When muscle and strength is your mission, there are a wide range of supposed rules that you should follow in order to maximize your gains. One of those rules that’s pushed over and over again is promoting nitric oxide production in the body. Why are nitric oxide supplements so popular? And what role does nitric oxide play when you want to boost your muscle mass and strength? Let’s take a look at the top 3 things that you should know about nitric oxide for muscle building and strength boosting.

3. N.O. Supplements May Promote…

There is a lot of debate as to whether nitric oxide supplements can do much. Studies are few and far between but the ones that are out there seem to be only glanced over. The most talked about nitric oxide ingredients are AAKG (Arginine Alpha-ketoglutarate), L-Citrulline, and L-Norvaline. These ingredients have been featured time and time again; however, results have been conflicting.

Some studies suggest that using these ingredients as a nitric oxide booster can help to promote better blood flow to muscle, encouraging faster recovery, strength gains, and potentially more muscle. There are two catches:

2. What Population Do You Fall In?

The common trend with some of these studies suggests that those individuals who were untrained saw the most benefits. When young men who were highly trained athletes took part in a nitric oxide boosting study, no difference could be seen between pre and post study results.

With that said, if you are just starting out with weight training or you’re getting back on the bandwagon after a long absence then a quality nitric oxide booster could be of a great benefit to you. If you are already a superstar in the gym, then there’s a slim chance that you’ll notice much of a difference.

1. Are You Using the Right Dose?

The last thing to note is the dosage of the product. Keep in mind that doses range in studies and it’s extremely rare when a supplement matches a study’s proven dose. If you fall into the untrained popular or if you want to give nitric oxide boosting supplements a try, it’s best to find the right ingredients with the right dosages OR you can make your own. Here are the three ingredients that we mentioned above at the dosage used in the study:

AAKG (Arginine Alpha-ketoglutarate)

• 12 grams was used in the study – Start out with 6 and build up to 12.

L-Citrulline

• 250 mg

L-Norvaline

• 150 mg

Tell Us What You Think!

Do you take nitric oxide supplements?

Have you noticed any benefits?

Let us know in the comments below!

Bescós R, Sureda A, Tur JA, Pons A. The effect of nitric-oxide-related supplements on human performance. Sports Med. 2012 Feb 1;42(2):99-117. doi: 10.2165/11596860-000000000-00000.