(Medically reviewed by Dr. Zac Hyde M.D)
25 OTC Nitric Oxide Boosters!
Since you probably wound up here after searching for supplements that boost nitric oxide, I’m going to answer your question right off the bat.
A quick and reasonably affordable way to boost nitric oxide is to take arginine and pycnogenol together.
As you’ll see below, there are many other ways to boost nitric oxide using foods and supplements that you may already have on hand.
But, the combo mentioned above is tough to beat.
In a study done a while back titled Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction with Pycnogenol and L-Arginine…..
The researchers took 40 men, between the ages of 25-45 and started them off with L-arginine all by itself (no pycnogenol).
After a month of treatment of arginine alone, only 5% were able to achieve a normal erection.
But when pycnogenol was added to the mix, that number shot up to 80%.
And after three months, 92.5% the arginine and pycnogenol group were able to rack up a satisfying erection (source).
So as I mentioned at the top of this article, if you really want to see if nitric oxide deficiency is your problem…
You may want to test these two supplements together first.
The dosages used in this study were 1.7 grams of arginine and 120 mg’s of pycnogenol taken daily.
Now…
If you’re impatient and would like to figure this thing out by tonight, go buy some beets and juice them.
Because my own testing has confirmed that beet juice comes very close to the arginine and pycnogenol.
This is the case because beets are extremely high in plant nitrates, and when you juice them the nitrates become very concentrated.
But here’s an important point to remember if you decide to do this…
Plasma levels of nitric oxide peak about 30 minutes after ingestion of nitrates, so make sure you drink the juice a half an hour prior to sexual activity.
And keep in mind…
The bacteria in your mouth convert the nitrates into nitric oxide, so avoid brushing your teeth when testing out this juice protocol.
So there you have it.
We’ve listed several more ways below to boost nitric oxide naturally, so read on to learn more.
Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide
Some things offer you a win-win situation.
Boosting the level of nitric oxide in your body by eating certain foods and using supplements that boost NO can improve brain and heart health and help you get better, longer-lasting erections.
What could be better?
Nitric oxide (NO) strengthens and expands blood vessels for improved blood flow, allowing more oxygen to get to, well, everything really.
This includes your brain, heart, other organs and your penis too.
And did we mention that besides feeling better and having better sex, you’ll be able to lift more weight and develop better muscles when you eat the right things or take supplements that boost nitric oxide?
If you haven’t heard about the benefits of nitric oxide, it might be because this information wasn’t know when you were a kid — so it wasn’t taught in schools.
But the research is sound. In fact, three researchers won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1998 for their work related to the impact of NO on the heart and related systems (source).
Several other studies have shown the role that NO can play in treating erectile dysfunction.
One from a researcher in the Department of Urology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions makes it clear that NO is the “main vasoactive nonadrenergic, noncholinergic neurotransmitter and chemical mediator of penile erection” .
He went on to say that…
Impaired NO bioactivity is a major pathogenic mechanism of erectile dysfunction.
You can’t be any clearer than that.
And this isn’t the only study linking NO to better erections. There are dozens of them. But let’s get down to something more practical.
With supplements that boost nitric oxide and changes in the way you eat, you can get the many benefits of this misunderstood substance.
Now lets run through the list of 25 supplements that boost nitric oxide, naturally:
1. Horny Goat Weed
It’s actually the flavanoid icariin found in horny goat weed that makes the difference. This herb with a funny name is more correctly referred to as epimedium and is a known aphrodisiac too.
Animal research has even shown that it can make a positive difference in testosterone levels.
While some call it a natural Viagra, it certainly enhances circulation and much more.
Among the research supporting this herb is one study from Beijing that shows treatment with oral icarrin helps erectile dysfunction.
2. Cayenne Pepper
Capsaicin is an alkaloid that’s responsible for the heat in peppers. You can feel the stimulating impact of cayenne from the moment you put it in your mouth, so it’s obvious what it can do throughout your body.
It’s no surprise that study after study shows that it increases NO levels. It may even help boost testosterone.
If your stomach can take it, add cayenne pepper and other hot peppers to your diet. Supplements are available too.
3. Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide (Niacin)
Niacin is Vitamin B3, and it’s among about 80 vitamins and minerals that the human body requires.
Supplements are cheap, and you need this substance anyway for energy, hormones, gene synthesis and more.
Plus, its role in NO boosting means that it helps your heart as well as your penis.
It raises good cholesterol levels and lowers the bad too. If you eat lots of red meat, you’re probably fine on niacin.
4. Ashwagandha
More than 200 studies have been done on the healing properties of ashwagandha, a primary herb in Ayurvedic healing.
Research has shown improvement in both male and female sexual potency.
It’s also called by many other names, including jacaranda, winter cherry and more.
5. Pomegranate Juice Extract
Long touted for its many health benefits, pomegranate juice and its extract support endothelial cells that line artery walls, according to multiple studies.
The most recent research has shown that pomegranate juice increases bioactivity of nitric oxide linking in endothelial cells, and that’s a very good thing.
6. Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide (Maca Root)
Maca root is something like a radish and has been consumed by Peruvian highlanders for at least 2,000 years. Also found elsewhere in South America, it’s known to be rich in nutrients.
At one time, Incan soldiers were prohibited from eating this veggie because of its known sexual enhancement capabilities.
One study performed on maca found that it increased NO levels in human cartilage.
7. Beet Juice Extract
Research has shown that drinking only 2 cups of beet juice a day can lower blood pressure, increase stamina for exercise and boost NO levels.
But who wants to actually drink the stuff, especially since it turns your urine very red? Instead, include beet root caps among your nitric oxide supplements.
8. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is available from fortified foods and supplements, but the best to get it way may be from sunlight.
Researchers from the respected University of Edinburgh found that when sun hits your skin, NO is released immediately.
Plus, Vitamin D can decrease your risk of stroke and several forms of cancer.
9. Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide (Quercetin)
Found in garlic, apples, grapes and more, this is among the most-researched flavanoids that works best in conjunction with other compounds including resveratrol, tannins and more.
When you get it from supplements, it may be ineffective if you aren’t eating the right things along with it.
So take your quercetin along with fresh fruits and veggies that are dark red or purple in color.
10. Panax Ginseng
The real Korean ginseng, this substance includes compounds similar to androgens like testosterone and it performs a host of functions in your body.
These include boosting nitric oxide levels as well as boosting libido, relaxing arteries, promoting better sleep and improving circulation throughout your system — not just in your penis.
11. Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide (Pycnogenol)
Actually a brand name, Pycnogenol comes from French pine tree bark with has many beneficial bioflavonoids.
It works for you by cleaning up all sorts of free radicals in your body that can damage your cells.
It also boosts the immune system and strengthens blood vessels. Because it boosts nitric oxide levels, it can prevent constriction as well.
12. Arginine
A common amino acid found in most proteins, every human needs arginine.
This nitric oxide supplement is also used as a pre-workout and energy booster, and the evidence to support its role in nitric oxide boosting is strong.
This substance is in so many things that you’re sure to get some naturally, but supplements are the best way to consume enough to boost NO levels effectively.
13. Citrulline
Interestingly, an even better way to increase arginine is to get more citrulline.
Because citrulline is an amino acid that converts inside the kidneys to arginine, it can actually increase low nitric oxide levels in the blood better than eating arginine or taking it as a supplement.
Watermelons are among foods rich in citrulline.
14. Garlic Combined With Vitamin C
In a study aimed at understanding how to increase garlic’s ability to lower blood pressure, a researcher combined garlic with a Vitamin C supplement.
Blood pressure did indeed improve, and endolethial nitric oxide output doubled. That’s a great outcome that proves these two linked work better together than apart for raising NO.
15. Grape Seed Extract
Great for enhancing testosterone, grape seed extract can block conversion of testosterone into estrogen.
But it also increases nitric oxide levels — and drops blood pressure and heart rate by activating NO linking in the body when taken in large doses, according to a number of studies.
16. Tribulis Terristris
Sometimes know simply as trib, this is a plant root from the Ayurvedic tradition proven through centuries of use in Eastern medicine.
It has long been linked to male virility as well as general health and wellbeing.
It doesn’t impact testosterone but impacts libido while improving organ health — and it raises NO levels too.
17. Cacao Extract
In its raw and unheated form, cacao is loaded with antioxidants and many other beneficial compounds. But you probably already knew that.
It’s no surprise that it raises NO levels in the blood because it contains many of the same substances found in the other NO boosting supplements on this page.
18. Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide (Goosefoot)
A plant that grows in temperate regions, it’s not much to look at with its plain green flowers that look similar to green tea.
But there’s more than meets the eye.
While it looks a bit like the foot of a goose, it works to boost nitric oxide levels and can be taken on its own or as part of a more diverse nitric oxide supplement.
19. Resveratrol
All over the news and well proven to reduce estrogen, it’s less well-publicized but just as well documented that resveratrol, a flavonoid, helps boost nitric oxide levels.
You can get Resveratrol in supplement form and it’s also found in high concentrations in red wines made from grapes grown in cold or muggy climates.
20. Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide (Damiana)
Also called turnera diffuse and many other names, this plant has stems which are used to treat a variety of conditions.
Research done in Mexico City demonstrated that it improves nitric oxide levels in the blood and has other “pro-sexual” effects.
It also has an anxiolytic-like effect that can improve sexual performance.
21. Alpha Lipoic Acid
Great for preventing cell damage and restoring the levels of Vitamins C and E, ALA is a chemical that’s similar to a vitamin that works as a powerful antioxidant.
You can get it naturally by eating spinach, yeast, organ meats and potatoes, among other things.
It can be lab-made as a supplement too.
In addition to boosting NO levels, it helps with diabetic nerve pain and is used as a medicine in some nations for cancer, liver disease and even HIV.
22. Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide (Vitamin E)
You grandmother may have rubbed Vitamin E on her skin or taken it internally to make her feel better.
And it’s still a powerful and essential vitamin that happens to do much of its work by increasing the body’s nitric oxide levels.
Very few substances have proven more powerful and effective than vitamin E.
23. Coenzyme Q10
A basic of human life that we can all make inside our bodies, supplements provide additional NO boosting help that can assist you with getting and sustaining better erections.
CoQ10 supplements are often expensive, but they show remarkable results in many men. Eat egg yolks, organ meats, spinach and Brazil nuts to get some on the cheap.
24. Pine Pollen
Pine pollen helps with ED and other forms of sexual dysfunction in several ways.
First, it contains arginine, a precusor to NO.
And it also supports hormone balance, which leads to better sexual function. But look out. There are more than a hundred types of pine pollen, so choose carefully.
25. Ginkgo Biloba
Use for centuries in Chinese medicine and now used by many to increase memory function and decrease some of the signs of aging, this NO booster comes from a tree.
Like so many things listed here, it’s a proven antioxidant and it increases blood flow via the nitric oxide pathway, so it’s easy to see how it helps with erectile dysfunction.
Supplements That Boost Nitric Oxide – Conclusion:
Taking any one of these substances or several of them can help you with ED and other symptoms of sexual dysfunction.
Nitric oxide supplements are also available that combine two or more of these powerful ingredients.
Even better, you can eat plenty of foods rich in nitrates and let your body make it’s own nitric oxide.
Foods to add to your diet include spinach, beets, arugula, carrots, cabbage, greens and more.
So why not tackle your sexual problems by supplementing your nitric oxide intake with foods and supplements.
You may be surprised by the results.
