First off let's start with some NO basics from Nobel Laureate, Dr Louis Ignarro:
NO Recap: Why Nitric Oxide Is a Crucially Important Molecule in the Cardiovascular System
But, how, you may ask, does it help the heart? Let's take a basic look at how the heart works. The heart pumps blood full of oxygen, nutrients, and messages (hormones and other biochemicals) through the body. At the same time the blood is delivering all of this to the cells it is picking up the toxins and waste from the cells and delivering deoxygenated blood back to the heart. NO regulates all of this through the lining of the blood vessels. It also enhances the cell's absorption of oxygen and nutrients through this lining. No also works as a vasodilator to regulate blood flow to and from the heart, supporting healthy blood pressure. In addition, with it's antioxidant support NO keeps blood vessels yong, healthy, and flexible.
What else does it do?
NO also prevents plaque from collecting on the walls of our blood vessels. It supports kidney health by increasing blood flow around them, NO can impact memory, smooth muscle relaxation, penile erection (Dr Ignarro's research was used in the creation of the well known little blue pill - just sayin), reducing inflammation, and many other things
Where do we get it?
Here's where it get's tricky - you can't take an NO supplement. Your body has to make it. The real question should be, how can we support / increase our body's production of NO. A Healthy Active Lifestyle is a good place to start. A minimum of 30 minutes a day 3 times a week is a natural way to boost NO production. So is consuming key nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, krill oil, garlic and green tea. Certain antioxidants, such as those found in Herbalife's Niteworks, are also known to trigger the body's natural production of NO. This production naturally decreases as we age, so it is even more critical we develop healthy active lifestyles and continue with those habit's age.
NO Recap: Why Nitric Oxide Is a Crucially Important Molecule in the Cardiovascular System
- Our bodies contain 6 trillion endothelial cells, which line 100,000 miles of blood vessels in a single layer.
- When those endothelial cells are healthy, they release a powerful signaling molecule known as Nitric Oxide, or NO.
- When NO is released, it penetrates cell membranes and sends messages, or signals, that help regulate cellular activity and instruct the body to perform certain functions.
- While NO influences the functioning of nearly every organ in the body, its role in the cardiovascular system is especially crucial.
But, how, you may ask, does it help the heart? Let's take a basic look at how the heart works. The heart pumps blood full of oxygen, nutrients, and messages (hormones and other biochemicals) through the body. At the same time the blood is delivering all of this to the cells it is picking up the toxins and waste from the cells and delivering deoxygenated blood back to the heart. NO regulates all of this through the lining of the blood vessels. It also enhances the cell's absorption of oxygen and nutrients through this lining. No also works as a vasodilator to regulate blood flow to and from the heart, supporting healthy blood pressure. In addition, with it's antioxidant support NO keeps blood vessels yong, healthy, and flexible.
What else does it do?
NO also prevents plaque from collecting on the walls of our blood vessels. It supports kidney health by increasing blood flow around them, NO can impact memory, smooth muscle relaxation, penile erection (Dr Ignarro's research was used in the creation of the well known little blue pill - just sayin), reducing inflammation, and many other things
Where do we get it?
Here's where it get's tricky - you can't take an NO supplement. Your body has to make it. The real question should be, how can we support / increase our body's production of NO. A Healthy Active Lifestyle is a good place to start. A minimum of 30 minutes a day 3 times a week is a natural way to boost NO production. So is consuming key nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, krill oil, garlic and green tea. Certain antioxidants, such as those found in Herbalife's Niteworks, are also known to trigger the body's natural production of NO. This production naturally decreases as we age, so it is even more critical we develop healthy active lifestyles and continue with those habit's age.