Are Nitric Oxide Supplements Dangerous?

Nitric Oxide, also known as Nitrogen Oxide or Nitrogen Monoxide, abbreviated as NO, is an important signaling molecule found in most mammals, and is crucial in the successful and healthy performance of various pathological and physiological functions in our body. Nitric Oxide has multiple beneficial effects on our health, and has a tendency to continually surprise scientists as research progresses through the years. Because of this, Nitric Oxide has been subject to extensive scrutiny and study, so much so that the findings of three young scientists won them a Nobel Prize in 1998.

Nitric Oxide has a tendency to be often confused by people with nitrous oxide, which is a dental anesthetic  or with nitromethane, which is used as a combustible fuel. As is the case with supplements of any kind, for any substance, it is very important to read and learn recommended instructions for dosage, and this is doubly true for Nitric Oxide. Most potential side effects of supplements can generally be avoided when following the manufacturer’s instructions. Nitric Oxide is a substance that is naturally secreted by our bodies, and has multiple beneficial effects. Primary among these are its cardiovascular properties. Nitric Oxide performs multiple functions in relation to our circulatory system, meaning heart, blood vessels and the blood itself.

One such function, is the lowering of blood pressure, which is achieved through vasodilation, meaning that the diameter of the blood vessels is widened. Therefore, if the Nitric Oxide level of your blood is too high, it can lead to a drastic drop in blood pressure. To ensure that your training is as effective as it possibly can be, you need to ensure that you have an adequate diet, sufficient regenerative time between sessions, and that use make proper use of beneficial supplements, Nitric Oxide being one of them.

Nitric Oxide – What it is

Nitric Oxide is what we call a signaling molecule, meaning that its function is to relay signals from various body parts to each other, thus activating, deactivating, pausing, resuming or altering the function of these body parts. This gas is primarily composed of  L-arginine, which is classified as an amino acid. Several prescription medications, used to treat a wide range of diseases, such as impotence and some cardiovascular ailments, make extensive use of Nitric Oxide. As Nitric Oxide is in a gaseous state, Nitric Oxide supplements work by containing large amounts of the amino acid that produces it. Thus this amino acid will begin producing Nitric Oxide inside your body. Ginseng and Cacao also have the property of increasing Nitric Oxide levels in our body, among others.

Nitric Oxide has several beneficial effects throughout your body, such as bolstering the immune system, and can also help combat inflammations, making it useful against arthritis, for example. One function mentioned previously, vasodilation, can be of great help to anyone suffering from high blood pressure, since the expansion of blood vessels is precisely what lowers blood pressure.