Vital
Nitric oxide is a tiny gas molecule with a big job: it tells blood vessels to relax and widen, which helps blood, oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles, brain and heart. Its discovery won the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine. Production tends to fall with age, which is why "nitric oxide boosters" have become popular with people over 60.
What nitric oxide does
The inner lining of your blood vessels, the endothelium, makes nitric oxide (NO). It signals the smooth muscle around the vessel to relax. That supports:
- healthy blood flow and normal blood pressure,
- oxygen delivery to working muscles, which affects stamina and exercise tolerance,
- blood flow to the brain, and
- normal erectile function in men, which depends heavily on NO.
Why levels fall with age
Research shows that the blood vessel lining becomes less able to produce NO as we age, and stiffer arteries respond less to it. Inactivity, smoking, high blood sugar and high blood pressure speed this up. That is one reason walking up a hill can feel harder at 65 than it did at 45, even if your fitness has not changed much.
Six natural ways to support nitric oxide
- Exercise. Blood flowing faster along vessel walls is the strongest natural trigger for NO production. Brisk walking counts.
- Eat nitrate-rich vegetables. Beets, arugula, spinach, celery and lettuce are rich in dietary nitrate, which your body converts to NO. In controlled studies, beetroot juice lowered blood pressure modestly and improved exercise performance in some people.
- Look after your mouth bacteria. Bacteria on your tongue help convert nitrate to nitrite. Studies found that strong antiseptic mouthwash used twice a day blunted this effect.
- Eat foods with citrulline and arginine, such as watermelon, nuts, seeds and legumes.
- Add color: polyphenols in cocoa, berries, pomegranate and green tea appear to support the endothelium.
- Do not smoke, and keep blood pressure and blood sugar in range.
Nitric oxide supplements: what is inside
- L-citrulline: converted to arginine in the kidneys, raising arginine levels more reliably than arginine itself. Often used at 3 to 6 g a day.
- L-arginine: the direct building block, but much of it is broken down in the gut before it reaches the blood.
- Beetroot extract and nitrates: the best-studied route for blood pressure and exercise effects.
- Supporting nutrients: vitamin C, antioxidants and polyphenols that help protect NO once it is made.
Safety first: because these ingredients can lower blood pressure, talk to your doctor before using them if you take blood pressure medicine, nitrates for chest pain (such as nitroglycerin) or erectile dysfunction drugs, or if you have low blood pressure, kidney disease, or have had a heart attack.
CircO2 Nitric Oxide Lozenges
A nitric oxide formula designed for adults over 60 who want to support circulation and stamina. · Read our full review
from $41.50$49.95per bottle in the 6-pack
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Memory tips after 60Frequently asked questions
What does nitric oxide do for seniors?
Nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax and widen, which supports healthy blood flow, normal blood pressure, stamina and circulation to the brain and muscles. Natural production tends to decline with age.
What foods boost nitric oxide the most?
Beets and beetroot juice, arugula, spinach, celery and other leafy greens are richest in dietary nitrate. Watermelon is a good source of citrulline.
Is it safe to take nitric oxide supplements with blood pressure medicine?
Ask your doctor first. Nitric oxide supplements can lower blood pressure, so combining them with blood pressure medicines, nitrates or erectile dysfunction drugs may cause it to drop too far.
How long does it take for nitric oxide supplements to work?
Dietary nitrate from beetroot can raise nitric oxide within a few hours of a dose. Effects on stamina and daily well-being are usually judged over several weeks of regular use.