Nitric Oxide Foods!

Nitric Oxide Molecule

The core of a good cardiovascular program is learning how to choose nitric oxide foods and supplements that will enhance your endothelium’s ability to create nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Just in this first line I introduced you to several key physiological terms that will absolutely reduce your risk for heart disease if you know how to maximize the benefits of nitric oxide foods.

Let’s start with your endothelium. This organ is now considered to be the largest secreting organ in your body.  Unfortunately, most people have never heard of it, yet your endothelium lines all of your cardiovascular system.  The inside of your heart, arteries, and veins are all lined by this one-celled thick organ.  Your capillaries are just extensions of your endothelium.  Most vascular researchers today believe that your endothelium ultimately controls most of your cardiovascular system. And one of its functions is to take nitric oxide foods and convert them into nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator. This means that it relaxes the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly control your blood pressure.  Nitric oxide is a short-lived gas that contains a single nitrogen and oxygen atom that, when combined together, act as a signaling molecule.  A signaling molecule is used by your body to cause something else to occur.  In addition to helping you maintain a normal blood pressure, your cardiovascular system uses nitric oxide to keep your blood platelet cells from sticking together to prevent strokes and heart attacks.  Nitric oxide is also used to heal and repair damage to the endothelium.

But it doesn’t end there. Your nervous system uses nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter to transmit impulses between nerve cells. Your immune system uses nitric oxide to destroy infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, and tumors.  In fact there is not a cell, tissue, or organ in your body that is not directly or indirectly impacted by nitric oxide.  You could not live without it and the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelium produces this life-saving and live-enhancing gas called nitric oxide.

Given this information wouldn’t it make sense to learn which nitric oxide foods will nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production?

Nitric Oxide Foods – What Are They?

When we look at nitric oxide foods we’re looking for foods that contain the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline.  Technically speaking your endothelium uses L-arginine to create nitric oxide.  The reason why I include L-citrulline is because this amino acid will recycle L-arginine to turbo charge your production of nitric oxide.  We’ll talk about this in just a little bit.

To help you better understand which foods are good nitric oxide foods I’ve created a popular YouTube video. Just click here to watch! For those who would prefer to read let me share the following information:

Most research indicates that for you to receive a therapeutic benefit from L-arginine you need to consume at least 5 grams of this amino acid at one time. So I selected 4 nitric oxide foods that I thought would be common food choices.  I did the math conversions to look at how much of these nitric oxide foods you would need to eat to take in 5 grams of L-arginine.  I also looked at the number of calories and grams of fat it would bring into your body.  Peanuts provide the smallest quantity of food but they pack on 70 grams of fat and 918 calories.  Beans, tuna, or chicken breasts are your better choices but you would need to consume at least:

  • one can of beans or
  • two cans of tuna or
  • almost 1 pound of chicken to get a therapeutic benefit.

The other amino acid is L-citrulline. There is not much of a choice in nitric oxide foods for this amino acid.  Watermelon is your one and only good food choice.  Unfortunately, 60% of the L-citrulline is contained in the rind portion of the watermelon which most people never eat.  You would have to eat over a pound of watermelon to get even close to the amount of L-citrulline your body would need for a therapeutic benefit.

When people realize all the food they need to eat, and the limited menu they have to choose from, they begin to ask the question:

Is it better to get these critical amino acids through nitric oxide foods or supplementation?

Comparing costs between nitric oxide foods and supplementation, your total daily food cost could range from $2.50 to $7.00 depending on whether it’s organic or processed food.  Your supplement cost is usually around $2.00 or less.

So supplementation costs you less and doesn’t have the added concern of fat grams and calories to your diet.  You just need to make sure you choose a good supplement company because the quality of the L-arginine and L-citrulline makes a huge difference.  To help you better understand this please click on my YouTube video.

How Long Will Nitric Oxide Foods Provide a Benefit?

Now, I need to make one more important point about nitric oxide foods and supplements as it applies to these two amino acids.

When you bring in a therapeutic level of L-arginine, it typically results in a 30 minute to 2 hour window of improved nitric oxide production.  When you combine your L-arginine with L-citrulline, you increase this therapeutic production of nitric oxide to 24 to 36 hours.  This has huge health benefits in helping you to control your blood pressure and repairing the damage done to the endothelium.

This is so important that the 1998 Nobel Laureate Dr. Louis J. Ignarro had this to say in his 2005 bestseller NO More Heart Disease:

Any supplement program that does not contain L-citrulline and antioxidants to augment the L-arginine – and most on the market do not – is missing out on a major piece of the potential of nitric oxide to improve your cardiovascular health.”

Learning how to properly nourish, heal, and support your endothelium through proper nitric oxide foods and supplements is a much more cost effective way in reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease.  This is especially important for those who have high blood pressure.  Since 33 percent of the American adult population has high blood pressure, and 25 percent are in the pre-hypertensive condition, choosing nitric oxide foods and supplements could be a tremendous health strategy for the prevention of heart disease.

Together we can work to save a million lives by teaching them the benefits of nitric oxide foods!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology.  He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicago area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam.  The information about nitric oxide foods has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Endothelial Health Equals Cardiovascular Health!

When was the last time anyone ever asked you about your endothelial health?

NEVER!

It’s estimated that there are approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the adult body.  These blood vessels include arteries, veins, and capillaries.  They are all protected by a microscopic inner lining of endothelial cells, which are commonly called the endothelium.  It’s important to note that these cells line the entire circulatory system from the inside of your heart all the way down to your smallest capillary.  When added up, the volume of these endothelial cells would cover the surface area of 4 to 8 tennis courts depending upon the size of the individual. That’s amazing since the endothelium is only one cell thick and can’t be seen by the human eye.

Once discovered the endothelium was classified as an inert membrane whose primary function was to keep the blood in the circulatory system and out of the body’s tissues and organs. Research over the last 25 years has shown that your endothelium is an active, multi-functional organ that plays a vital role in metabolic, immunologic, and cardiovascular health. Your endothelium is now considered to be the single largest secreting organ in the body.

Endothelial health is so important that the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelium converts the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

Endothelial Health and Its Life Enhancing Functions!

Because endothelial cells line every blood vessel they play an important role in the proper function of every organ in your body.  The following is a list of the known functions of the endothelium.  Each function plays an important role in endothelial health, cardiovascular health, and your overall wellness:

  • Angiogenesis – The formation of new capillaries is called angiogenesis and is regulated in part by the endothelium. Endothelial health is extremely important in wound healing.  It also plays a significant role in muscle creation and in the heart’s ability to develop collateral vessels.  These collateral vessels can help lessen the impact of a blood vessel blockage in the heart by providing alternative routes for blood flow.
  • Blood Flow – Your endothelium helps to facilitate blood flow. It does this by providing a smooth surface that inhibits platelet adhesion and clotting.  It also tries to inhibit foreign substances from adhering to its cellular wall, which can lead to plaque formations.  Large molecules like LDL (bad) cholesterol and/or toxic substances like nicotine damage the intercellular junctions between the endothelial cells allowing deposits to build up.  This causes the smooth and flexible lining of your blood vessels to become rough and hard to directly impact endothelial health.

It’s these plaque formations that are at the heart of atherosclerosis. As this process continues over time, the deposits or plaques become larger which narrows the interior of the blood vessel making it harder for blood to pass through.  This increases resistance to blood flow, which can cause your blood pressure to increase. The following factors can damage the endothelium and increase these formations:  smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension or high blood pressure, and inflammation. Elevated homocysteine levels have also been associated with premature atherosclerosis and can effect endothelial health and function.

Atherosclerosis was once thought to be irreversible but new studies clearly show that when the proper biochemical environment is provided the injured endothelium can return to its undamaged state. Proper supplementation with L-arginine, the precursor for nitric oxide, has been shown to diminish lesion formation, reverse endothelial dysfunction, and lead to improved endothelial health.

  • Blood Clotting – The narrowing of your blood vessels also causes blood turbulence that can lead to the formation of blood clots.  These blood clots, if large enough or if they pass through too narrow of an opening, can eventually lodge themselves in a blood vessel causing a blockage. When this happens in the heart we call it a heart attack.  When it
    happens in the brain it is called a stroke.

The endothelial cells produce a molecule called nitric oxide, which inhibits platelet adhesion, activation, secretion and aggregation, and promotes platelet disaggregation. This is extremely important in preventing blood clots in the vascular system to lessen the risk for heart attacks and strokes. It’s also a critical factor in sickle cell anemia to help prevent sickle cells from adhering to each other and clinging to the vascular walls.  This helps to prevent blockages, which cause most of the pain and tissue damage associated with sickle cell anemia.

While using nitric oxide to prevent blood clotting, it’s interesting to note that the endothelial cells are also necessary for blood to clot. They synthesize the vitally important molecule called Factor VIII or von Willibrand’s Factor, which is essential for blood clotting.  Without this molecule a person could bleed to death from a simple scratch.

  • Blood pressure – Not only do the endothelial cells provide a dynamically-controlled structural barrier between the circulating blood and surrounding tissues and organs but they also produce signaling molecules that influence vasodilation and vasoconstriction. Vasodilation causes blood vessels to relax allowing for greater blood flow.  This reduces blood pressure. Vasoconstriction causes blood vessels to tighten reducing blood flow and causing blood pressure to increase.

It’s currently believed that the endothelial cells are the controlling factor in the regulation of blood pressure. They produce both nitric oxide, which is the most potent vasodilator, and Endothelin-1 the most potent vasoconstrictor. The proper production of nitric oxide is fundamental to maintaining normal blood pressures, which means that endothelial health is critical to helping you maintain normal blood pressures.

  • Specialized barrier function – Endothelial cells act as selective filters to regulate the passage of gases, fluids, and various molecules across their membranes.  For example, in the brain and retina the endothelial cells are tightly linked together to create a barrier that only allows selective molecules to pass through it.  In the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, the endothelial cells are loosely linked allowing for cellular trafficking between their intercellular gaps.  However, in the kidneys, endocrine glands, and intestinal villi, the endothelial cells have a different type of selective permeability to allow for efficient filtering, secretion, and absorption based on that organ’s function.

Endothelial health is also critical to the proper function of your immune system. Your white blood cells or leucocytes are produced in the bone marrow.  They travel through the blood stream where the endothelial cells facilitate their passage into your body’s tissue to allow them to destroy foreign agents or antigens.  This gate-keeping role varies for each organ system but is dependent upon endothelial health and function.

Endothelial Health Is Critically Important!

It’s amazing that a simple lining of cells on the interior walls of your blood vessels could have such a profound affect on your
cardiovascular health and overall wellness.  Yet that’s exactly the case with your endothelial cells.  Endothelial health is critical to your health and your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.  When impaired, endothelial dysfunction has been linked to the following diseases:

  • Diabetes
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Arteriosclerosis
  • Heart Disease
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Lupus
  • Scleroderma
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • ALS
  • Parkinson’s
  • Hypercoagulation of Blood, Thrombosis, Clotting Disorders
  • Renal Failure
  • Metabolic Syndrome including Abdominal Obesity and Insulin Resistance
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Glaucoma

That’s quite a list of diseases. Properly bringing in a good source of L-arginine, combined with good eating and lifestyle habits like those found in the Mediterranean diet, can help reverse damage to the endothelium and improve endothelial health. This means that your choices have a direct impact on endothelial health, which impacts cardiovascular health and all the diseases listed above.

It also means that you have the ability to prevent most of these diseases by focusing your attention on ways to improve your endothelial health and function. We’ll look at this in our next article especially as it applies to proper nitric oxide production.

Together we can work to save a million lives by concentrating on endothelial health!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology.  He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicago area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about endothelial health has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent and disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Vitamin D3 Benefits Over Vitamin D2!

Vitamin D3 Model

Recent research continues to show the importance of Vitamin D but few understand the difference between vitamin D3 benefits over vitamin D2. 

Yes, there are two forms of vitamin D. Vitamin D2 is manufactured by plants or fungus and is typically used to fortified foods like milk, cereals, and juices. This form of vitamin D is called Ergocalciferol.  

Vitamin D3 is called Cholecalciferol and is synthesized by humans and animals from sunlight. When taken in supplement form it has a longer shelf life and is better for the human body. In a recently published study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, vitamin D3 was shown to be 87% more effective in raising vitamin D levels in the blood over vitamin D2. According to the lead researcher Dr. Robert Heaney (Creigton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska),  

Given its greater potency, D3 should be the preferred treatment option when correcting vitamin D deficiency.” 

Their research showed that vitamin D3 produced significantly greater bioavailability and reserve storage than vitamin D2. 

Vitamin D3 Benefits 

As the body of scientific research continues to grow, the number of health benefits from vitamin D3 also grows. Here is a brief summary of some of the new vitamin D3 benefits: 

Helps to Maintain Calcium Balance in the Bloodstream – Vitally important to cardiovascular health is the proper maintenance of your blood calcium levels. This helps to prevent calcification of the vascular wall, which leads to arteriosclerosis. Additionally, your endothelial cells, which line all of your cardiovascular system, need calcium to be able to convert the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.  

Helps in Blood Pressure Regulation – Recent studies have shown that vitamin D3 may decrease the risk for high blood pressure. This would make sense since proper blood calcium levels are needed to initiate the production of nitric oxide from L-arginine. Since nitric oxide is the body’s most powerful vasodilator, it is used to relax the vascular wall to help control blood pressure. 

Has a Role in Insulin Secretion – When conditions are right for increased insulin demand, vitamin D3 can play a pivotal part in insulin secretion.  

Boosts Your Immunity – Studies are showing vitamin D3 to be a potent immune system modulator to help enhance your immunity while helping to inhibit the development of autoimmunity.  

Aids in Cell Differentiation – Cell differentiation is needed to help cells form for specific functions in your body. While cellular differentiation is needed for growth and wound healing, uncontrolled proliferation of cells can lead to cancer. The active form of vitamin D3 inhibits this proliferation and stimulates cell differentiation. 

Prevention of Osteoporosis – Vitamin D3 is recognized as the best form for balancing the amount of calcium and phosphorous within your bloodstream. This is essential for bone production and development.  

Vitamin D3 Benefits versus Toxicity 

There is an ongoing debate regarding vitamin D3 benefits versus toxicity resulting from vitamin D overdose. Because of this the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has established a tolerable upper intake level of 2000 IU of vitamin D3. However, many research studies suggest that this upper intake level of 2000 IU is very conservative and that healthy people could increase their intake levels to 10,000 IU/day without side effects.  

If you have questions in this area, then work with your health care provider to find the vitamin D3 intake that will help to bring your blood concentrations of 25(OH)D, which is the circulating vitamin D metabolite that serves as the most frequently measured indicator of vitamin D status, into a healthy range.  

Vitamin D3 Benefits Increase Through the Method of Absorption 

If you are going to use vitamin D3 supplements to improve your vitamin D3 benefits then make sure that the product you use is either a spray or chewable supplement. This dramatically increases absorption over those supplements that you swallow. By using the spray or chewable supplements you will achieve better results in a shorter period of time. 

As you hear more and more research toting the health benefits of vitamin D, please make sure that you choose a supplement that contains vitamin D3 in a chewable form. You will improve both your absorption and effectiveness in raising this needed nutrient in your bloodstream.  

Together we can work to save a million lives! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about vitamin D3 benefits has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

How to Compare L-Arginine Supplements!

L-Arginine supplements have long been a part of the world of body building and strength training. Just recently Dr. Oz has been talking about L-Arginine supplements for cardiovascular health. Because of this there is a growing interest in the general public about L-Arginine supplements. Unfortunately, not all of the correct information is being given to help consumers figure out how to choose the best L-Arginine Supplements to help them with their cardiovascular health.  

This Video Provides Guidelines on How to Compare L-Arginine Supplements! 

There are five key areas to consider when you’re choosing L-Arginine Supplements. They are: Ingredients, Price, Quality Assurance, Clinical Studies, and Guarantee. This video covers all five areas and will be a definitive guide for helping you choose the best in L-Arginine Supplements.

 

Properly Formulated L-Arginine Supplements Create Nitric Oxide! 

The main reason for taking L-Arginine Supplements is to effectively create nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. As you learned in the video above your endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system, is a multi-functioning organ. It’s involved in metabolic, immunologic, and cardiovascular functions. One of its primary functions is to properly produce nitric oxide. 

Specific to your cardiovascular system, nitric oxide is critically important for the proper regulation of blood pressure, helps to prevent strokes and heart attacks by keeping blood platelet cells from sticking together, and helps to repair the endothelium to keep it healthy and free from plaque formations and calcification. For men, nitric oxide is needed for an erection. No nitric oxide no sex! 

As this Nobel Prize winning information is finally reaching the general public there has been an ever increasing interest in L-Arginine supplements. But not all L-Arginine supplements are equally effective in creating nitric oxide. 

Key Questions to Ask in Choosing L-Arginine Supplements! 

If you want to improve the health of your endothelium and nourish it properly for improved nitric oxide production, then choosing your L-Arginine supplements is critical to helping you achieve positive results. Here are six key questions to ask in making your choice on L-Arginine supplements: 

  1. Does it include L-citrulline? If it doesn’t, then you’re wasting your time and money. 
  2. Does it include sufficient amounts of both L-arginine and L-citrulline to create a synergistic and therapeutic benefit? According to Dr. Ignarro you need 4-6 grams of L-arginine and 200 to 1000 mg of L-citrulline to have a therapeutic effect. Anything less and you’re not going to get improved nitric oxide production. 
  3. What are the quality-control standards set by the manufacture? This is important to guarantee consistency and potency in the manufactured product. 
  4. Who is the product formulator and do they have experience in L-Arginine / L-Citrulline therapy? 
  5. Does the L-Arginine Supplement have any clinical studies to back up its effectiveness?
  6. Does the L-Arginine Supplement offer a 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee? 

I hope this information on L-Arginine supplements will help you cut through the wild claims made by product manufacturers, because this area of natural health can help you improve your cardiovascular health.  

It is important to note that Nobel Prize winning science has clearly shown nitric oxide to be the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug. Now it’s important to choose the L-Arginine supplements that will help you achieve the highest therapeutic benefit for your cardiovascular system.  

Together we can work to save a million lives! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information on how to compare L-arginine supplements has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Foods and Supplements for Nitric Oxide!



Nitric Oxide Molecule

The latest health trend has been the emerging science of nitric oxide production.

While foods and supplements for nitric oxide production has been part of the body building world, it’s now becoming popular for cardiovascular health. 

It’s about time!

The 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovery on how your endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system, converts the amino acid L-Arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Recently, Dr. Oz has been promoting L-Arginine supplementation has a key factor for improving cardiovascular health.

While L-arginine is critical to nitric oxide production, the amino acid L-citrulline is also extremely important. In fact, most nitric oxide researchers will tell you that L-Citrulline is equally, maybe in more important, than L-Arginine. The reason why is L-Citrulline recycles L-Arginine to have a synergistic effect on extending the endothelium’s ability to properly produce nitric oxide. Here’s the difference between L-Arginine alone versus the two in combination with each other:

  • If you consume a therapeutic level of L-Arginine you will typically get a 30 minute to 2 hour window of improved nitric oxide production resulting in a small window of improved circulation.

     

  • If you combine your L-Arginine with a therapeutic level of L-Citrulline then you will increase this window of improved nitric oxide production to a 24 to 36 hour window. That’s huge especially in helping to repair your endothelium for long term improvements in your circulation.

Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, one of the 1998 Nobel Laureates in Medicine, established the following quantities needed for these two amino acids. According to Dr. Ignarro you need 4-6 grams of L-Arginine and 200 to 1000 mg of L-Citrulline to have a therapeutic effect. Anything less and you’re not going to get improved nitric oxide production. The following video will help you understand how much food this represents. It was originally done for our series on sickle cell anemia but it directly applies to this discussion.

Foods That Contain L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, and Folic Acid for the Creation of Nitric Oxide! 

 

As you can see by the above video food brings with it a cost in both quantity and calories. The following video helps to take this information and compare it to the dollar cost of using supplementation to help create a therapeutic level of nitric oxide production.

Food vs. Supplementation for the Creation of Nitric Oxide! 

 

Clearly supplementation is a more cost effective approach to addressing improved nitric oxide production. I’m in the process of preparing a new video to help you properly analyze this growing world of nitric oxide supplements. It will help you ask the right questions and look for the right information so that you can choose supplements that will give you great value and lead to real improvements to the cardiovascular system.  

If you’re interested the product I highlighted at the end of the above video, then please check out ProArgi-9 Plus. It’s a clinically proven product that can repair and nourish the endothelium for improved nitric oxide production leading to significant cardiovascular improvements. 

Together we can work to save a million lives through the most cost effective method for the creation of nitric oxide! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about foods and supplements for nitric oxide has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Dr. Oz on L-Arginine!

 

Dr. Oz on L-Arginine

Recently Dr. Oz has emphasize the need for L-Arginine supplementation for improved cardiovascular health and overall wellness. Here is a recent video of both Dr. Oz and Dr. Mercola talking about how important L-Arginine is in maintaining the flexibility and integrity of the vascular system. Most of Dr. Oz and his discussion on L-Arginine is in the second half of this video:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/alternative-health-controversy-pt-3 

If you watched and listened to Dr. Oz and Dr. Mercola, they only talk about the essential amino acid L-Arginine. Technically they are correct from the standpoint of your endothelial cells using L-Arginine to create nitric oxide. Because nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscle of the vascular wall to help maintain proper blood pressure, keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together to prevent heart attacks and stroke, and repairs the damage done to the endothelium to prevent atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, what Dr. Oz tells us about L-Arginine is critically important. But there are some other ingredients that need to be part of the equation, especially if you want to create nitric oxide in sufficient amounts to be therapeutic to your cardiovascular system. 

Dr. Oz, L-Arginine, and an Additional Key Ingredient! 

One of those ingredients needs to be the amino acid L-Citrulline. L-Citrulline recycles L-Arginine to have a synergistic effect on extending the endothelium’s ability to properly produce nitric oxide. Here’s what I mean. 

If you consume a therapeutic level of L-Arginine you will typically get a 30 minute to 2 hour window of improved nitric oxide production resulting in a small window of improved circulation. 

What Dr. Oz doesn’t tell you is critically important. If you combine your L-Arginine with a therapeutic level of L-Citrulline then you will increase this window of improved nitric oxide production to a 24 to 36 hour window. That’s huge especially in helping to repair your endothelium so that you can heal your vascular wall for long term improvements in your circulation. 

This means that you need both of these amino acids in sufficient quantities to truly obtain a benefit. To help you better understand this I’d like to provide two quotes from Dr. Louis J. Ignarro. Dr. Ignarro won the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine, along with two other American researchers, for discovering how your endothelium converts the essential amino acid L-Arginine into nitric oxide – the most powerful signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. These quotes are taking from his 2005 bestseller NO More Heart Disease. 

My research shows that L-arginine in doses smaller than 4 to 6 grams produces almost zero increase in NO, so it is in essence an ‘all or nothing’ proposition – you must receive the full dose of L-arginine.” 

It is the synergy between the L-arginine (in a large enough dose), the L-citrulline, and the key antioxidants that creates dramatic increases in your body’s nitric oxide production. Without the proper combination of these nutrients, which so many other programs lack, you will receive little to no benefit from NO therapy.” 

Dr. Oz Doesn’t Tell You How Much L-Arginine to Use! 

While there is more I could say about additional ingredients, here are the two most important factors you need to consider in evaluating an L-Arginine product: 

  1. Does it include L-Citrulline? If it doesn’t, then you are wasting your time and money.
  2. Does it include sufficient amounts of both L-Arginine and L-Citrulline to create a synergistic and therapeutic benefit? According to Dr. Ignarro you need 4-6 grams of L-Arginine and 200 to 1000 mg of L-Citrulline to have a therapeutic effect. Anything less and you’re not going to get improved nitric oxide production. 

According to Dr. Ignarro, “Nitric oxide is the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.” But for you to get a therapeutic effect to aid you in improving the health of your cardiovascular system, then you need to be taking both L-Arginine and L-Citrulline in sufficient quantities.  

There’s much more that could be said about the creation of nitric oxide; such as the need for Folic Acid and other antioxidants to enhance nitric oxide production over a long period leading to therapeutic benefits. I’ve prepared two videos to help you better understand this. My next post will highlight these two videos. The first video covers which foods will help you obtain L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, and Folic Acid since these three are critically important in helping your endothelium properly produce nitric oxide. The second video will cover whether it is better to get your L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, and Folic Acid through food or supplementation.

If you would like to order Dr. Ignarro’s book NO More Heart Disease then please click here!  

Together we can work to save a million lives by help to education others about what was said by Dr. Oz on L-Arginine but also including the other key nutrients for improved nitric oxide production! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about Dr. Oz on L-Arginine has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

22 Reasons You Should Supplement With L-Arginine!

The 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to 3 American researchers for their discovery of how your endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system, converts the essential amino acid L-Arginine into Nitric Oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Since the discovery of this L-Arginine / Nitric Oxide connection there has been a frenzy of interest in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry. This interest is now spilling over in the general population as Dr. Oz and others begin to emphasize the need for L-Arginine supplementation for improved cardiovascular health and overall wellness. 

The effectiveness of L-Arginine as a therapeutic agent has been validated by over 10,000 scientific clinical studies and over 750,000 sites of documentation. The nitric oxide derived from L-Arginine is directly or indirectly implicated in practically every cellular response and health condition known. It specifically impacts your cardiovascular system, immune system, hormone function, and nerve function.  

The Bottom Line is That You Could Not Live Without Nitric Oxide so L-Arginine Supplementation is Critical to Your Health!  

Because of ongoing research, an exhaustive list of the possible applications of L-Arginine and Nitric Oxide is not possible at this time but the following 22 reasons have solid, scientific backing. These 22 reasons apply to both healthy individuals, as well as those whose health is compromised by cardiovascular risk factors. Because of the direct link between L-arginine and Nitric Oxide the two are interchangeable in the following list: 

  1. L-arginine is one thousand times more powerful than any naturally occurring antioxidant in the body. L-arginine’s antioxidant properties support various body systems and may protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, as well as slowing premature aging. 
  2. Nitric oxide offers wide-ranging cardiovascular support, including the control of blood pressure and plaque formation. Nitric oxide keeps arteries relaxed and pliable for normal blood pressure, preventing hypertension and angina.
  3. Nitric oxide enhances memory, particularly long-term memory, and may help to reverse the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
  4. Nitric oxide may help in the treatment and prevention of diabetes since many disease complications, including poor circulation and blindness, are vascular in nature. L-arginine is also found to regulate insulin secretion in the pancreas. 
  5. Nitric oxide enhances communication of messenger cells between nerves and the brain. 
  6. Nitric oxide may help improve immune function and fight bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. 
  7. L-Arginine, through nitric oxide production, boosts human growth hormone (HGH) production, which has anti-aging properties. 
  8. Nitric oxide helps with cholesterol control by lowering serum and LDL cholesterol levels. It also helps to repair damage to the endothelium caused by LDL (Bad) cholesterol. 
  9. Nitric oxide enhances male sexual performance by treating vascular erectile dysfunction or ED. 
  10. Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together to reduce the chance for blood clotting that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. 
  11. L-Arginine, through nitric oxide production, reduces pregnancy-related hypertension, a risk factor for both the expecting mother and the unborn child. 
  12. Nitric oxide can be useful in the treatment of asthma by opening pulmonary pathways for easier breathing and the treatment of lung disorders. 
  13. Nitric oxide helps to regulate the digestive process and relaxes hypertonic sphincter muscles, preventing and healing hemorrhoids. 
  14. L-arginine, through nitric oxide production, boosts lean muscle mass and preserves bone density by encouraging HGH production, which also leads to a reduction in fatty tissue. Because of this, it may be useful in weight management and strength training. 
  15. Nitric oxide can help offset cardiovascular and lung damage caused by tobacco use, since nitric oxide levels in smokers are less than half of those found in non-smokers. 
  16. Nitric oxide helps to accelerate wound healing and post surgery recovery. Research has shown it is useful in treating burn wounds and stimulates wound healing in the elderly. 
  17. L-arginine may be useful in enhancing athletic performance due to improved circulation and the ability to delivery more oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles and organs. This boosts exercise tolerance, improves lung function, and can stimulate HGH levels. This all helps to build lean muscle tissue while improving training, performance, and recovery in all types of exercise programs. 
  18. Nitric oxide may prevent and possibly reverse the effects of osteoporosis by positively affecting bone mass. 
  19. L-arginine, and its ability to create nitric oxide, has been used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and to reduce the occurrence of ulcers, especially stress related, without affecting gastric acid production. 
  20. Nitric oxide may improve renal function and slow the progression of renal disease and age-related chronic renal failure. L-Arginine’s protective effect on the kidneys may also benefit those with diabetes. 
  21. Nitric oxide may be used to improve the function of the prostate. 
  22. Nitric oxide helps people with sickle cell anemia to prevent pain crises as well as recover quicker by helping to maintain proper blood flow. 

That’s an Impressive List of Benefits for L-Arginine and Nitric Oxide! 

According to Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, one of the three 1998 Nobel Laureates in Medicine, “Nitric oxide is the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.” It is nice to see that his amazing discovery is finally getting the attention it deserves.  

There’s much more that could be said about the creation of Nitric Oxide. Like the need for L-Citrulline and other antioxidants to enhance Nitric Oxide production over a long period leading to therapeutic benefits. We’ll save that for another post.  

If you’re interested in a clinically proven product that can repair and nourish the endothelium for improved nitric oxide production leading to significant cardiovascular improvements, then please check out ProArgi-9 Plus from Synergy WorldWide. I highly recommend it.

Together we can work to save a million lives by helping others understand the importance of L-Arginine for proper cardiovascular health! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about 22 reasons why you should supplement with L-Arginine has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Part 1

 

High Blood Pressure
High Blood Pressure

To make significant improvements in your high blood pressure you need to repair the organ that directly controls your blood pressure. Most people think that organ is your heart. It’s not. Instead, it’s an organ that most people have never heard of and most physicians never treat. Yet, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how this organ produces a gas called nitric oxide. 

Nitric oxide regulates the muscular tone of your vascular system to directly impact high blood pressure. The name of the organ that produces nitric oxide is the endothelium.  

The repair and proper nourishment of your endothelium is critical to anyone who has high blood pressure! 

These two educational videos will help you understand the relationship between your endothelium, the creation of nitric oxide, and how this regulates and impacts your blood pressure.  

 You Can Prevent High Blood Pressure Naturally! 

There is a silent epidemic occurring in America. It all centers around high blood pressure. Currently, 1 in 3 American adults or approximately 70 million have some level of hypertension. High blood pressure is the 13th largest cause of death in America. It’s the leading cause of stroke and a major factor in both cardiovascular disease and the complications associated with diabetes. 

According to the famous Framingham Heart Study, it’s estimated that a 55-year old person, with a normal blood pressure, has a 90 percent lifetime risk of getting high blood pressure. This directly impacts the Baby Boomer population. Every 8 seconds a Baby Boomer turns 65 years of age. Combine this with the Framingham Heart Study and Baby Boomers are on a direct pathway to high blood pressure. 

It’s also important to note that high blood pressure can be resolved without the need for prescription drugs, which carry many unwanted side effects. 

Our first educational video will help you better understand these high blood pressure issues:

 

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 1

How Nitric Oxide Impacts High Blood Pressure!

Damage done to the endothelium directly effects your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Because nitric oxide is an environmental pollutant and a dangerous free radical, most researchers discounted nitric oxide as having any affect on high blood pressure.

However, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how your endothelial cells convert the essential amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes the smooth muscle in your vascular wall to improve blood flow and regulate your blood pressure.

Our second educational video will help you better understand how nitric oxide regulates your blood pressure:

High Blood Pressure and Endothelium Video 2

We’ll Continue These Videos on High Blood Pressure in Our Next Post!

You must properly nourish and repair your endothelium if you want to improve your body’s ability to maintain a normal blood pressure and reduce your risk for cardiovascular issues. There are several key natural ingredients that can make a significant difference in the health of your endotheium and we’ll discuss these in the next post.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about high blood pressure and the endothelium has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Alzheimer’s and Cardiovascular Disease Part 2!

Alzheimer's and Cardiovascular DiseaseAs we’ve seen from the previous post, there is a natural connection between Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. In your skull is a 3 pound wonder that has 100 billion neurons sending each other electrical and chemical signals in an orchestrated pattern that creates memories and allows for learning. 

Each nerve cell communicates with many other neurons to form networks. These networks of neurons have special jobs. Some help us to see, hear, and breathe. Other networks are involved in thinking, learning, and remembering. To keep everything running requires large amounts of nutrients and oxygen.

It’s your cardiovascular system that will deliver the needed resources for brain function. If your circulation is compromised then you will compromise brain function. Maybe you’ve experienced first hand the emotional and financial costs of being a caregiver to a loved one who has Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia. Although there are no current cures for Alzheimer’s, there are steps you can take to prevent this dreaded disease.  

How to Prevent Alzheimer’s and Cardiovascular Disease Naturally! 

In our previous post we examined how folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, and beta carotene can significantly reduce your risks. In this video we’re going to look at Iron and the Mediterranean diet as part of the mix. Our goal is to give you a game plan for the prevention of Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease since they are strongly related. 

We’re also going to examine how cholesterol, diabetes, and aerobic exercise play a role in your cognitive health. After these videos were produced, we received the Health & Nutrition Letter Volume 10G from Tufts University. Their lead article was “Eat Like a Mediterranean to Protect Your Aging Brain.” The following two quotes will reinforce the information you are about to learn in this next video: 

In an updated analysis of that earlier study of 1,880 older New Yorkers, those who most closely followed a Mediterranean-style diet were at 40% lower risk of Alzheimer’s over 5.4 years than those with lowest adherence.” 

The new analysis also looked at physical activity, finding that participants with the highest level of activity were at 33% lower risk of Alzheimer’s than the least-active subjects. . . that the association of physical activity with Alzheimer’s disease risk was independent to that of the diet.” 

This video will also introduce you to an organ in your cardiovascular system

that makes all the difference in the prevention of Alzheimer’s

and cardiovascular disease since they are strongly related:

 Alzheimer’s and Cardiovascular Disease Video 3

A Concise Game Plan to Prevent Alzheimer’s and Cardiovascular Disease Naturally! 

In this final video we’re going to put all the pieces together into a concise plan of action. You’re going to learn how: 

  • You need to repair and nourish your endothelial cells to improve their ability to properly produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system!
  • The amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline need to be part of your daily diet!
  • Green vegetables are key to improved brain health!
  • You need to consume at least 400 micrograms of folic acid on a daily basis.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids make such a difference!
  • A yearly physical can help you pay attention to your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and iron levels!
  • Exercise can improve brain function! 

Watch and listen as we help you focus this information into a powerful plan of action that everyone can do. This plan of action will significantly reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease:

Alzheimer’s and Cardiovascular Disease Video 4

You Can Repair and Nourish Your Endothelium to Help Reduce the Risks for Alzheimer’s and Cardiovascular Disease! 

As our last video showed, here is your best plan of action: 

  • Take ProArgi-9 Plus on a Daily Basis!
  • Adopt a Mediterranean Diet Lifestyle!
  • Exercise at Least 3 Times per Week!
  • Get a Yearly Physical! 

Over the course of these four videos we have given you a lot of information and options for improving brain health and function. We have tried to simplify the information into a doable plan of action. One that has the potential to reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. The longer you apply this plan the greater the benefit. Now it’s up to you to make the difference in how you and your brain age. 

If you found the above videos helpful, then please share this information on Twitter and Facebook so that others can benefit. 

Together we can work to save a million lives! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Vitamin D and Heart Disease!

Vitamin DVitamin D has long been associated with bone health. However, over the last seven years new research, especially research by Dr. Michael F. Holick, has shown that this vitamin is essential in the prevention of heart disease and a host of other illnesses. For example, research now shows that vitamin D has an active role in the following biological functions: 

  • Calcium Balance – Maintaining blood calcium levels within a narrow range is vital for cardiovascular function, bone growth, bone density, and functioning of the nervous system. Specific to the cardiovascular system, proper calcium levels are needed to activate the NOS enzymes used by the endothelial cells to create nitric oxide from the essential amino acid L-arginine. 
  • Cell Differentiation – The active form of vitamin D inhibits cellular proliferation and stimulates cellular differentiation. Cellular proliferation is essential for growth and wound healing but when left unchecked it can lead to cancer. Vitamin D helps to regulate this so that cells differentiate into specialized cells for specific functions in your body.
  • Immune System Modulator – Research suggests that proper levels of vitamin D help to prevent the autoimmune diseases of diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. This vitamin also helps to boost your immune system functions. 
  • Insulin Secretion – New research suggests that insufficient vitamin D levels adversely effect insulin secretion and glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes. 

This is just a brief look at the role vitamin D plays in your overall health. We haven’t yet touched on how it can prevent heart disease. Before we do, we need to review some basic facts about this vitamin. 

Vitamin D Basics!

There are two basic forms of vitamin D. One comes from plants in the form of ergocalciferol or vitamin D2. The other comes from humans in the form of cholecalciferol or vitamin D3. Extensive research on both D2 and D3 has shown that the D3 form is clearly better when supplementing with vitamin D.  

Supplementation has become a big factor in helping people achieve the necessary amounts of vitamin D. Why? For two basic reasons: 

First, your body is able to use the UVB of sunlight and convert 7-dehydrocholsterol, located in your skin, into vitamin D3. Unfortunately, we spend less time outdoors in the sunlight for a variety of reasons. This has dramatically reduced our exposure to UVB radiation needed to help people naturally produce their own vitamin D. This is compounded in the winter months when exposure to sunlight is further reduced. 

Second, we’ve underestimated the daily amount of vitamin D needed for good health. For a very long time, vitamin D has been categorized as a fat-soluble vitamin. New research is clearly showing that it’s not simply a fat-soluble vitamin used just for metabolic reactions. It’s also a hormone. There are receptor sites for vitamin D on the cell membranes of most cells in your body. As our understanding of the role that vitamin D plays in both metabolic and hormonal functions has increased, the blood levels needed to sustain this activity has almost doubled from what was previously thought necessary.  

Vitamin D and Heart Disease! 

Thanks to the work of Dr. Michael F. Holick and others, it is clear that vitamin D plays a critical role in preventing heart disease. It does this both directly and indirectly. However, it’s important to note that either method affects the health of the endothelial cells and their ability to properly produce nitric oxide. Let’s look at one indirect connection: 

Diabetes According to Dr. Holick, children from Finland who received 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day during the first year of life and followed for 31 years reduced their risk of developing type 1 diabetes by 88%. Dr. Holick goes on to say in a recent interview 

In terms of type 2 diabetes, the beta islet cell that makes insulin has a vitamin D receptor. Active vitamin D stimulates insulin production. There is evidence that vitamin D may be directly acting on fat cells to improve insulin sensitivity. Therefore, vitamin D plays a role in insulin production, as well as enhancing insulin sensitivity and is a likely explanation for one of the studies I cite in the book (The Vitamin D Solution) that there was a 33% reduced relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes for men and women who had the highest vitamin D intake.” 

Uncontrolled blood sugar, which is the challenge of diabetes, caused oxidative stress to the endothelial cells resulting in damage. Damaged endothelial cells affect the proper production of nitric oxide, which is the master signaling molecule of the cardiovascular system. This can lead to a host of heart disease issues like high blood pressure, poor circulation, blood platelet cells sticking together to increase the risk for heart attacks and strokes, and well as other damage to the vascular walls. 

Now let’s look at several direct connections: 

Blood Pressure Regulation Vitamin D plays a direct role in helping you maintain your blood pressure. It does this in two ways. First, it helps to maintain proper calcium levels so that NOS enzymes used by the endothelial cells can properly produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that relaxes the smooth muscle tone of the vascular wall. This controls blood pressure. Plus, vitamin D helps to regulate proper blood volume levels that are needed to control blood pressure. 

Heart Muscle Function – Vitamin D plays a very important role in preventing muscle weakness. It also plays a significant role in nerve firing and nerve triggering of the heart muscle contraction. This means that vitamin D plays a vital role in both nerve stimulation for heart muscle contraction and the strength of that contraction. 

Arteriosclerosis Vitamin D inhibits vascular calcification by blocking the release of inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules that can damage the endothelial cells. This is extremely important since the American Heart Association attributes 75% of all cardiovascular disease to arteriosclerosis.  

Vitamin D Daily Recommendations! 

In a recent study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, vitamin D deficiencies are more wide-spread than previously thought, by as much as 50% or higher. This is especially true for older adults. The current recommendations for adults 18 years and older are 2000 IU per day. If you are overweight or obese then you most likely need even more.  

To learn more about how vitamin D can be a critical factor in improving your overall health and lowering your risk for heart disease, I would recommend The Vitamin D Solution by Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD who is considered by many to be The Pioneer of Vitamin D Research. Also, the following link on vitamin D would be helpful: 

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=110  

Together we can work to save a million lives! 

Dan Hammer 

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.  

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about vitamin D and heart disease has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.