Nitric Oxide Supplements & Muscle Pumps

About Nitric Oxide Supplements & Muscle Pumps

Nitric oxide supplements promote the synthesis of a gas called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide levels play a critical role in human health, signalling the smooth muscles around blood vessels to relax. Smooth muscle is a different type of muscle compared to cardiac or skeletal muscle. Smooth muscle controls the rate of dilation and constriction of blood vessels, controlling the flow of blood.

When smooth muscle contracts, it constricts the blood vessel, like pinching a garden hose to reduce the flow of water. When smooth muscle relaxes, blood flows faster to the peripheries and skeletal muscle. Nitric oxide supplements have become popular as they can increase blood supply and nutrient delivery to muscle tissue, such as oxygen, glucose and amino acids. This can assist with sports and exercise performance, muscle fullness (muscle pumps) and vascularity. 

Many ingredients are used in nitric oxide products to increase the synthesis of this gas. The most common are the amino acids agmatine, arginine and citrulline malate, as well as nitrates. Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid used as a building block to produce nitric oxide. Arginine is only one biochemical step away from the gas itself. Taking citrulline is an effective way to elevate blood arginine levels, which can then be used for nitric oxide support. Research demonstrates that citrulline may elevate arginine levels better than arginine itself, as reported in the The Journal of Nutrition in 2017.

Agmatine is another amino acid that stimulates the activity of the nitric oxide synthase enzyme. This enzyme, unlike the digestive enzymes that break down food, has the special job of manufacturing nitric oxide from arginine. Therefore, agmatine can have a synergistic effect when taken with nitric oxide precursors or building blocks, like arginine or citrulline malate. 

There are many other ingredients used for nitric oxide support, such as nitrates that serve as a building blocks, and herbal extracts. For instance, hawthorn berries may strengthen heart muscle contractility and improve peripheral blood flow. Nitrates are found in beetroot and a range of other vegetables, and promote the synthesis of nitric oxide via an alternative pathway that requires vitamin C. This means nitrates may be taken in addition to vitamin C, Citrulline Malate and Agmatine for well rounded circulatory support.

Nitric oxide supplements are commonly used to improve muscle pumps, vascularity and to improve strength, power and endurance. There are a wide range of flavoured and plain products available, including caffeine-containing supplements and caffeine-free alternatives. Just remember, if you're taking a nitric oxide supplement to enhance the appearance of skin veins, you will need to be relatively lean first.