Until fairly recently, the colorless gas nitric oxide (chemical formula NO) was a relatively obscure substance. Environmental scientists were already aware of NO emissions from car exhausts, because as an atmospheric pollutant and a precursor to photochemical smog, it’s very irritating when breathed into the lungs, especially for asthma sufferers. NO is also sometimes found in the chemist’s lab, where it can be employed in a range of exotic reactions.
However, in the late 1970s, researchers who were investigating the dilation mechanisms of the anti-angina drug nitrogylcerine made an important discovery: the drug was being metabolised into nitric oxide, and it was this NO that was producing the potent vasodilation effects. This finding initiated a whole new raft of research into NO, but the real breakthrough came in the late 1980s, when it was discovered that not only does the human body produce its own NO, but that this NO also acts as an important neurotransmitter – a chemical signaller that tells cells in the body how to behave(1). And when NO was then discovered to be the neurotransmitter to erectile tissue, it spawned the development of Viagra – and the rest, as they say, is history!
We now know that nitric oxide is not just an important neurotransmitter, but is in fact the most widespread signalling molecule in the body, helping to control a range of processes in the body, including nerve signalling, immune function, tissue turnover and the dilation of blood vessels. In particular, nitric oxide acts as a messenger molecule that acts on a variety of endothelial tissues in the circulatory system (eg blood vessels and capillaries), causing them to ‘relax’. As they relax or deconstrict, they open up, allowing more blood to flow.
Nitric oxide supplements (or “N02” for short) have been some of the hottest selling muscle building supplements over the past 10 years or so.
Nitric oxide supplements are designed to increase blood flow to your muscles during your workouts.
