This Molecule Won The Nobel Prize. Can It Fix Your Fatigue?

Have you ever tried to exercise at high altitude? Everything is harder up high, isn’t it? You get winded more quickly, you’re weaker, and you might even find yourself getting dizzy. At higher altitudes, the air is thinner, meaning there’s less oxygen floating around for you to breathe.
When we breathe, oxygen enters in our mouths and goes to the lungs where it is then transported through the bloodstream to our muscles. Oxygenated muscles perform better and recover faster. Whenever oxygen transport is impaired, we have less energy.
When people experience fatigue, they often turn to stimulants (like caffeine) rather than treating the root cause of their reduced energy.
By widening the blood vessels, Nitric Oxide can improve oxygen flow through the body, giving you a much needed energy of clean energy that you can use for working out, fighting heart disease, or just improving your daily life!
The Secret Science Of Circulation
The key to better circulation (and all the benefits that come with it!) is nitric oxide (NO). Maybe that surprises you. For one, nitric oxide is a free radical, and we all know that free radicals are bad for us… right?
Not in this case.
The discovery of NO and its function has been said to be one of the most important in the history of cardiovascular medicine. As a “vasodilator”, nitric oxide works by relaxing the blood vessels, allowing them to expand and increasing blood flow.
Nitric Oxide was named “Molecule of the Year” in 1992, and in 1998, three US scientists received the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for their discovery of NO’s role in the cardiovascular system.
In short, it’s kind of a big deal.
The medical potential of NO was first recognized in the 19th century when workers at nitroglycerin factories observed that their angina pectoris (chest pain caused by inadequate blood supply to the heart) would improve during the work week and then deteriorate on Sundays.
We now know that this was because exposure to NO was improving their blood flow. Today, this ability is harnessed by nitric oxide boosters.
Benefits Of Nitric Oxide Boosters
Our blood vessels are the super-highways along which nutrients and oxygen are transported throughout the body. And just like any highway, sometimes there’s traffic. Tight or constricted blood vessels inhibit circulation and can lead to numerous cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and angiogenesis-associated disorders.
For those with poor circulation, nitric oxide boosters can increase vasodilation and improve blood flow, creating effects that impact nearly every aspect of living.
A list of potential benefits may include:
- Improved Heart Health
- Better Endurance
- Better Recovery
- Lowered blood pressure
- Improved Sexual Functioning
- Decreased Insulin Resistance
Best Nitric Oxide Boosters
If you’re dealing with the effects of poor circulation, here are a few things which work naturally to boost nitric oxide and improve circulation.
L-Arginine/Arginine AKG
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid which comes in two common varieties: L-arginine and arginine AKG.
L-Citrulline
L-citrulline is a semi-essential amino acid similar to L-arginine. After ingestion, L-citrulline is changed to L-arginine.
Niacin
Niacin is also known as vitamin B3 and helps turn the food you eat into energy.
Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid which is known to boost canosine levels in skeletal muscles. Some test tube studies suggest that carnosine elevates nitric oxide production.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which contribute to the short life of nitric oxide. Longer lasting NO likely contributes to extended effects.
Exercise
As usual, the best solutions are the time-tested ones. Moderate-intensity exercise has been shown to increase NO availability thereby increasing vasodilation and reducing cardiovascular morbidity.
Wrapping Up
If you’ve been feeling fatigue or any other effects of poor blood flow, nitric oxide boosters may be worth considering.
NO boosters are even used by those who just want a better workout! As a powerful vasodilator, NO helps relax and widen the blood vessels, allowing for improved blood flow and oxygen transport throughout the body.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2617738/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5137939/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15722113/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7539433/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16524713/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23553707/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15866322/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2932548/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19881293
https://academic.oup.com/ajh/article/20/8/825/182351
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Posted in
Heart Health, Performance