No2 (nitric oxide) Supplements Review
May 24th, 2008 by Paul JohnsonNitric Oxide is one of the most popular muscle building supplements on the market now. Can it actually help muscle gains or is it hype? What I’m about to say may surprise you.
What are NO (nitric Oxide) supplements?
NO supplements are supposed to increase Nitric Oxide in the blood. NO Supplements contain arginine, with most in the form of Arginine-alpha-keto-glutarate. Nitric Oxide has hundreds of functions in the body, especially with blood flow, nerves, and cell communication. It acts as a vasodilator(increasing blood flow) in the body by relaxing the smooth muscles. Nitric Oxide (NO) is formed when the amino acid arginine, is broken down by an enzyme into citruline.
Why do bodybuilders take NO supplements?
To get better muscle pumps, increased strength and muscle gains, and for sexual health. It is thought that nitric oxide plays a crucial role in muscle building based on some indirect studies and theory.
NO supplement studies:
It sounds like NO supplementation is a important supplement, but there is no legitimate scientific studies showing NO supplements increased strength and muscle gains. Most of the NO advocates are using indirect reasoning to support the use of NO as a muscle builder. For example, they believe that since NO could help muscle gains because of the increased blood flow to the muscles. Other studies such as published in Am J Hypertens. 2007 Aug;20(8):825-30, showed an increase in NO production after resistance excercise. This has then led some to assume, that NO may then be involved in causing increased protein synthesis post-workout.
The problem with all these assumptions is that arginine doesn’t seem to convert to Nitric Oxide at the recommended dosages. If you go through all the studies done on high doses of arginine, you will see no increase in vasodilation (increased blood flow). It increases vasodilation only at high doses when injected. The reason why we can’t get to those levels orally, is because it is much higher than the level that causes stomach upset. So arginine will convert to nitric oxide, just not at the dosages someone could withstand orally, without getting really sick. I suppose someone could start injecting it, but NO supplements aren’t THAT good to warrant it! No legitimate scientific study I could find has been able to show a difference, in either muscle gains or strength.
Final thoughts:
NO supplements seem to be nothing more than junk. The vasodilation effects some people “experience”, seems to be nothing more than placebo effect. Therefore it’s not going to be a Viagra alternative either, for those who seeked arginine for helping impotence. Many reputable experts, who aren’t affiliated with supplement companies, also believe NO is a waste of money.
I think you raise some great points. I could very see there not being much research to support the use of arginine based supplements as not nearly as much has been done as compared to other effective supplements such as creatine.
Personally I do not know much about the science behind the products, but having used many over the course of my life, I can say from personal experience that I have gotten a great response from Vasodilators. Within a week of taking any high quality NO2 booster, I could see a direct increase in vascularity, greatly enlarged muscle pump and moderate increase in strength. Obviously it is hard to tell how much muscle you built over the course of taking a bottle over a month, but even the fact that my pumps were significantly greater poses consideration for the supplements effectiveness. Many bodybuilding experts (those that actually bodybuild) will say muscle pumps have a direct correlation to muscle growth. Even Arnold has been quoted saying that.
While I will agree that not every supplement is of value to everyone and for some, arginine (NO2 boosting) supplements may be a waste of money, but I know for myself and others who have had great experiences feel they are a great muscle building investment to a bodybuilding program
Great blog post. I enjoy these write ups.
NO2 just gives you mental edge you are better off just taking a sugar pill and and some protien after you workout. Product should be of the market.
N.O. will help with endurance and recovery, which are important factors for building muscle. N.O. does not directly building muscle, but indirectly will help. If you have more endurance you are able to do more reps, if you recover faster, you are rebuilding muscle.
Thanks for the info.
Poorly written and biased article.
Tommy if you are smart enough to make such a statement, then care to point out where I’m wrong? Don’t make statements you can’t back up.
The only supplements that work are protein, creatine and steroids and I would not take the latter!
I use NO and when i dont use it i drink some sort of energy drink. They both give me that aggressive feeling to work harder. I have to say that i believe i get a pump or swollen type of feeling while im working out (with NO) but through out the day or after a couple hours that feeling wears off. I dont know if this info may help. I have been using NO for about a year and i have made strength gains and when not using it i feel slightly weaker or not aggressive but that could also be because i dont drink any caffeine. let me know what you think by the way i use NO explode which has all kinds of other goodies
I’m not sure I agree that it does nothing. I have been taking NO Shotgun; HyperShock; and White Blood. All of these definitely ceate a larger “pump” or fullness in the muscle group(s) I am working. If I take one scoop of any of them, once I finish lifting, it is difficult to compress my arms and there is definitely a larger pump of blood than without any of them. I have also gained 20 lbs in the last three months(easily 10-12 lbs fat, 8 lbs muscle), but I realize this is a product of mental drive to consistenly workout effectively coupled with proper diet. I can not suggest that the weight gain is attributed directly to NO supplements, but I can assure you I definitely do experience a much more significant “pump” when taking these supplements. One can draw their own conclusion based on this info.
Terry don’t forget the “placebo” effect.
I’ve used Superpump 250 (Gaspari) and NO3 Overload (CMI). Both result in great pumps and increased energy and promote muscle and strength gains.
Placebo effect is only valid when the consumer believes the product to work prior to trying. It is irrelevant if the consumer believes the product is garbage and only tries it to prove said point. I have found both companies products to work quite well, although I find Superpump to be killer on the stomach. NO3 is less harsh, except if taken first thing in the morning.
Some points to consider when supplements are not doing what they are purported to do: A solid training regimen and proper nutrition program are critical and supplements are a waste without this. Sounds obvious, buy many, many people have no clue when it comes to nutrition.
I can only speak from personal experience. My experience with no2 supps has been very positive. I read the book that mri put out when no2 first hit the market, and I’d have to say that everything he said about the product proved to be true in my case. Even the increased desire to work out that he talks about, i found to be true. I thought that if anything in that book was bs it would be that. But it happened to me. I started to experience an overwhelming desire to hit the gym more often. this i don’t think was placebo, but probably an increase in testostrone. Aside from the pumps, i believe no supps give me a testostrone surge, I experience surges of aggression that aren’t otherwise normal for me. i like no supps alot. People who are in great cardiovascular shape probably experience it more sensativly and more to it’s true form. if your not in great shape the body probably doesn’t profit from it as noticably. just like someone who goes on a diet isn’t going to feel any thinner until some time has passed and the body adapts to it’s new way of life. the point being, that the better shape your body is in the better it absorbs nutrients and readily uses them for fuel. peace.
I agree with this article, NO products are just a load of marketing bologna.
Great info, thank you!
Great blog post. I enjoy these write ups.
Why would NO not increase strength? It pretty much makes your veins bigger and most of NO products come with Arginine that pushes more blood into your muscles in return you have more oxygen into your muscle which = more strength. Thats just my take on it. I have enjoyed NO supplements for a while and they work great for me so far.
molajutt
I too would have to say NO supplements have some affect, as If have noticed a definite increase in pump and motivation just feeling like your having a good workout.
Experimenting with other has yet to produce the same results. As alot of NO supps are pumped with caffeine, Creatine and B Vitamins, taking these separately and even in higher doses just doesn’t seem to yield the same results for me personally.
I found NO supplements to be ok. Overly expensive but they kinda work.
To those of you saying that Nitric Oxide products “must” increase strength because of the flush feeling you get I think you need to go back to grade school.
There is as far as I know, zero science to support the contention that these products improve strength gains or muscle conditioning, there ARE such peer review published journal reports on products such as prohormones and creatine monohydrate.
I was researching a friend’s product just now and it’s essentially a $75 sugar product with a free shaker cup as far as I can determine and it’s loaded with products that give you a ‘pump’ or head rush feeling like Niacin, Taurine and Caffeine.
If you want to pay big bucks to consume products you can combine yourself for cheaper more power to you. If you want to pay $ to get products which are proven to get you increased results then stick to the standards. They may be illegal most places now but prohormones are still available (even just a DHEA will do you more) so taking those with creatine and topping it off with an ECA stack (ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin) when you’re trying to cut up weight is the only thing PROVEN to help other than as an earlier poster said ’steroids’
Great review. thx
NO supplements are pretty good, I use to take noxplode and I got some good gains off of it.