A Tool Toward A Longer Life: Nitric Oxide

By Caitlin Taylor So 

Are you missing a way to a healthier and – maybe even – longer life with nitric oxide?  

Nitric oxide plays a crucial role in our overall well-being as a vasodilator. It relaxes the inner muscles of our blood vessels, helping vessels widen. This increases our blood flow and lowers our blood pressure. 

Nitric oxide also acts as a neurotransmitter, allowing our neurons to communicate with one another, and strengthens our immunity by regulating our inflammation and protecting us against pathogens. 

The older we get, however, the less nitric oxide we produce. The lower our nitric oxide levels are, the more prone we are to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, cognitive decline, coronary artery disease, and a long list of more age-related chronic diseases. 

Besides our age, lifestyle choices such as smoking, a high sugar diet, and an overuse of mouthwash can deplete our nitric oxide levels. 

To raise and maintain healthy nitric oxide levels, here are 10 ways to increase nitric oxide naturally. Many of these can easily be incorporated into your daily routine and life. 

Ten Ways to Increase Nitric Oxide Levels 

:: Eat foods rich in nitrates and nitrites: Eating foods rich in nitrates and nitrites is arguably the best way to increase nitric oxide levels. Vegetables that are high in nitrates that are especially good to eat on a regular basis include lettuce, arugula, chervil, cress, and other leafy greens. Chew them slowly and thoroughly as the conversion of nitrates into nitric oxide requires the healthy bacteria in your saliva. 

:: Take supplements that boost nitric oxide production: While not regulated by the FDA, there are supplements you can take to boost nitric oxide production. These supplements will often include L-arginine, L-citrulline, and nitrates. Ask your doctor if you should add these supplements to your daily routine. 

:: Exercise regularly: When you exercise, your body will be pumping blood and nitric oxide. Increased nitric oxide can boost your exercise performance and endurance. Prioritize drills or workouts that include squats and jumping jacks.  

:: Increase your diet of antioxidants: Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, glutathione, polyphenols, and more, help stabilize nitric oxide, allowing the gas to last longer. Fruits high in antioxidants include blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries. 

:: Practice deep nasal breathing (use a nasal dilator if needed): Breathing through the nose releases nitric oxide, thanks to our sinuses which play a major part in airway regulation and defense. If you have trouble breathing through your nose, we recommend wearing a nasal dilator, a small device that gently opens your nostrils wider, so you can breathe more easily. 

:: Increase your sun exposure: Sunlight (UV-A radiation) triggers the release of stored nitrates and nitrites in our skin, inducing nitric oxide. 

:: Stay hydrated: Dehydration will slow down your blood flow and disrupt nitric oxide production, so make sure you drink enough water every day. 

:: Get adequate sleep: A lack of sleep reduces the body’s production of nitric oxide, so it’s important to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night (if you’re an adult). 

:: Hum for 5 to 10 seconds multiple times throughout your day: Have a song stuck in your head? Perfect! Now you can hum it all day, which will dramatically increase your air circulation and nitric oxide production. 

:: Receive acupuncture: Acupuncture is great for promoting healthy blood flow and circulation and therefore, increases nitric oxide levels as well. Try acupuncture with heat for an extra boost. 

And we can help increase our nitric oxide levels by eating the right foods. Here are 10 foods can help get the job done …  

:: Celery 

:: Spinach 

:: Watermelon: considered one of the best sources of citrulline  

:: Beetroot: try beet juice or beetroot powder 

:: Kale 

:: Bok Choy 

:: Citrus fruits 

:: Dark chocolate: rich in flavanols 

:: Garlic 

:: Pomegranates: rich in antioxidants 

Nitrates in vegetables are generally safer than the nitrates found in meat. The nitrates in processed meats are linked to increased risk of certain cancers. Vegetables also contain antioxidants, which are beneficial to nitric oxide production. 

Side Effects to Nitric Oxide Supplements  

It’s might be better to increase your nitric oxide levels through vegetables rather than supplements because the supplements can cause some unintended side effects including … 

:: nausea 

:: heart palpitations  

:: diarrhea 

:: stomachaches 

:: bloating 

:: heartburn  

:: headaches 

:: dizziness 

:: low blood pressure 

People with serious health conditions such as heart or liver disease should also avoid nitric oxide supplements. Always consult with your primary care doctor first before taking any supplements. 

Now that we know what food and actions might help … it’s time to know what we should avoid. 

Ten Ways We Might Decrease Our Nitric Oxide Levels 

<1> Having an unhealthy diet: Just as there are foods that boost nitric oxide, there are foods that deplete it. Foods that are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat are some of the foods you should avoid eating regularly if you want to maintain healthy nitric oxide levels. 

<2> Using alcohol-based mouthwash: Mouthwash kills all bacteria, which is great for preventing cavities, but it can also kill the good bacteria we need to convert the food we eat into nitric oxide. Try switching to alcohol-free or natural-based mouthwashes or using your alcohol-based mouthwash sparingly.  

<3> Smoking: There are numerous reasons why you shouldn’t smoke for the sake of your health. The chemicals released in cigarette smoke contain so many harmful chemicals that impede your body from producing nitric oxide as normal. Studies show that a single cigarette can rapidly reduce concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, and antioxidants in your body. 

<4> Stressing too much: Stress is another major source of various health problems. Chronic stress and stress-induced anxiety can cause a nitric oxide shortage. 

<5> Drinking too much alcohol: Drinking a little bit of alcohol, particularly red wine, can actually increase your nitric oxide levels, but drinking too much alcohol in general lowers nitric oxide production and is overall damaging to your body. 

<6> Drinking too much caffeine: Drinking too much caffeine can cause dysfunction in your body’s nitric oxide production by inhibiting the enzymes responsible. 

<7> Staying inside and inactive: A lack of sunlight and physical activity can lead to a significant drop in your nitric oxide levels. 

<8> Taking certain medications: Medications that decrease nitric oxide include ibuprofen (and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), some antibiotics, and proton pump inhibitors (such as esomeprazole). 

<9> Exercising too much: If you’re exercising too intensely or strenuously, this could increase your likelihood for oxidative stress, or an imbalance of too many unstable molecules that will damage your cells and not enough antioxidants in your body to neutralize them. This, in turn, decreases your nitric oxide levels. 

<10> Breathing through your mouth: Breathing through your mouth doesn’t stimulate nitric oxide production, because it doesn’t involve your sinuses where nitric oxide is continuously synthesized. 

These factors all negatively affect our nitric oxide levels to varying degrees. Having an unhealthy diet, however, has a massive negative effect on our nitric oxide production and by extension, our health. If you want to know exactly what an unhealthy diet entails, look no further than the list below. 

Ten Foods We Should Avoid 

<1> Anything pre-packaged 

<2> Anything highly processed 

<3> Anything fried 

<4> Anything high in sugar/starch 

<5> Anything high in saturated fats 

<6> Cured meats 

<7> Anything high in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol  

<8> Fast food  

<9> Anything with preservatives  

<10> Anything high in salt 

You’ll do your health a favor if you make a conscious effort to avoid (or at least reduce) these types of foods. 

Is there such a thing as too much nitric oxide? 

You shouldn’t worry about too much nitric oxide if your main sources are from vegetables, fruits, exercise, deep nasal breathing, sun exposure, hydration, sleep, humming, and acupuncture.  

Too much nitric oxide could instead be a result of taking too many supplements, which is another reason why you must speak to a medical professional before you start taking any.  

Seek immediate emergency attention if you’re taking a nitric oxide supplement and …  

:: Your skin appears bluish 

:: Your heart is beating too fast 

:: You’re experiencing any trouble breathing 

:: You’re vomiting or have diarrhea 

These symptoms may appear after a potential overdose of nitric oxide supplements and might lead to more serious health concerns. 

Your Body Will Thank You 

Nitric oxide helps us improve our health and longevity. On top of the benefits previously mentioned, nitric oxide also plays a role in … 

:: Regulating our blood sugar and weight 

:: Improving our sense of smell 

:: Managing type 2 diabetes complications 

:: Improving our sexual wellness 

:: Helping to preventing cancer 

:: Speeding our ability to heal from wounds 

:: Supporting our digestion and gut microbiome 

:: Helping to preventing altitude sickness 

:: Improving our breathing and oxygen delivery 

:: Helping to retain our vision 

:: Improving your quality of sleep 

:: Helping to maintaining flexible arteries 

: Decreasing muscle soreness or tension (including arthritis) 

:: Helping to protecting skin from sun damage 

:: Building physical stamina and performance 

Nitric oxide is involved in many of the processes that take place within our bodies every day. Without it, our bodies would not be able to function normally. 

So take better care of your health and longevity and take steps to help improve your body’s level of nitric oxide