With Nitric Oxide Supplements, Consistency is Key

Many patients looking to support their Nitric Oxide levels with Nitric Oxide supplements often ask the question – how long does it take to see effects? The answer is nuanced – but one thing is for certain, consistency of supplementing and Nitric Oxide testing will unlock maximum benefits.

Let’s first discuss consistency. Dietary supplements are becoming increasingly popular among individuals looking to improve their health and well-being. These supplements can provide essential nutrients and minerals that may be lacking in a person's diet, but in order to reap the maximum benefits, it's important to consistently take them as directed.

Nitric Oxide supplements are no different in this regard. Dietary nitrates offer patients the best opportunity to support their Nitric Oxide levels as they age. Given the presence of a healthy oral microbiome, nitrates can convert to nitrite and to Nitric Oxide at all ages. Research shows that a clinically-efficacious dose of dietary nitrates is between 300-400mg of nitrates daily. The average American only consumes about 150mg of dietary nitrate a day. We are deficient in nitrates by definition.

Simultaneously, our Nitric Oxide levels go down as we age. One of the two pathways used by our bodies to make Nitric Oxide diminishes in efficiency over time (faster if the patient is experiencing stress, subjected to electromagnetic frequencies, or taking certain medications). By the time we are 40, the natural production of Nitric Oxide is around 50% what it was in our youth. Fortunately, leveraging Nitric Oxide supplements for dietary nitrate intake can help compensate for the diminished Nitric Oxide production and keep adequate levels up over time.

Additionally, taking Nitric Oxide supplements (specifically the kind leveraging a clinically-efficacious dose of dietary nitrate) consistently can help support the body’s ability to efficiently make Nitric Oxide on its own. Like many other kinds of dietary supplements, this "cumulative effect" means that the benefits of the supplement build up in your system over time, so it's important to take them consistently in order to maximize their effectiveness. Skipping doses of a Nitric Oxide supplement or taking the supplement irregularly may have implications on this process.

Fortunately the Nitric Oxide test strip from Berkeley Life is easy to use and can take the guesswork out of answering the question “is my supplement working?”. Our Nitric Oxide test is intended to be used prior to and 90 minutes following the consumption of a nitrate-rich meal or dietary nitrate supplement. This Nitric Oxide test measures nitrite in the saliva – the precursor to Nitric Oxide. The results from the Nitric Oxide test can be compared to an easy-to-read scale, giving patients and their providers an indication of nitrate available for Nitric Oxide conversion.

We recommend that patients leverage the Nitric Oxide test with their practitioners upon initial consultation, and regularly thereafter as they consume dietary nitrates from food or supplementation. The test will also detect nitrite produced as a result of dietary nitrate intake – so we encourage patients to test throughout the day after a nitrate-rich meal to ensure their levels are optimal.

In conclusion, taking Nitric Oxide supplements can be a great way to support your overall health and well-being, but in order to see the maximum benefits, it's important to take them consistently as directed. We also encourage regular use of the Nitric Oxide test, which will guide you and your provider on whether the dietary nitrates consumed through diet or supplementation are supporting adequate Nitric Oxide levels in the body throughout the day. Leveraging these simple best practices make it easier to build a foundation of total health.

Citations:

Bryan NS Nutr Res. 2015 Aug;35(8):643-54
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Taddei et al Hypertension 2001
Egashira et al Circulation 1993