A couple of other popular antioxidants include:
CoQ10 (Ubiquinol): CoQ10 is one of those encompassing dietary supplements with both general health benefits (e.g., anti-aging, antioxidant) as well as specific health applications (e.g., cardiovascular, diabetes, etc.) It is a fundamental component in energy production, immune response and protection against damage by free radicals. CoQ10 is part of the mitochondrial electron transport system and is synthesized in all cells. It is essential to the body’s production of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This holds special importance for the heart, which is loaded with mitochondria and has the body’s highest concentration of CoQ10 because of the significant demands made upon it.
Aging reduces access to CoQ10. The body’s declining capacity to extract and assimilate CoQ10 in later years plays a role in the development of various cardiovascular conditions. Ubiquinol is the reduced form of CoQ10 and the most highly absorbed. Ubiquinol is directly used in human metabolism as a lipid-soluble antioxidant. While standard CoQ10 (ubiquinone) supplements can be converted into ubiquinol in the body, this conversion can be less efficient in some individuals, based on age, genetics, blood sugar status or level of oxidative stress.
Glutathione: Antioxidant that significantly reduces oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when there’s an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body’s ability to fight them off. Excessive levels of oxidative stress may be a precursor to multiple diseases. These include diabetes, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Glutathione helps stave off the impact of oxidative stress, which may, in turn, reduce disease.
NO: Wide Ranging Appeal
The desire to increase NO in the body has almost become an obsession for athletes of all kinds. NO booster sections are growing in health food stores, and these formulas are becoming increasingly innovative. Athletes and exercise enthusiasts take NO supplements to support increased blood flow and oxygen to the skeletal muscle for increased performance. Furthermore, NO also facilitates the removal of exercise-induced lactic acid build-up, which reduces fatigue and recovery time. In fact, a wide range of demographics, including seniors, are using these products now because of their extreme efficacy. Retailers are stocking an increased number of NO products. Many contain the following nutrients, among others, which are often part of comprehensive NO formulas:
Arginine: A semi-essential amino acid that is a precursor to NO. Increasing dietary intake of arginine from food and supplements increases production of NO. Taking arginine supplements improves blood pressure and blood flow, and reduces risk of cardiovascular disease. Scientists at the Scientific Institute of San Raffaele in Milan, Italy, evaluated the effects of arginine supplementation on nondiabetic patients with cardiovascular disease. According to this research published in Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, it was determined that arginine supplements increase NO production, reduce inflammation and improve cardiovascular function.
Citrulline: An amino acid produced by the body as a byproduct of synthesizing another amino acid, arginine. This is made possible by NO synthases, or NOS, a class of enzymes that synthesize NO from L-arginine, a form of arginine. The relationship between citrulline and NO impact the body in a variety of ways, including heart health and male sexual function.
Glycine Propionyl-L-Carnitine (GPLC): Consists of a molecular bonded form of propionyl-L-carnitine and one of the carnitine precursor amino acids, glycine. It is marketed as GlycoCarn through Sigma-tau HealthScience. Two recent studies have demonstrated an increase in blood levels of NO with oral GPLC intake, at a daily dosage of 4.5 grams (Bloomer et al., 2007; in press). These findings agree with other recent work using PLC exclusively (Lofreddo et al., 2007) which demonstrated an increase in blood NO in response to 6 grams daily of PLC given via intravenous infusion.
NO supplementation can help anyone, but it is especially beneficial for people over the age of 40. People under 40 are in their prime physical years. Their muscles, cells and tissues are quick and efficient at releasing and producing NO to carry out different bodily processes. NO boosters are not crucial for this demographic. Retailers need to understand this in an effort to maximize sales in key demographics.
NO boosters have been and will always be great for anyone who takes them. And they are even better for the retailers who understand their immense benefits and sell them accordingly. NO is an essential molecule required for overall health. As a vasodilator, NO signals the blood vessels to relax, allowing them to expand. This effect allows blood, nutrients, and oxygen to flow freely to every part of your body. But when NO production is decreased, your health can become compromised. Therefore, it’s important to achieve and maintain optimal levels of NO in your body. NO products are clinically validated showing efficacy and truly deliver. The only pressing question for retailers is how to create enough shelf space in their stores for all these great products. VR
References:
“Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental”; Oral L-Arginine Supplementation Improves Endothelial Function and Ameliorates Insulin Sensitivity and Inflammation in Cardiopathic Nondiabetic Patients after an Aortocoronary Bypass; Pietro Lucotto, et al.; September 2009
Bloomer RJ, Smith WA, Fisher-Wellman KH. Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine increases plasma nitrate/nitrite in resistance trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2007;4(1):22.
Bloomer RJ, Tschume LC, Smith WA: Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine modulates lipid peroxidation and NO in human subjects. Int J Vitam Nutr Res, In Press.
Loffredo L, Marcoccia A, Pignatelli P, Andreozzi P, Borgia MC, Cangemi R, Chiarotti F, Violi F: Oxidative-stress-mediated arterial dysfunction in patients with peripheral arterial disease. Eur Heart J 2007, 28(5): 608-612.
Mark Becker is an account manager for Vivion, a raw materials distributor, based in Vernon, CA. He has worked as a natural products sales and marketing executive for 20 years. Mark has written more than 300 articles and has hosted or been a guest on more than 500 radio shows. He obtained a bachelor’s in journalism from Long Beach State University and did his Master’s work in communications at Cal State Fullerton. For more than 30 years he has participated in numerous endurance events, including more than 150 triathlons of Olympic distance or longer, 103 marathons and numerous other events including ultramarathons and rough water swims from Alcatraz to the mainland. He has relied on a comprehensive dietary supplement and homeopathic regimen to support his athletic, professional and personal endeavors. Follow Becker on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marklbecker/posts/387591877933686#!/energyatlast. Follow Mark on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/becker_mark. For more information, access www.vivioninc.com or www.EnergyatLast.com.
