Nitric Oxide Q&A

Submitted by a reader:

Question: I've noticed a surge in the amount of nitric oxide (NO) supplements on the market, What is nitric oxide, and how is it supposed to help me put on muscle?

Answer: Most of the nitric oxide supplements you see advertised are simply products that contain some form of arginine. You may be familiar with this amino acid due to its potential to increase growth hormone (GH) levels. Arginine also plays a number of other roles in your body, one of them being the production of the gas nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide is essentially a signaling molecule that helps control a range of processes in the body, including nerve signaling, immune functions, muscle growth and the dilation of blood vessels. It is the last two that most NO supplements hang their hats on. Dilation simply means the opening up of blood vessels, which helps to increase blood flow to your muscles, bringing with it much-needed nutrients, oxygen and hormones (especially if arginine is boosting your GH). It also means enhanced blood flow to other parts of your body, including those that are, shall we say, below the belt. This is why you'll see many of these arginine-containing products being sold as male sexual aids.

The good news is that the scientific research supports arginine's ability to drive NO synthesis, especially in people with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and in those who smoke. Taking supplemental arginine also appears to enhance NO production during wound healing and oxidative stress. Since muscle recovery following exercise is likened to wound healing and oxidative stress increases with exercise, the chances are good that an NO supplement will be beneficial in your muscle-building quest.

Taking straight L-arginine should boost NO production, but most products use arginine in the form of arginine alpha-ketoglutarate. This is basically two arginine molecules attached to one alpha-ketoglutarate (a precursor to the amino acid glutamine). Supplement manufacturers tend to use this form because it may enhance the absorption of arginine, as well as give the added benefit of indirectly providing glutamine. Although glutamine has many important roles for bodybuilders, it also can be used in the body to produce arginine. The other benefit of most NO products is that they stack the arginine with other ingredients such as forskolin, citrulline and inulin to possibly enhance the effects of NO. Look for products that provide at least three grams of arginine alpha-ketoglutarate or, if you use L-arginine, about two to five grams. Take these amounts twice per day on an empty stomach, once in the morning and once about 30 minutes to an hour before your workout.

Learn more about nitric oxide here...