Nitric oxide is an essential gas that your body needs in many of its functions. You can increase its levels taking supplements, vegetables, and fruits but you need to know the nitric oxide supplements side effects before you use them.
Hi, my name is Annabel and I’m a bodybuilder. I’m training for the world championship next and I’m hoping to win the title this time around. My routine is simple really. I spend most of my time training and when I’m free on weekends I spent time with my friends. For me to gain the required muscles for a woman, I have to eat food rich in nitrates to build muscle and help to train longer. Supplements also help but getting the right ones is a bit tricky. Also, I have to do my own research on their side effects before I start taking them.
How does nitric oxide benefit you in building muscle?
If you go to many food stores you will find nitric oxide supplements being sold that help to boost muscle growth and improve your performance. These supplements are used to increase the time it takes for you to recover from any injuries sustained during a workout and increase cardiovascular strength. Besides increasing the ability to remember and learning tasks, nitric oxide will also help improve the health of your joints and bones.
Speeds up recovery
If you do intense workouts, your body will build up a lot of lactic acids. That burning sensation you feel in your muscles is lactic acid which isn’t good. Nitric oxides help to get rid of excess lactic acid allowing oxygenated blood to flow to help quickly repair and heal your muscles.
Bone healing
When lifting weights you stress your bones which trigger the release of nitric oxide. Supplements help with bone density by improving bone formationreducing the chances of your bones breaking. They also help in healing fractures and increase blood flow to the wound.
Gives you the pump
The feeling you get after a hard workout when you have pencil thick veins is known as a pump. Nitric oxide increases blood flow to your muscles which gives you a lot of energy and improves your performance.
Nitric oxide supplements side effects
Stomach discomfort

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One of the nitric oxide supplements side effects is that it can give you very bad stomach cramps, nausea, and more than enough visits to the restroom. It’s recommended that you take the supplements with food to avoid any discomfort. If the discomfort continues, it’s advisable to consult your doctor
Blood pressure changes
Since you know nitric oxide dilates the blood vessels, reduced blood pressure can occur. When you have low blood pressure you can experience dizziness, nausea, headaches, vomiting, lightheadedness, and loss of balance. These symptoms may get worse when you stand, sit, or urinate. If this happens to stop using the supplement and consult your doctor.
Body electrolyte changes
Nitric oxide supplements could mess up your electrolytes increasing your chloride, creatinine levels, potassium, and blood urea nitrogen while decreasing your phosphate and sodium levels. If you have a kidney or liver disease, it’s best to stay away from this supplement because it will affect how these organs regulate the electrolytes in your body.
Increased bleeding
Because nitric oxide increases blood flow, increased bleeding may occur. You should be more careful if you play contact sports. And if you’re taking any blood thinning medication like aspirin, Lovenox, warfarin, you should avoid taking nitric oxide.
Allergic reaction
Though it’s rare, you may get an allergic reaction to arginine supplements which will increase histamine production. Your body will release histamine if it detects toxins in your bloodstream meaning your immune system thinks arginine is an intruder. If you get an allergic reaction to nitric oxide you could experience problems breathing, rapid heartbeat, hives, and swelling of the face, neck, and throat.
Take nitric oxide with caution to avoid serious side effects
Nitric oxide is a necessary gas in your body functions. Using supplements has both benefits and side effects that are important to know before using any of them. Some side effects like allergic reactions and stomach discomfort can be managed while others can cause you serious problems like changes in your blood pressure and electrolytes. If you have any health problems it’s advisable to first consult your doctor before using any supplements. Click here to learn more about nitric oxide side effects.
FAQ
What supplement has the most nitric oxide?
Most nitric oxide supplements contain arginine the amino acid that produces nitric oxide in your body. L-arginine a-Ketoglutarte powder contains the most nitric oxide.
Can you take nitric oxide with pre workout?
Adding nitric oxide to your pre workout is a common thing that helps boost your perfoamance. However, not all pre workouts need nitric oxide, they already have citrulline malate.
When should I take nitric oxide supplements?
Instead of taking nitric oxide supplement with arginine, go for the one with citruline. Take 6-8g of citrulline malate per day and you will see improvements in your workout within a week.
Is nitric oxide good for muscle building?
Nitric oxide speeds up the release of adrenaline an hormones to your muscles. It increases blood flow to the muscles which delivers nutrients to your muscles to help them grow. Citrulline is more effective than arginine at increasing nitric oxide.
Is nitric oxide good for the body?
Nitric oxide helps to expand your blood vessels increasing blood flow which reduces blood clotting and buildup of plaque. It’s also good for the normal functioning of your vital organs.