Discover how nitric oxide affects your love life and your overall health
There is a very real connection between sexual performance and heart health in men. As you may have noticed, many men who have risk factors for heart disease—such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and obesity—also have trouble in the bedroom. Why? Because of the impact poor arterial health has on nitric oxide production.
What is Nitric Oxide?
Nitric oxide is a molecule that is made in the lining of blood vessels. Its job is to expand the blood vessels, which increases blood flow and decreases plaque formation.
Bad Habits Lead to Low Nitric Oxide
The lining of the blood vessels or endothelium is very sensitive to changes in the body. When men are physically inactive, have high blood pressure, make unhealthy food choices that result in high cholesterol, smoke, or experience emotional distress, it is felt by the endothelium. The endothelium responds by producing less nitric oxide.
This is bad news for men’s health for several reasons.
First of all, nitric oxide is necessary for healthy erections. Obviously, without good blood flow you can’t have an erection. Medications like Viagra work by affecting the nitric oxide pathway to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow. Research has shown that having sex two or three times per week actually helps protect men against heart attacks.
Secondly, reduced nitric oxide production will further erode arterial health. This can accelerate heart disease and leave men more vulnerable to heart attacks.
Additionally, nitric oxide helps support brain health by helping store and retrieve memories, as well as by helping brain cells communicate faster.
How to Boost Nitric Oxide
Even if you do not have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or other risk factors for heart disease, you may not have optimal levels of nitric oxide in your body, because production of this molecule decreases with age. Fortunately, there are simple ways to get more nitric oxide:
Exercise: The endothelium is directly affected when you exercise. Your body will demand more oxygen, your heart will pump harder to supply it, and this increased blood flow will signal the endothelium to produce more nitric oxide.
Use Canola Oil: If you’re using olive oil, it may be working against you in the bedroom. Olive oil can decrease nitric oxide production, which canola oil does not. Canola oil has the added benefit of helping to control inflammation better than olive oil does. Controlling inflammation is an important part of boosting your heart health.
Have a Sense of Humor: Researchers have found that watching a scary movie decreases nitric oxide within the arteries, while watching a comedy will increase it. This may happen because scary movies trigger stress, which can cause inflammation just as smoking and obesity can.
Supplement: There are a variety of nutrients that can help the body produce and process nitric oxide. L-Arginine is one. This amino acid is a precursor for nitric oxide. Vitamin C helps make nitric oxide available to cells, and Vitamin B12 helps cells process nitric oxide. At Renew Youth, we have a variety of supplements to help support healthy aging, including both injectable nutrients and oral supplements.
Need More Help in the Bedroom?
If more nitric oxide isn’t enough to jumpstart your love life, you should consider other treatments. Renew Youth has a variety of options for addressing male sexual performance issues, and we will work for you to find the right treatment for your needs.