Did you know, your energy, mental sharpness, and heart health all connect back to a single molecule?
It’s called Nitric Oxide or N.O. for short.
How Does N.O. Impact Your Health?
N.O. “fuels” your entire body and supports your heart, promotes strong circulation, supports healthy heart function, reinforces proper blood pressure and promotes long-lasting energy and stamina.
Your blood vessels use Nitric Oxide to quickly send nutrient-rich blood coursing throughout your entire body. So, it’s important to get lots of this circulation “superfuel.”
The only problem is, your body slowly stops producing it as you age. As a result, you may start to feel like your best days are behind you.
Thankfully, though, certain compounds can help replenish your all-important nitric oxide supply. The key is to know which ones. That’s why we’ve created this quick guide for you, including our 5 favorite nitric oxide formulas.
How Does N.O. Work?
A recent study shows participants’ N.O. levels rise 21% just 45 minutes after one shot of beetroot juice.
Why? Well, beetroot is one of the highest sources of nitrate. Amazingly, this compound gets converted into nitric oxide by your body.
The nitrate-to-nitric oxide pathway has far-reaching benefits too from optimal blood pressure, stamina, focus, and even “bedroom” performance.
We highly recommend beetroot supplements and for the best results, you should seek a dosage of at least 4,500 mg for superior results.
Beetroot vs. L-Arginine
L-arginine has been one of the “go-to” sources for N.O. support for years. However, there’s been some skepticism as of late.
In a recent study from Nutrition & Metabolism, L-arginine didn’t increase N.O. levels at all. Plus, an extensive scientific review found little evidence for its exercise performance benefits.
In reality, L-arginine is likely so popular because it’s cheap for companies to produce. That’s why we recommend beetroot as the superior option.
Here Are Our Favorite Nitric Oxide Supplements of 2023:
After analyzing a number of top-selling N.O. supplements, we’ve found a total of 5 formulas that really stand out. You can find them below:
1. Nitrobeets Endurance by Organica Life.
OVERALL GRADE: A+
PROS:
6000mg Organic Beetroot Powder
Vitamin C & Minerals
Fiber
Non-GMO
No Fillers
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
CONS:
Only Sold Online
The Bottom Line
Nitrobeets is an impressive Nitric Oxide supplement. To start, its 6,000mgs of organic beetroot provides powerful nitric oxide support. Plus, the inclusion of Vitamin C and Magnesium stands above other products on the market. So we’re confident of its blood pressure and energy benefits. Finally, customers seem to love Nitrobeets’ taste and texture. We can’t recommend this health formula enough, which is why Nitrobeets our #1 pick.
2. Pre-Workout by Essential Elements
OVERALL GRADE: B+
PROS:
4,000mg Organic Beetroot Powder
Vitamin C
Non-GMO
CONS:
Contains Caffeine
No Fiber
Lacks Several Vitamins
The Bottom Line
Essential Elements’ Pre-Workout is a great beetroot supplement. It’s filled with a steady 4-gram dosage of beetroot for the circulation support you deserve. Unfortunately, this supplement does lack a few key ingredients – including fiber and various vitamins. This can limit its role in weight management and cardiovascular health. It also contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. All in all, though, this formula and impressive 365-day money-back guarantee earn Pre-Workout the #2 spot on our list.
3. Nitric Oxide Organic Beets by Snap Supplements.
OVERALL GRADE B
PROS:
Organic Beetroot Powder
Vitamin C
90-Day Return Policy
CONS:
Unclear Beetroot Dosage
Lacks Important Vitamins
The Bottom Line
The core of Nitric Oxide Organic Beets is a proprietary blend that includes beetroot, pomegranate, and more. It also has a generous amount of Vitamin C, which makes Nitric Oxide Organic Beets a strong option for circulation support. However, since this supplement uses a proprietary blend, it’s difficult to tell how much beetroot it actually contains. So, its health benefits may not be as far-reaching as you’d like to see. Still, this is a strong formula backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee. That’s why it was an easy decision to give it the #3 spot.
4. Total Nitric Oxide by ONNIT.
OVERALL GRADE: B-
PROS
Contains Fermented Beetroot
90-Day Return Policy
CONS
Unclear Beetroot Dosage
Missing Vitamins
No Fiber
The Bottom Line
Like many N.O. supplements, ONNIT’s Total Nitric Oxide is built around a proprietary blend that includes beetroot — so we can’t confirm the exact dosage. To some degree, Total Nitric Oxide fills this gap with L-citrulline, a strong N.O. source. However, given the impressive studies behind beetroot, we’d prefer it to be the clear “star” of any nitric oxide formula. The bigger issue though is ONNIT’s lack of vitamins, fiber, and probiotics. It’s a major missed opportunity for great health benefits. That said, Total Nitric Oxide’s formula provides respectable circulation support, and we appreciate its generous 90-day return policy. It earns the #4 spot on our list.
5. Nitric Oxide Support by Pure Encapsulations.
OVERALL GRADE: C+
PROS
N.O. from L-Citrulline
Vitamin C
CONS
L-Arginine Based Formula
Lacks Most Vitamins & Minerals
No Fiber
No Probiotics
Unclear Return Policy
Empty heading
The Bottom Line
Last on our list is Pure Encapsulations’ Nitric Oxide Support. This L-arginine-based formula rounds out with extra N.O. from L-citrulline and Vitamin C. Based on recent studies, L-arginine’s N.O. support leaves something to be desired. Meanwhile, this formula also lacks vitamins, fiber, and probiotics. Ultimately, we feel it won’t offer as much cardiovascular benefit as others on this list. So, that earns it the last and final spot on this list.
*Results are based on Fivorama’s Reviews Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Sources used for research purposes:
Bahadoran Z, Mirmiran P, Kabir A, Azizi F, Ghasemi A. The Nitrate-Independent Blood Pressure-Lowering Effect of Beetroot Juice: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Adv Nutr. 2017 Nov 15;8(6):830-838. doi: 10.3945/an.117.016717. Erratum in: Adv Nutr. 2018 May 1;9(3):274. PMID: 29141968; PMCID: PMC5683004.
Thompson, C., Wylie, L.J., Fulford, J. et al. Dietary nitrate improves sprint performance and cognitive function during prolonged intermittent exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 1825–1834 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3166-0
Kukadia, S., Dehbi, H. M., Tillin, T., Coady, E., Chaturvedi, N., & Hughes, A. D. (2019). A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study of the Effect of Beetroot Juice Containing Dietary Nitrate on Aortic and Brachial Blood Pressure Over 24 h. Frontiers in physiology, 10, 47. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00047
Bailey, S. J., Winyard, P., Vanhatalo, A., Blackwell, J. R., Dimenna, F. J., Wilkerson, D. P., Tarr, J., Benjamin, N., & Jones, A. M. (2009). Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 107(4), 1144–1155. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00722.2009
Pérez-Guisado, J., & Jakeman, P. M. (2010). Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(5), 1215–1222. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181cb28e0
Torregrossa AC, Aranke M, Bryan NS. Nitric oxide and geriatrics: Implications in diagnostics and treatment of the elderly. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology : JGC. 2011 Dec;8(4):230-242. DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1263.2011.00230. PMID: 22783310; PMCID: PMC3390088.
Bailey, S. J., Fulford, J., Vanhatalo, A., Winyard, P. G., Blackwell, J. R., DiMenna, F. J., Wilkerson, D. P., Benjamin, N., & Jones, A. M. (2010). Dietary nitrate supplementation enhances muscle contractile efficiency during knee-extensor exercise in humans. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 109(1), 135–148. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00046.2010
Miraftabi, H., Avazpoor, Z., Berjisian, E., Sarshin, A., Rezaei, S., Domínguez, R., Reale, R., Franchini, E., Samanipour, M. H., Koozehchian, M. S., Willems, M. E. T., Rafiei, R., & Naderi, A. (2021). Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Aerobic and Anaerobic Performances of Trained Male Taekwondo Athletes: A Pilot Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(19), 10202. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910202
Kroll, J., Werchan, C., Rosenfield, D. and Ritz, T., 2018. Acute ingestion of beetroot juice increases exhaled nitric oxide in healthy individuals. PLOS ONE, 13(1), p.e0191030.
Jo, Edward1; Fischer, Michelle1; Auslander, Alexandra T.1; Beigarten, Alan1; Daggy, Bruce2; Hansen, Ken1; Kessler, Lisa3; Osmond, Adam1; Wang, Hong2; Wes, Rachel1. The Effects of Multi-Day vs. Single Pre-exercise Nitrate Supplement Dosing on Simulated Cycling Time Trial Performance and Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: January 2019 – Volume 33 – Issue 1 – p 217-224
Tennille D. Presley, Ashley R. Morgan, Erika Bechtold, William Clodfelter, Robin W. Dove, Janine M. Jennings, Robert A. Kraft, S. Bruce King, Paul J. Laurienti, W. Jack Rejeski, Jonathan H. Burdette, Daniel B. Kim-Shapiro, Gary D. Miller,
Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults, Nitric Oxide,Volume 24, Issue 1,2011,Pages 34-42,ISSN 1089-8603, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.niox.2010.10.002.
Noboru Toda, Kazuhede Ayajiki, Tomio Okamura,Nitric oxide and penile erectile function,Pharmacology & Therapeutics,Volume 106, Issue 2,2005,Pages 233-266,ISSN 0163-7258,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2004.11.011.
Bamini Gopinath, Victoria M. Flood, Annette Kifley, Jimmy C. Y. Louie, Paul Mitchell, Association Between Carbohydrate Nutrition and Successful Aging Over 10 Years, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 71, Issue 10, October 2016, Pages 1335–1340, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glw091
Mohr, A.E., Jäger, R., Carpenter, K.C. et al. The athletic gut microbiota. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 17, 24 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00353-w
Alvares, T. S., Conte-Junior, C. A., Silva, J. T., & Paschoalin, V. M. (2012). Acute L-Arginine supplementation does not increase nitric oxide production in healthy subjects. Nutrition & metabolism, 9(1), 54. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-9-54
Álvares, T.S., Meirelles, C.M., Bhambhani, Y.N. et al. L-Arginine as a Potential Ergogenic Aidin Healthy Subjects. Sports Med 41, 233–248 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2165/11538590-000000000-00000
Oregon State University: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrient-inadequacies/overview#shortfall-micronutrients
Sim, M., Hong, S., Jung, S., Kim, J. S., Goo, Y. T., Chun, W. Y., & Shin, D. M. (2022). Vitamin C supplementation promotes mental vitality in healthy young adults: results from a cross-sectional analysis and a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. European journal of nutrition, 61(1), 447–459. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02656-3
Amar, M.J.A., Kaler, M., Courville, A.B. et al. Randomized double blind clinical trial on the effect of oral α-cyclodextrin on serum lipids. Lipids Health Dis 15, 115 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-016-0284-6
* In a study using 70 mL beetroot juice, participants’ plasma blood oxide levels increased 21% just 45 minutes after ingestion.