The Body Makes Its Own Medicine

All of us may know that the skin is the body’s largest organ and a critical defence system. However, how many of us know that the lining of your blood vessels, the endothelium, is the body’s largest internal pharmacy? This lining contains billions of metabolically active cells that function like minuscule medicine bottles, releasing hormones and other substances that help maintain healthy blood vessels. A healthy endothelium releases nitric oxide (NO) and here we will look at how important this gas is in regulating several bodily functions.

Researchers paid little attention to nitric oxide’s role in the human body until a few decades ago. It was merely seen as an environmental pollutant that was spewed from the exhaust of cars and factories. Since it is such an unstable gas, having a lifespan of only a few seconds, scientists did not think that it did much in the body. However, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, it became clear that nitric oxide acts as a chemical messenger in all mammals. This was officially recognized in 1998 when three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for the discovery of nitric oxide as a signalling molecule in the cardiovascular system.

Released by the inner layer of cells (endothelium) of your blood vessels, nitric oxide relaxes your blood vessels and keeps them flexible, allowing them to dilate and boost blood flow. This helps regulate blood pressure and keeps your arteries healthy. Apart from the cardiovascular system, nitric oxide has also been found to be a key player in many bodily systems such as the immune system, the nervous system, the brain and the eye. Its role is also important in controlling chronic conditions such as chronic inflammation, cancer and erectile dysfunction. Interestingly, it is the discovery of nitric oxide’s role in the human body that led to the formulation of the drug Viagra, which works by releasing nitric oxide to increase blood flow to the penis.

Now researchers have also started focusing on nitric oxide as a potential target for treating Covid-19. This acute respiratory disease is characterized by massive inflammation of the lungs, leading to extensive thrombosis or blood clots along with the destruction of the endothelium in the lungs. The  destruction of the endothelium in the lungs results in insufficient nitric oxide being produced leading to two acute conditions, vasoconstriction and broncho-constriction. In other words, blood and oxygen flow to the lungs become very limited.

Nitric oxide has also been known to produce potent antimicrobial effects. This is particularly important in the role it can play in combating Covid-19 as it may effectively kill the virus which causes the disease. Studies have reported that nitric oxide levels were significantly lower in patients with Covid-19. Researchers are still studying how inhaled nitric oxide may be effectively applied to those suffering from severe Covid-19 to improve blood oxygenation and prolong life.

Let’s dive a little deeper and talk about how you can tap into your personal pharmacy and increase the levels of this wonder gas. There are primarily three habits which can influence the way your body dispenses this miracle molecule in the right dose at the right time. These are:

●      How you move.

●      What you eat.

●      Breathing

How you move : Exercise is the only known process that causes a consistent and continuous production of nitric oxide in the body. When you exercise, blood flows faster across the surface of  your endothelium, causing a frictional force, also known as shear force. The cells lining your endothelium sense this extra blood flow and squirt out more nitric oxide into your body.  This dilates your arteries, optimizes blood pressures and delivers blood and nutrients to all your organs. The more intense the exercise, the more nitric oxide your body produces. Regular exercise in fact ‘trains’ your endothelial cells to make more nitric oxide. This positive impact remains even when you are not working out.

What one eats: There are a few foods that boost nitric oxide production in your body. These include vegetables high in nitrates such as celery, cress, lettuce, beets, spinach, arugula and chervil (herb related to parsley).

Once in the body, the nitrates from these vegetables are converted into nitric oxide. Vegetables also contain antioxidants, like Vitamin C which can thwart cancer causing N- nitroso compounds, found in nitrates.

Foods rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are powerful substances that help slow the breakdown of nitric oxide and extend its lifespan in your body. Antioxidants also neutralise free radicals, which contribute to the breakdown of nitric oxide. Foods rich in  vitamin C, vitamin E, Glutathione and polyphenols include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. Eating the ‘rainbow’ (eating the most intense colours in fruits and vegetables) is a good starting point. 

Omega 3s have also been shown to increase nitric oxide. Eating  foods rich in omega 3 such as flaxseeds, walnuts or wild-caught salmon twice a week contribute to maintaining adequate levels of nitric oxide in your body.

Studies show that there are two supplements that boost nitric oxide. L- Arginine and L- Citrulline are both amino acids that healthy bodies can make on their own. However, some people like athletes sometimes take them as supplements to boost athletic performance.

Breathing:  A 2005 study from the Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, showed that people practicing breathing and  relaxation techniques had higher blood levels of nitric oxide.

Deep breathing through your nose, stimulates  the release of nitric oxide which dilates your blood vessels and airways, improving oxygen delivery. Most of this nitric oxide comes from your sinus tissues.

The production of nitric oxide declines with age and also among people who have type 2 diabetes or poor diets. Attempts have been made to produce many drugs to boost nitric oxide production but most  of them come with undesired side effects. Since it is a very unstable gas, lasting for only a few seconds in your body,  the best way to get the benefits of this total health elixir is to incorporate it naturally.

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