Nitric oxide (NO) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_functions_of_nitric_oxideThe discovery of the biological functions of nitric oxide in the 1980s came as a complete surprise and caused quite a stir. Nitric oxide was named "Molecule of the Year" in 1992 by the journal Science, a Nitric Oxide Society was founded, and a scientific journal devoted entirely to nitric oxide was established. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1998 was awarded to Ferid Murad, Robert F. Furchgott, and Louis Ignarro for the discovery of the signalling properties of nitric oxide. It is estimated that yearly about 3,000 scientific articles are published on the biological roles of nitric oxide.
NO has been shown to regulate and mediate the nervous, cardiovascular
AND immune systems. NO is a vasodiaolator, which have been our friends so far (fenugreek, niacin, ginko biloba). It also has even been shown to be involved in forming an erection:
"Nitric oxide (NO) is believed to be the main vasoactive nonadrenergic, noncholinergic neurotransmitter and chemical mediator of penile erection."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17170606Nitric Oxide (NO) is of critical importance as a mediator of vasodilation in blood vessels. From Wikipedia: "It is induced by several factors, and once synthesized by eNOS it results in phosphorylation of several proteins that cause smooth muscle relaxation." I find this particularly interesting since orgasm relaxes so much of your body.
NO is even a neurotransmitter, still not totally understood how far reaching it's effects are. Unlike most neurotransmitters, the nitric oxide molecule can diffuse widely and readily enters cells.
NO is used in the immune system. Macrophages, certain cells of the immune system, produce nitric oxide in order to kill invading bacteria.
Other importance: People with diabetes usually have lower levels of nitric oxide than patients without diabetes. Diminished supply of nitric oxide can lead to vascular damage, such as endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation. Vascular damage can lead to decreased blood flow to the extremities.
http://www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/vod/vod212/vodspr0613.htmHere's a connection to our "brain fog":
Recent data suggest that NO is also involved in the regulation of the cerebral circulation. Thus, NO participants in the maintenance of resting cerebrovascular tone and may play an important role in selected vasodilator responses of the cerebral circulation. Furthermore, evidence has been presented suggesting that NO participates in the mechanisms of cerebral ischemic damage.
http://www.nature.com/jcbfm/journal/v14/n2/abs/jcbfm199425a.htmlWhat got me most interested in making this post was after reading this webpage: "Could Nitric Oxide deficiency be the cause of your health challenges? | Dr. Arturo M. Volpe"
http://doctorvolpe.com/diet/nitric-oxide-deficiency/"NO is produced in the inner layer of the arteries called endothelial layer where it promotes relaxation of the artery wall, thus increasing blood flow and regulating blood pressure. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant and controls inflammation now known to be at the root of heart disease and many other health problems, including cancer and dementia."
There is a enough of a chance that nitric oxide deficiency is a factor in POIS. Thankfully, there is a way to test if you are definicent. They provide a link to a kit for test strips that can show your levels. They have also created a supplement, "Neo40", that can significantly raise NO levels if you are indeed deficient.
His reference to the book The Nitric Oxide (NO) Solution also has me interested. The author, Nathan Bryan, PhD of the University of Texas Health Science Center based in the Houston Medical Center has been focusing his research on NO. Among other things, he studied herbs used traditionally in Chinese and other forms of medicine for heart disease and discovered that all of these herbs had one thing in common: they all raised NO levels in the body, some by as much as 100 or more times. I will be ordering it shortly.
In short, I'm really excited about this. Nitric oxide is so new that disorders involving it may not be totally understood. I'm going to get some strips and possibly the supplement too, and I want to write the author of this book and see if he is as convinced as I am that NO and POIS are connected.
