NITRIC OXIDE

Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death. A fleeting gas that decreases as we age, directly effects our blood vessels. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax and widen. This improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. Nitric oxide also affects the nervous system as a neurotransmitter, helps with pain management, and promotes the body’s “rest state.”

🚀 The Miracle Gas: How FREE Nitric Oxide Can Revolutionize Your Heart, Brain, and Energy

Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death globally. What if I told you the solution to drastically lowering your risk, sharpening your mind, and boosting your energy levels was a natural, fleeting gas your body already produces?

That gas is Nitric Oxide (NO), and understanding how it works—and, crucially, how we unintentionally destroy it every day—is the key to unlocking your healthspan.

We reviewed the breakthrough research of Dr. Nathan Bryan, a renowned Nitric Oxide expert (featured in the video below), to bring you the five zero-cost, high-impact strategies to restore your body’s natural NO production.

What is Nitric Oxide and Why Should You Care?

Nitric Oxide is a signaling molecule produced by nearly every cell in your body, but its role in your blood vessels is legendary. NO’s primary job is to tell your blood vessels to relax and widen (vasodilation).

This simple action yields life-changing benefits:

• Cardiovascular Health: Improved blood flow leads to lower blood pressure, the number one risk factor for heart attack and stroke. As Dr. Bryan notes, NO can even stabilize existing plaque in the arteries [05:00].
• Brain Health: NO increases blood flow to the brain, delivering vital oxygen and nutrients. This can improve cognitive function and may be fundamental in protecting against neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s [03:00].
• Sexual Health: It’s the core mechanism behind sexual function in both men and women. NO dilates the blood vessels required for engorgement and is why erectile dysfunction can be a “canary in the coal mine” for broader vascular issues [04:04].
• Immune Function: The body mobilizes Nitric Oxide to kill off bacteria and prevent viral replication, playing a crucial role in the body’s defense system [00:30].
• Pain & Rest: It affects the nervous system as a neurotransmitter, helping manage pain and promoting the body’s essential “rest state” (Parasympathetic system).

The Two Pathways to Nitric Oxide Production

Your body has two primary ways to make NO, and only one is under your direct, zero-cost control:

1. The L-Arginine/NOS Enzyme Pathway (Internal)

This is the endothelial pathway where an enzyme (NOS) converts the amino acid L-Arginine into NO.

• The Problem: This pathway gets “uncoupled” and dysfunctional with age, inflammation, and oxidative stress from the Western lifestyle (poor diet, lack of exercise) [11:11].
• The Warning: As Dr. Bryan explains, taking high-dose L-Arginine supplements often doesn’t help and can even cause harm in people with dysfunctional blood vessels, as it can generate oxidative stress instead of NO [16:47].

2. The Nitrate-Nitrite-NO Pathway (The Game Changer)

This is the oral-salivary pathway, and it is your body’s backup system.

• When you eat foods rich in nitrates (like leafy greens and beets), your body absorbs them.
• The nitrates are then concentrated in your saliva.
• The good bacteria on the back of your tongue convert those nitrates to nitrites.
• When you swallow your nitrite-rich saliva, stomach acid converts the nitrites directly into NO gas.

This second pathway is the key to natural, consistent NO production—and it’s where many common modern habits cause catastrophic failure.

🚫 Stop the Destruction: 3 Things Killing Your NO

Dr. Bryan is adamant that the first step is eliminating the things that disrupt your body’s natural processes:

1. Stop Using Antiseptic Mouthwash: Mouthwash kills 99.9% of bacteria—including the beneficial bacteria on your tongue essential for the Nitrate-Nitrite-NO pathway. Using it regularly can actually raise your blood pressure [00:46].
2. Stop Using Fluoride Products: Fluoride is an antiseptic neurotoxin (the active ingredient in some rat poisons) that kills your microbiome [03:50].
   • Action Step: Switch to a fluoride-free toothpaste and consider a water filtration system if your municipal water contains fluoride. (These are great places for Amazon affiliate links!)
3. Stop Antacids/PPIs: By neutralizing stomach acid, antacids completely shut down the essential last step of the oral-salivary pathway (converting nitrite to NO). Patients on these for years have a significantly higher incidence of heart attack and stroke [01:20].

✅ The 5 Zero-Cost Ways to Restore NO Production

Once you stop the things that disrupt NO, you can actively boost its production:

1. Breathe Through Your Nose: Nasal breathing helps activate the NOS enzyme in your upper airways, which can generate NO to dilate the bronchi and improve oxygenation [21:37]. Consider mouth-taping at night to force nasal breathing.
2. Get 20-30 Minutes of Sunlight Daily: Sunlight (specifically UVA and infrared) helps release stored NO bound to metals in the skin, circulating it into the bloodstream for vasodilation [41:55].
3. Moderate Physical Exercise: Just 20-30 minutes a day increases blood flow, which creates “shear stress” on the blood vessel lining, activating the NOS enzyme [40:51].
4. Eat Your Greens: Focus on dark, leafy greens like kale, arugula, and spinach. These are natural nitrate powerhouses that fuel your oral microbiome [51:00]. Eating natural, unprocessed food and cutting out sugar is foundational to preventing the dysfunction of the NOS enzyme [12:57].
5. Swallow Your Saliva (After Chewing): When you chew and swallow, you’re delivering those converted nitrites to your stomach acid. Never spit out saliva after eating nitrate-rich foods—it’s gold! [27:56]

Interested in learning more about the science? Dr. Nathan Bryan’s book, Functional Nitric Oxide Nutrition (or The Secret of Nitric Oxide if the newer one is out), is an essential guide to the field.

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Benefits according to a Nobel Prize Winner

Cardiovascular Health benefits without a doubt, but some Supplements Often Don’t Help (and some can be harmful). Breathing through your nose and enjoying a natural diet.

Nitric Oxide is FREE and helps us avoid disease