What Is Nitric Oxide?

Supplements designed to boost levels of nitric oxide have traditionally been popular among body builders and athletes, but now they’re becoming recognized as an important aspect of overall health.

- Vera Tweed

“Nitric oxide is one of the most important molecules in our body, particularly in cardiovascular medicine,” says James Rippe, MD, cardiologist, and founder and director of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute in Celebration, Fla. In fact, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to a group of scientists who discovered that nitric oxide plays a pivotal role in heart function, but this role still isn’t commonly understood.

Nitric oxide itself can’t be put into a supplement. “It’s a colorless, odorless gas that has a half-life of milliseconds,” says Rippe. Our bodies make it, and for good health, that process needs to work effectively.

What It Does

“Nitric oxide relaxes the inner lining of the arteries, the endothelium,” says Rippe, “And that’s really important for people who have heart disease.” When people who have angina (constricted arteries) are suddenly struck with debilitating chest pain, prescription nitroglycerin pills, taken under the tongue, bring relief by triggering the production of nitric oxide, which relaxes and dilates arteries. This enables more blood to reach the heart, and the chest pain subsides.

Through its dilating mechanism, nitric oxide helps control blood pressure and reduces risks of harmful blood clots that can cause heart attacks. It’s also good for the immune system, and further research may discover additional benefits.