One core component commonly found in your favorite pre-workout supplements are ingredients for nitric oxide boosters. Nitric oxide supplementation is a powerful way to help optimize your next workout. Despite all the buzz behind nitric oxides, you have likely never seen the word “nitric oxide” anywhere in the ingredients list on the back of your pre-workout or protein powder. Nitric oxide is actually a molecule manufactured within the body. In order to increase our levels of nitric oxide, many supplements include precursor compounds like arginine, citrulline, and nitrates to support nitric oxide production. These molecules are collectively known as “nitric oxide boosters.” So, how does boosting nitric oxide help me out in the gym?
What is Nitric Oxide? Why Is It Important in Athletic Performance?
Nitric oxide is a vasodilator. When our blood vessels dilate, blood can flow freely, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to fuel your muscles and tissues. This blood rush to your muscles contributes to what is commonly referred to as, “the pump.” This temporary increase in blood flow, increases the appearance of muscular vascularity that weightlifters love. These supplements often combine ingredients for nitric oxide boosters and creatine which combine to help optimize your “pump,”. working to support muscle growth and overall strength as you work out.
Read More: Complete Pre-Workout Guide: What It Is, Benefits, Ingredients And More
What are the Best Nitric Oxide Supplements?
Nitric Oxide Supplementation can come from a variety of precursor molecules. Common nitric oxide boosters like citrulline, arginine, and nitrates all have unique characteristics which separate them. If you find a pre-workout product you like, butyou’re looking to add more NO-boosting ingredients into your routine, you can customize your experience by mixing and matching with Beyond Raw® Chemistry Labs.
To dig a little deeper, outlined below are the top nitric oxide supplements commonly found in your pre-workout supplement:
1. Citrulline: Largely referred to as the gold standard in the field of nitric oxide supplementation, citrulline is the 3rd most prevalent pre-workout additive, appearing in 71% of the most popular supplements1 L-citrulline can be converted to l-arginine in the citrulline-nitric oxide cycle. This in turn contributes to the production of nitric oxide. – all of which contribute towards supporting blood flow to your muscle cells. all of which contribute towards supporting and fueling your muscle cells.
– Can I get citrulline in foods?
- Watermelon, the richest dietary source of citrulline, provides approximately 0.365 g citrulline per 1 cup watermelon2
- The average pre-workout was found to contain approximately 4 grams of citrulline per serving1 In order to match that 4 grams of citrulline, you would need to eat just about 11 cups of watermelon.
– Supplemental citrulline is primarily present in one of two forms:
- L-citrulline is simply the free form of citrulline.
- Citrulline malate is citrulline bound to malic acid. This combination might help you increase ATP production, which may impact your workouts3
2. Arginine: Arginine is an essential amino acid that contributes to the removal of ammonia and serves as a vital precursor for nitric oxide, creatine, and protein. The formation of nitric oxide allows for enhanced blood flow and blood vessel tone. L-Arginine is a more direct precursor compared to citrulline affecting the nitric oxide synthase pathway. While in theory arginine should be the better nitric oxide booster, it is less prevalent in pre-workout supplements, present only in 46% of the most popular pre-workout formulations1. L-arginine, while an effective nitric oxide booster, is thought to be less effective at increasing nitric oxide levels compared to l-citrulline supplementation. Arginine appears to have a lower bioavailability, as it is much more susceptible to degradation before it can unlock the benefits of nitric oxide5. For this reason, many pre-workout supplements opt to use arginine combined with citrulline, rather than arginine as the sole nitric oxide boosting agent.
3. Nitrates: One final category of nitric oxide boosters are molecules commonly referred to as nitrates. These are typically seen in foods and dietary supplements, acting as a precursor to nitric oxide. As we work out and our need for oxygen increases, nitrates can increase levels of nitric oxide. This in turn promotes overall blood flow and delivery of the necessary resources and minerals to fuel our working muscles. Nitrates can be found in many foods including leafy green vegetables and beet root. Beet supplements specifically contain a critical compound known as betaine. Betaine has a pre-workout prevalence just below arginine, and is included in approximately 33% of the most popular pre-workout supplements on the market1. There are many clinical studies which demonstrate beetroot supplementation as a useful tool in improving performance in endurance activities, , and fighting off muscle soreness following a strenuous workout5,6,7.
Read More: Benefits of Beets
References
1. Jagim AR, Harty PS, Camic CL. Common Ingredient Profiles of Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplements. Nutrients. 2019;11(2):254. Published 2019 Jan 24. doi:10.3390/nu11020254. Common Ingredient Profiles of Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplements – PMC (nih.gov)
2. Rimando AM, Perkins-Veazie PM. Determination of citrulline in watermelon rind. J Chromatogr A. 2005;1078(1-2):196-200. doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2005.05.009
3. Determination of citrulline in watermelon rind – PubMed (nih.gov) Bendahan D, Mattei JP, Ghattas B, Confort-Gouny S, Le Guern ME, Cozzone PJ. Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle. Br J Sports Med. 2002;36(4):282-289. doi:10.1136/bjsm.36.4.282. Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle – PMC (nih.gov)
4. Rashid J, Kumar SS, Job KM, Liu X, Fike CD, Sherwin CMT. Therapeutic Potential of Citrulline as an Arginine Supplement: A Clinical Pharmacology Review. Paediatr Drugs. 2020;22(3):279-293. doi:10.1007/s40272-020-00384-5 Therapeutic Potential of Citrulline as an Arginine Supplement: A Clinical Pharmacology Review – PubMed (nih.gov)
5. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance (jandonline.org)
6. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance – Health Professional Fact Sheet (nih.gov)
7. Nutritional and Supplementation Strategies to Prevent and Attenuate Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: a Brief Review – PMC (nih.gov)
