Nitric Oxide, “The Miracle Molecule”
Nitric Oxide - why is it “the miracle molecule” and what do you need to know?
I wrote a blog some time ago about beetroot (beets) and their contribution to nitric oxide in the body. It’s called “Beetroot, What’s The Big Deal” and you can read it here:
https://www.sarahshawwellbeing.co.uk/news/beetroot-whats-the-big-deal
Beets produce nitric oxide (NO) via one pathway, but there are other pathways by which you can increase NO in the body for:
improved heart health by causing vasodilation to increase blood flow through the heart and blood vessels and reduce blood pressure
better oxygenation of your cells because the delivery system works more efficiently
increased blood flow to your brain, organs and muscles, improving energy and clarity
delivery of nutrients deeper into your organs, so all your metabolic processes work optimally (assuming, of course, that you are feeding your body good nutrition, not loads of processed food and sugar!)
removal of toxins from your organs and tissues more efficiently, again making metabolism more efficient
reduced symptoms of toxic overload - anything from headaches to skin breakouts, hormone imbalance and brain fog
improved brain and cell health
Firstly, how you breathe is vital. If you breathe through your mouth, you bypass one of your body's ways of producing nitric oxide, causing a reduction in the elasticity of your airways and blood vessels and reducing oxygen movement into the bloodstream.
Breathing through your nose, however promotes the production of NO in the nasal sinuses, which is then transported into your upper airways and lungs. NO not only allows the lungs to open up, bringing more oxygen to the bloodstream and hence to the body, BUT it is also antibacterial so acts as a first line defence to microbes, viruses and bacteria which might otherwise cause infection. So breathing through your nose can actually prevent you contracting an upper respiratory infection, cough or cold.
We can also ensure that we have enough L-arginine in our system through our diet. L-arginine is an amino acid (one of the building blocks of proteins) and is required for the production of NO by the endothelial cells of the blood vessels. So by eating foods high in protein - animal protein and legumes, nuts and seeds - we can increase our ability to produce nitric oxide.
As we get older and if our diet hasn't been perfect (and who's is?), then the health of our blood vessels may be compromised - the blood vessel walls become stiffer and nitric oxide production reduces. By supplementing with L-arginine, we can improve the ability of the cells in the endothelium to produce NO and as a result, improve the pliability of the blood vessel walls which increases blood flow and may reduce blood pressure as a result, as well as delivering nutrition and oxygen to where it's needed more readily.
The Nobel Prize was given to three scientists in 1998 for their joint role in the discovery of NO as a signalling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Synergy produced their flagship supplement - ProArgi9+ - based on this science, adding L-citrulline, a precursor of L-arginine, so the action of the supplement lasts upward of 12 hours and two sachets a day will give 24 hour action. They also added vitamins C, D and K which are required for good cardiovascular and immune function, and along with B vitamins, improve energy and performance.
I’ve been taking ProArgi9+ for about 7 years for several reasons. Firstly, my Dad had to have both his coronary arteries cleared out, the first in his 60’s, the other one not till his 80’s, but he also took statins in his later years and I’m not keen to go down that route! (Maybe more about that another time!) And secondly, my Mum had vascular dementia, which started in her 70’s and although she lived to over 90, the end of her life was not great. Both of these point to issues with the cardiovascular system, so I’m supporting mine by eating plenty of fibre and protein, lots of foods rich in antioxidants to reduce inflammation, AND taking ProArgi9+ every day. If you would like to join me, you can click the link at the bottom of this page (below “Synergy Worldwide Elite Health) to order yours. Just click on the 🔍to search for ProArgi9+ and set up a subscription to get 10% off and free shipping.
As always, you are welcome to get in touch through my contact page if you’d like to have a chat about this or any other health, fitness or wellbeing issues you may have. I’d love to help!
#onehealth.