Nitric Oxide production is essential to our overall physical and mental health. However, it is not widely understood or applied, even in the Integrative Medicine and Nutrition field. Nitric Oxide (NO) is an essential metabolic and vascular regulator that is naturally made in the body. It is an unconventional neurotransmitter and intracellular messenger in the brain that increases blood flow and decreases blood pressure (Kapil, V. et al. 2010).
Supporting NO also improves vascular function and endothelial function which may also provide protective benefits against the effects of Covid-19 since the SARS-CoV-2 virus attacks endothelial function becoming a major cause of mortality. Overall, NO has a vital and positive effect on general health, mental health, the aging process, and even helps to repair skin damage.
We typically think of NO for its role in cardiovascular health, diabetes, and erectile dysfunction, yet it is also essential for mental health, cognitive function, and prevention of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s. A lack of adequate NO production increases the risk of depression and the presence of NO positively affects our mood.
Depression and NO
Depression is linked to increased expression of two enzymes that make nitric oxide; neuronal nitric oxide synthase and inducible nitric oxide synthase. A variant of the gene that makes these synthases increases depression susceptibility (Aprehart-Treichel,2011). The upregulation of these enzymes affects the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase which in turn affects nitric oxide production and by extension overall circulation. Decreased NO production reduces blood flow to the brain and increases inflammation and oxidative stress which contributes to cognitive decline.
Nitric Oxide helps reduce anxiety and depression in part because it reduces inflammation and oxidative stress. It also restores circulation and supports healthy blood pressure, which is often elevated in people under stress and with chronic PTSD, thus becoming another risk factor for vascular dementia.
Age and NO
Nitric oxide function diminishes as we age and leads to what is called functional aging. Normally, by the age of 40, our arginine/NOS enzyme system functions at around 50%. By the time we are 60, NOS is functioning at around 15%.
How to enhance Nitric Oxide
Among the causes of diminished nitric oxide production is the SAD diet, (Standard American Diet) made up of refined flours and sugars and hydrogenated fats, sedentary lifestyle, stress, medications like antibiotics, antidepressants, birth control pills, NSAIDs, PPIs, and exposure to pollution, toxins, and heavy metals. By improving these lifestyle factors along with supplementation and foods that enrich nitric oxide, we can reverse and slow depletion.
In my clinical practice and certification programs, I focus on treating mental health, cognitive performance, help people get off psychotropic medications, and prevent diabetes and dementia. I recommend testing NO levels by using Berkeley Life salivary test strips. Once you obtain levels you can then provide supplementation with Berkeley Life nitric oxide supplements which complement a whole foods diet and lifestyle guidance.
Want to learn more? I address Nitric Oxide in my certification course Nutrition and Integrative Medicine for Diabetes, Cognitive Decline, and Alzheimer’s Disease. I will also be sharing new research in blogs, a live Facebook interview, and a webinar over the next several weeks. Let me know of your interests.
Aprehart-Treichel, J. (2011). Nitric Oxide Gene Variant May Affect Depression Risk. Psychiatric News. https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.46.9.psychnews_46_9_20_1.
Kapil, V., et al. (2010). Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure in Humans: Role for Nitrite-Derived NO Hypertension, AHA Journals, 56 (2), 274-281. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20585108/
Science of Nitric Oxide. Berkeley Life. https://www.berkeleylife.com/science-of-nitric-oxide-2/.
Shirley, B (2020). Nitric Oxide and Mental Health. Berkeley Life Professional.
She served as a Fulbright scholar on traditional medicine, a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School, and a National Institutes of Health-funded research scientist in mind/body medicine.
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