What's all this fuss about "Nitric Oxide"???
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Why is the bodybuilding community so into nitric oxide? Name the best pre-workout supplements in the market today say, Jack3d, Cellucor NO3 Chrome, Cellucor C4 Extreme, MusclePharm Assault, and NO Xplode and you notice their labels boast of nitric oxide.So, what is the secret of nitric oxide?There is no secret! It's all science, it's backed by research, it's safe, and it's effective.Nitric oxide (chemical formula: NO) is a simple colorless gaseous molecule made in the body from L-arginine (another popular fitness nutrient), oxygen, and NADPH (or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) through the mediation of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase or NOS.Whoa - what's this mean?! It means you can get massive pumps and nutrient support in the gym via incredible bloodflow!How? Aside from intercellular communication and immune function, it serves in the control of blood flow. In particular, nitric oxide is a natural vasodilator. It helps regulate blood pressure, and circulate blood in certain body organs by dilating the blood vessels that supply them. It does this by relaxing the smooth muscles that make up the walls of the blood vessels.
Yok3d
YOK3D was developed by USPLabs that promises to introduce a whole new level of mind-blowing pumps and increased physical performance during your workouts. The primary ingredient in this supplement is arginine nitrate. The addition of the nitrate ion to the already effective amino acid l-arginine allows for both the l-arginine and nitrate to create nitric oxide within the body.
This is a stimulant-free pump product made by the same guys who made Jack3d, one of the top pre workout supplements (with stimulants) on the market for two years. You can take both at the same time! The added concentration of nitric oxide in your body means added vasodilation, which means more nutrients and blood flow to the muscles, in the end giving you those intense …
L-Arginine Side Effects
L-arginine is a type of amino acid that plays a crucial role in keeping you healthy. While the body naturally produces this nutrient, over time, the human body produces less of this. That, as well as an unhealthy diet, can lead to you experiencing L-arginine deficiency. This can lead to some people looking for supplements that contain L-arginine to compensate for the deficiency, without actually considering what possible L-arginine side effects they may experience. This article takes a look at the possible side effects of this nutrient so you will be aware of what you’ll be putting in your body.
Uses of L-arginine
Before taking a look at what the L-arginine side effects are, it’s important to understand what its uses are as well. Some …
Pycnogenol
Pycnogenol is a patented natural concentrate of active bioflavonoids extracted from the bark of the French maritime pine tree (scientific name: Pinus pinaster). The trees are sourced from a forest plantation in southwest France.
The antioxidant components of Pycnogenol, the bioflavonoids, can also be found in fruits and vegetables; they can be isolated from the seeds of grapes and the skin of peanuts. These flavonoids include catechin and epicatechin (and their monomers and dimers), taxifolin, procyanidnins, and fruit acids like caffeic and ferulic acids.
Scientific studies on Pycnogenol
Pycnogenol is one of the most studied herbal products today. To date, more than 200 published scientific articles and clinical studies have discussed and tested the maritime pine bark extracts beneficial health effects, and leading health experts …
Nitric Oxide Supplements
Nitric Oxide Supplements are becoming quite popular these days among many bodybuilding enthusiasts. This is because of the nitric oxide contents of these products or NO2 for short. When released into the system, nitric oxide causes blood to surge into the muscles, giving you a full feeling while creating a puffy appearance for your muscles.
Why Nitric Oxide Supplements are Popular…
It is for this reason that Nitric Oxide Supplements have enjoyed tremendous popularity. In this regard, it is important to note that the human body itself is capable of producing nitric oxide. This happens when the muscles contract and the blood vessels inside them become dilated. At this particular stage, a tiny cloud of gas is formed briefly, eventually settling down in the muscle …
NO Xplode
BSN, the leading manufacturer of performance products, produced the worlds first and original pre workout supplement BSN NO Xplode. When it was released in the market, every body builder lined the market to try out the results guaranteed by this product. It boasts of immediate results in minutes improving performance, focus and intensity training. It has the most advanced creatine and nitric oxide needed by the body to perform at its maximum level.
Basic things to know about pre workout supplements
A lot of pre workout supplements have been in released in the market promising good results for body builders. Like protein, the amount of creatine packed in a pre workout supplement is very important for body builders who are eager to achieve those real …
C4 Extreme
It’s not just bodybuilders who want to get that added boost when working out. Even the average Joe and Jane may also want to receive help when working out to help them get the physique they’ve always wanted. Cellucor C4 Extreme is one of the most powerful pre-workout supplements in the market today. This article reviews the product to help you decide whether or not to get this product to help you out when you train.
What is Cellucor C4 Extreme?
C4 Extreme is a pre-workout supplement designed to give you a temporary boost in energy, strength, and endurance so that you will be able to work out harder and longer, thus helping you get the physique you’ve always wanted within a short space of …
Muscle Pharm Assault
There are a lot of nitric oxide supplements available in the market these days, and one of the more popular is Muscle Pharm Assault. This is because the product claims to have ingredients that are two times more active than those found in other similar brands. For this reason, it is not uncommon to find athletes and bodybuilders getting to train a lot longer than they used to by using the Muscle Pharm.
What is MusclePharm Assault?
Primarily known as a pre-workout supplement, Muscle Pharm Assault enables you to come up with better performance while working out in the gym. A look at its list of ingredients should reveal that many of these are actually involved in promoting muscle growth and increased endurance, two areas …
NO2
What is NO2? In sports nutrition, it could mean:
The nitric oxide pre-workout brands from MRI: NO2 Red and NO2 Black.
Informally, a generic term for nitric oxide supplements in the sense that some people refer to a class of products by the name of one brand in that class.
However, note the potential confusion. Nitric oxide’s chemical symbol is NO. NO should not be mistaken for NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), a toxic gaseous air pollutant, and N2O (nitrous oxide), an anesthetic gas. As a precaution, dont wander off into a chemical lab or supplies store and order NO2, all right? Woe unto the chemist bodybuilder who says, “I’m bursting with NO2 Is he all ripped or just full of hot air?”
Kidding aside — wait, …
L-Arginine
What exactly is L-arginine? Why is it found in food supplements? Do we need it? Can it cure diseases?
All about L-Arginine
L-arginine is a type of amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and other biomolecules in the human body. Since the body makes its own L-arginine, it is a non-essential amino acid, and obtaining it from the diet is not obligatory. Hence, it is rare to find individuals who are deficient in L-arginine. The latter, in fact, is one of the 20 most common amino acids in the body.
However, there are situations in which the body’s ability to produce L-arginine may not be sufficient enough to meet target growth requirements. These situations include extremely young age (e.g., preterm infants …
Jack3d
Jack3d is undeniably one of the most popular pre-workout supplements in the market today, with reviewers saying left and right just how the product has helped them get into shape. It is made by USPLabs and has been extremely popular since 2010.
Nonetheless, there are still some people who aren’t sure about what this product is about. This article gives more information about Jack3d to help you decide if this product is worth purchasing or not.
What is Jack3d?
As mentioned earlier, Jack3d is a pre-workout supplement that is designed to boost your strength, stamina, and energy so that you can work out harder, allowing you to get into shape quickly and effectively. Its main ingredients are:…
L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate. Arginine temporarily increases the amount of
Nitric Oxide Intro Continued
The effects of some drugs are based on this action. Nitroglycerin and amyl nitrite, both drugs for heart attack, act by forming nitric oxide which, through vasodilation, relieves chest pain. Minoxidil works in a similar fashion for hair loss. So does Sildinafil (Viagra) for another body part.Do you need nitric oxide?
Actually, every human being does. Everyone naturally produces NO to function normally. Without nitric oxide, vital physiological processes fail.The more meaningful question for bodybuilders is Do you need nitric oxide supplementation? and the answer is it may prove useful, depending on ones goals. The vasodilating action of nitric oxide bodes well with those who want to maximize their fitness levels. While the body endogenously produces nitric oxide, the amount produced (which decreases with age, by the way) is not optimal enough for getting ripped, which is the goal of bodybuilding, of course.Nitric oxide supplements can help bodybuilders two ways. First, a nitric oxide-induced increase in blood flow to the muscles that under physical stress (during workout) means more nutrients and oxygen for the muscles to help them gain mass and strength quickly, giving people that pumped-up feeling. Second, access to these nutrients and oxygen also helps the muscles fend off stress-induced signs of inflammation like soreness and pain, thereby increasing endurance, stamina, rate of recovery, and fun, and allowing people to work out for extended periods of time.In other words, nitric oxide supplements helps bodybuilders endure the problems that they have to deal with while working out. It helps them increase the efficiency of the workout. They may now be able to get the benefits of steroids without having to use steroids and suffer the dangerous consequences.What are the ingredients of pre-workout or nitric oxide supplements?Oh before we forget, nitric oxide or pre-workout supplements (PWS) do not contain nitric oxide itself. Remember that NO is a gas. The majority of PWS is usually composed of nitric oxide synthesis precursors or actors/enhancers plus other nutrients and protein building blocks important to bodybuilding and holistic well-being. These ingredients include the following:- Arginine.It is a precursor of NO. This ingredient may come in the form of L-arginine or the more bioavailable arginine apha ketogluterate (AAKG). Another potent form is arginine nitrate, found in Cellucor NO3 Chrome. Note that arginines effect is short-lived but long enough to have an effect on workout, and ultimately, on long-term benefits, as it helps direct the nutrients discussed below to the muscle tissues.
- Other NO synthesis enhancers.Norvaline is an amino acid that can increase the bodys ability to make NO. Citrulline in the form of citrulline malate, another amino acid, increases NO production and helps reduce muscle fatigue.
- Beta Alanine.Another amino acid, it is the precursor of carnosine that is found in the muscles. Carnosine helps reduce ammonia and lactic acid buildup in the muscles.
- Creatine.It helps increase muscle mass and strength. Variants: creatine monohydrate (most common), creatine ethyl-esther, creatine magnesium chelate, and kre-alkalyn.
- Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCCAs).They serve as muscle protein building blocks. When the body needs them for use in other parts, it may source them from the muscles. To prevent this, BCCA supplementation may be needed. Natural BCCAs include L- valine, L-isoleucine, and L-leucine.
- Essential Amino Acids.Essential means that the body does not produce them, and getting them from diet or supplementation is mandatory. These amino acids perform or promote various physiological tasks, including protein synthesis.
- Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.Like the above, they also participate in various tasks inside the body. Vitamin B-complex members are used in energy production. Antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, and pycnogenol help neutralize free radical damage due to oxidative stress associated with workout.
- Carbohydrates.They serve as energy source. They cause the blood insulin levels to spike during workout, thereby forcing nutrients to be stored in the body. But they are often added in the form of simple sugars to aid in the taste of the supplements. Another popular carbohydrate is glycerol which has a lower glycemic index and doesnt tend to allow insulin spikes.
- Stimulants!They enhance ones work rate and focus. Stimulants include yohimbine, guarana, caffeine, yerba mate, theobromine, and green tea extract. A newer stimulant, geranamine or 1,3 dimethylamylamine, is derived from the plant geranium, and is included in the Jack3D brand. Unlike caffeine, it reportedly doesnt give fitness buffs the energy crash after an initial high associated with highly caffeinated PWS.
How much to take
Dosing may vary from one product to another. Keep in mind three things:- Carefully read the information leaflet that comes with the supplement.
- It helps to slowly introduce your body to the PWS by taking smaller doses, increasing it incrementally every week, and noting any side effects and benefits, until you reach your personal optimal dose. Individuals may have different results. You can always switch to another brand.
- You may want to consult with a nutritionist, dietician, fitness expert, or doctor, who will help you customize pre-workout supplementation and tailor it to your health profile. Note that not all ingredients mentioned above may be needed. Some health buffs are not into caffeine and carbohydrates. So choose your PSW wisely.
