Nitric oxide supplements - Nitric oxide (
No2) is a molecule naturally produced in the endothelium in the lining of the blood vessel walls to help the body’s millions of cells communicate with each other by transmitted signals. It is an essential compound for cardiovascular health, but the
No2 system slowly becomes less efficient with aging, caused by free radical damage, inactivity, and poor diet. An inefficient
no2 system, even in a bodybuilder, eventually causes deterioration in the veins and arteries, resulting in the destruction that leads to inflammation and heart disease.
The body naturally generates Nitric Oxide in the endothelium in the lining of blood vessel walls. Adequate production of No2 is the first step in a chain reaction that promotes cardiovascular function through healthy dilation of the veins and arteries so the blood can move through the body.
Insufficient
nitric oxide levels trigger destruction that can eventually result in heart disease, where the arterial lining becomes damaged, choking off the production of No2 and allowing red blood cells to stick together to create clots and blockages. Eventually, the damaged No2 system will lead to vessels that are vulnerable to inflammation and other negative consequences for the cardiovascular system.
Nitric oxide is important for many cellular activities. It transmits information to brain cells to improve memory, fights against tumors, prevents bacterial harm to the immune system, regulates blood pressure through artery dilation, reduces inflammation, improves sleep quality, increases recognition of the five senses (i.e., sight, taste, etc.), increases strength and endurance, and supports mobility in the gastric system.
Higher No2 levels can help increase energy, vitality, and overall wellness. Bodybuilders are catching onto the benefits and many have started taking nitric oxide supplements
L-arginine and L-citrulline which both support the flow of blood and oxygen to the skeletal muscle. Athletes also use the supplements to facilitate the removal of exercise-induced lactic acid buildup after a workout to help reduce fatigue and recovery time.
As a natural vasodilator, No2 results in blood vessel dilation for increased blood flow that carries more oxygen and nutrients to muscle tissue which aids in building lean muscle mass. For serious bodybuilders who judge the effectiveness of their workout by their muscle pump, they see the increased pump from No2 supplements as proof of increased stamina and endurance.
No2 has also become increasingly popular with athletes and bodybuilders. Many bodybuilders consider
nitric oxide supplements their new secret weapon because it is one of the most effective performance boosting supplements available.
For bodybuilders who are already optimizing their time in the gym and for recovery but looking for a supplement to up their progress, nitric oxide could be the perfect answer. Offering increased recovery rates, reduced fatigue, and enhanced endurance, the benefits can’t be ignored.
Now that more and more people are becoming aware of the
benefits of No2, they want to know how to boost their No2 levels. Exercise is a very effective way because the muscles need more oxygen during exercise, and the blood supplies the oxygen.
As your heart pumps faster to supply blood to the muscles during a workout, the lining of the arteries releases No2 into the blood to relax and widen the vessel walls, allowing for the passing of more blood through the body. Bodybuilders and younger children typically have more efficient No2 systems, which is reflected in their energy levels and easier recovery.
Another way to improve No2 is through your diet, especially by consuming amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline. Nuts, fruit, meat, and dairy contain the highest levels of arginine, an amino acid that directly creates No2 and citrulline in the body’s cells.
You can also protect your enzymes and No2 levels by eating healthy antioxidant-rich foods, especially garlic, soy, fruits, and vitamins C and E. No2 doesn’t last more than a few seconds but you can help it last longer and remain more stable by consuming more antioxidants. Here are 10 reasons every bodybuilder should be using nitric oxide supplements.
1. Quicker Recovery
When your body is exhausted the day after a tough workout and telling you to take it easy even though your mind is trying to get you to the gym anyway, you can help increase blood flow to your tissues to ease your muscles into relaxation. Blood flow enables nutrients to reach muscle tissue faster after difficult workouts and provides more oxygen to help with a faster recovery between workouts. If your goals require you to work out 5-6 times a week, but your body can’t seem to handle it, could make a big difference.
2. Increased Energy During Workouts
If you start feeling tired halfway through a
workout it’s because your body has run out of oxygen which starts to cause a buildup of lactic acid in the muscle tissues. That tired feeling makes you want to give up, but introducing to your diet could send more oxygen to the muscles and decrease lactic acid buildup to provide you with more energy while lifting weights. Increasing oxygen to the muscle tissues decreases fatigue so you can train longer and harder.
3. Boosted Endurance
This is good for a bodybuilder and long distance athletes like runners and cyclists. Endurance requires more oxygen than normal for your muscles to work at their maximum output. supplies your body with better oxygen flow to give you the endurance to keep training for longer periods of time without becoming tired or fatigued. All endurance athletes should be taking , but bodybuilders should take advantage of its benefits too.
4. Better Core Temperature Balance
Tough workouts make us hot and sweaty, but can reduce those effects by cooling us down and helping improve blood flow to balance core temperature. When your core temperature is balanced it helps give your body more energy to finish a workout strong. Good blood flow prevents the body from overheating so you can keep going longer until you’ve gotten the workout you wanted.
5. Bigger Muscle Pump
Lifting weights to a tight feeling in your muscles, especially the upper arms. Bodybuilders call it a “pump” when increased blood flow from their workout causes their muscles to look bigger for a short period of time after arm workouts. Nitric oxide can help make those arm muscles look bigger and better by increasing blood flow to the muscle tissue so they stand out and leave a pump that lasts even longer. The effects of a muscle pump give you the to keep going with a workout plan so use nitric oxide to enhance the effects and prevent you from falling off the workout bandwagon.
6. Bulging Veins
Some bodybuilders take nitric oxide solely for this reason: to get bulging veins. The vein-popping look is popular amongst bodybuilders, and many find that they see an increase in vascular volume after working out when they take . The supplements cause an increase in blood flow to make the veins pop under your skin for that bulging look. You look stronger as you gain a more vascular look which is why bodybuilders like to show off their bulging veins for everyone to see how healthy and powerful they are.
7. Stronger Immune System
No2 helps bodybuilders stay fit by increasing their oxygen levels throughout the entire body. This allows athletes to say more fit and healthy, killing viruses that help with immune cellular memory. Nitric oxide fights off viruses and bacteria that lead to cancerous tumors, and helps the white blood cells (the ones that fight off viruses) work faster and more efficiently. Use nitric oxide to get bigger and stronger, and have far less sick days with a strengthened immune system.
8. Better Performance in Bed
Nitric Oxide is considered better than Viagra due its benefits of increased blood flow. More nitric oxide helps create more guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) which gives men a better erection. Sexual stimulation causes a signal to be sent from the brain to endothelial cells in the penis to release more nitric oxide.
9. Higher Glucose Levels
During intense exercise, your muscles start to receive a buildup of lactic acid and ammonia, causing fatigue and inability to finish a workout as strong. However, increased glucose levels from the body with more energy so your muscle cells can finish that tough workout. Muscles require glucose for energy and fuel, and nitric acid might help glucose and muscles in the body work together better to provide more energy during exercise. Glucose is also known to help burn fat tissue for weight loss.
10. Help Prevent Heart Disease
is the most important compound for cardiovascular health. It protects the heart from heart attacks, stroke, and heart disease by preventing plaque buildup in the arteries. Plaque buildup decreases nitric oxide production, eventually leading to heart disease and stroke for many. The interior surface of the arteries produces nitric oxide, so when nitric oxide helps relax the blood vessels, it provides better flow of blood and oxygen to the rest of the body through healthy unblocked arteries.
Nitric Oxide Supplements
There are several nitric oxide supplements available on the bodybuilding market. Most bodybuilders combine whey protein and creatine with nitric oxide supplements to promote the best muscle growth. All of these supplements complement each other and can be taken together, which is called “stacking” when you take more than one supplement at a time. Stacking protein and nitric oxide supplements are safe and effective for building muscle, and so are arginine supplements, the main ingredient in most nitric oxide supplements. L-arginine is an amino acid found in dairy, wheat, and animal protein sources. When arginine enters the body it is converted to No2 which is why No2 supplements are designed to increase blood flow for a better muscle pump and amino acid delivery to the muscle tissue. Increasing blood flow helps deliver amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to the muscle.
Many bodybuilders take nitric oxide supplements because they believe it makes them workout harder and for longer. No2’s main purpose is to deliver messages between the body’s cells but it also helps regulate blood circulation to the major organs. From a muscle-building perspective, No2 affects the release of hormones and adrenaline and speeds up muscle growth and recovery time while simultaneously increasing blood flow to deliver more nutrients to the muscles, helping them grow.
Whey Protein and Creatine
Whey protein powder offers the highest biological value of any other protein supplement so it is recommended for a bodybuilder who uses protein and nitric oxide supplements to promote muscle growth and strength. Whey protein can also be highly effective at reducing blood pressure which helps support No2 production in the body.
One major reason for choosing whey protein over other protein powders if you are trying to boost your No2 levels is because proteins like whey, when mixed with supplements like nitric oxide complement each other nicely. Many athletes and bodybuilders choose whey protein because it’s digested easier and because it is sugary which causes an insulin spike, and higher levels of insulin increase muscle intake of amino acids to help build bigger and stronger muscles. Muscles can then take on higher levels of amino within the first couple of hours post workout and bodybuilders use that to their advantage when drinking a whey protein beverage during that time period.
Creatine is something that is created naturally and found in muscles of the body, which is an alternative energy source for the muscles when their regular energy source (ATP) runs low and allows the muscles in the body to flex and contract for longer than usual. This can improve the performance of athletes, especially for a bodybuilder whose sport often has them enduring short periods of intense activity and then followed up with rest periods. Creatine also supports muscle growth because of its anabolic nature, caused by osmotic effects where greater than normal levels of water are sucked out of the muscles, causing them to get bigger.
