Naturally produced by our body’s cells, nitric oxide plays a big task in blood vessel health, naturally widening blood vessels to boost blood flow and concurrently decreasing blood pressure (1). Supplements that claim to boost nitric oxide don’t actually include nitric oxide; rather, they are made of other compounds that amp up the body’s production of nitric oxide, most usually l-arginine and l-citrulline. Lots of brands also use beetroots in their complexes, a popular ingredient in pre-workouts.
As more research is needed to determine the efficacy of increased NO levels on athletic performance, some facts suggest it may aid in high-intensity interval training and prolonged aerobic activity (2)(3). Moreover, some athletes use it because they feel it provides them a bigger “pump” and vascularity while working out. It is clever to consult with a medical professional before starting on any supplement claiming it can boost nitric oxide. For those who are keen to give it a try, we smoothed up some of the best nitric oxide supplements based on ingredients and dosage amounts and gave our selections.
10 Best Nitric Oxide Products Compared
1. Cellucor NO3 Chrome
Cellucor NO3 Chrome is an influential nitric oxide supplement. With an effective dose of arginine, and avascularity complex consisting of citrulline, arginine, and grape seed extract, this product is intended to be a solid NO product.
Highlights:
- Loaded with arginine, citrulline malate and grape seed extract
- Uses patented NO3-T (arginine nitrate)
- Creatine-free
- Stimulant-free
- Great cost
- Nitric oxide in pill form for convenience
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 25g arginine nitrate (a combination of L-arginine and nitrate)
- 750mg great vascularity complex, consisting of Nitrosigine arginine silicate, citrulline malate, and grape seed extract
Who makes it: This product is completed by Cellucor, a large and well-respected enhancement company that specializes in workout supplements. Best known for its C4 pre-workout supplement, Cellucor now makes a broad range of helpful products aimed at athletes and bodybuilders.
They arrogance themselves on consistency and quality and their large size lets them keep prices low and quality high. They value all of their customers really and even offer a money-back guarantee on all their products.
Bottom line: It uses a pure, simple, and extremely effective formula. It comes in the form of nitric oxide pills, which are very convenient and simple to take. We also recommend this product highly since it’s made by Cellucor, one of the best-known brands in the business.
2. BSN Nitrix 2.0
BSN Nitrix 2.0 is a sturdy nitric oxide supplement that combines L-citrulline, hawthorn extract, creatine and more to give a potent workout booster in one suitable package. Nitrix 2.0 is a potent all-around workout booster, and one of our top recommendations.
Highlights:
- Loaded with L-citrulline, creatine and other
- Uses 3 different kinds of creatine
- Easy to take
- Good cost
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 6g BSN Nitrix 2.0 proprietary blend, consisting of L-citrulline, hawthorn extract, pomegranate fruit, grape kernel extract, resveratrol, and more.
- Myogenic matrix, consisting of creatine monohydrate, creatine HCI, and creatine anhydrous
Who makes it: This product is completed by BSN, which stands for Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition. Founded in 2001, BSN has rapidly become an overall leader in the supplement industry, producing cutting-edge, effective, and inexpensive supplements. Their focus is on the athletic supplement industry, and their motto is “Finish First” – something they intend to aid all their customers to do. BSN is a trustworthy and professional brand with brilliant products.
Bottom line: It may aid improve the results you see from your workouts in many ways. Add that to the fact that it comes from a dependable brand like BSN, and you’ve got yourself a great NO product.
3. Pro Supps NO3 DRIVE
Pro Supps NO3 DRIVE mixes L-citrulline, agmatine, carnitine, ginseng, and more. And since this supplement arrives in nitric oxide pill form, they are convenient and easy to use.
Highlights:
- Combines citrulline, carnitine, ginseng, agmatine and other
- Made by a well-respected company
- Good cost
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 700mg vasodilation matrix, consisting of L-citrulline, agmatine sulfate, rutaecarpine and more
- 527mg GPLC matrix, consisting of GlycoPro and GlycoCarn
- 110mg improved nutrient absorption matrix
Who makes it: This product is made by Pro Supps, a big supplement producer founded in 2004. With over a decade of experience, Pro Supps is committed to creating the highest class products possible. Each year, they dedicate significant time and money to the research and development of new products, to stay on the cutting edge of exercise science.
Bottom line: It combines many of the top ingredients that help improve exercise act through increased nitric oxide and it’s conveniently packaged in pill form. With that supposed, the use of proprietary blends makes it hard to know the exact quantity of each ingredient you’re getting, and whether or not those ingredients are contained at effective dosages.
4. Universal Nutrition Animal Pump Pre-Workout
Universal Nutrition Animal Pump Pre-Workout is a tough pre-workout supplement formulated for optimal exercise performance. Animal Pump contains some key NO-boosting ingredients, including arginine, beta-alanine, taurine, and other – as well as creatine, caffeine, guarana, and more. This can be a helpful way to increase nitric oxide levels, as also providing energy and drive to power your best possible workout.
Highlights:
- Loaded with arginine, beta-alanine, ornithine and other
- Creatine blend for increased strength and endurance
- Energy blend (with caffeine) for enhanced performance
- Antioxidant blend
- Complete pre-workout solution
- Good cost
- Convenient packets make on-the-go use simple
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 3g creatine matrix, consisting of creatine MagnaPower, CreaPure, creatine gluconate, and other
- 2g NO blast matrix, consisting of Arginine-AKG, Ornithine-AKG, beta-alanine, and other
- 500mg energy rush matrix, consisting of caffeine, kola nut powder, and guarana powder
- 700mg antioxidant complex, consisting of green tea extract, grapeseed extract and other
- 1g pump transport complex, consisting of taurine, ginger root, and other
Who makes it: This product is completed by Universal Nutrition, one of the largest supplement producers in the business. Founded way back in 1977, Universal Nutrition has committed decades to the research and development of cutting-edge fitness supplements. Nowadays, they offer a huge number of high-quality products, mainly marketed towards bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts.
Bottom line: It does include several NO boosting ingredients, so it is an effective nitric oxide booster. Though, the use of proprietary blends is a definite downside, as it’s impossible to tell accurate quantities of each ingredient.
5. Promera Health Pump Extreme
Promera Health Pump Extreme is a fine nitric oxide supplement from a good company. It includes a lot of the key ingredients that are most effective at increasing NO production, and it’s available in a range of flavors. The only real downside is the use of a proprietary blend.
Highlights:
- Caffeine for extra energy
- enlarged nitric oxide production
- An all-around workout booster
- Powder form, available in some flavors
- Affordable
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 3,051mg vaso maintain matrix, consisting of Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate, Citrulline HCI, Agmatine Sulfate, L-Norvaline, Pine Bark Extract
- 20mg Niacin
- 200mg PurCaf caffeine
Who makes it: This product is completed by Promera Sports, a fitness enhancement company founded in 2007. With a decade of industry experience, Promera’s line of products has now expanded into extra than 40 different supplements, aimed at helping bodybuilders and athletes make their fitness goals. They hold some exclusive patents and are best known for their CON-CRET line of fitness products.
6. Cellucor C4
Cellucor C4 is an accepted pre-workout supplement with nitric oxide boosting ingredients. Actually, it’s perhaps the most popular one out there, with millions of units sold each year. Cellucor C4 combines creatine, nitric oxide, beta-alanine, arginine, caffeine, and others to create a potent all-around workout booster.
Highlights:
- Loaded with creatine, beta-alanine, arginine, and other
- Caffeine and tyrosine for added energy
- Ramps up NO production
- Very inexpensive
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 6g beta-alanine
- 1g creatine nitrate
- 1g Arginine AKG
- 371 unstable energy blend, consisting of tyrosine, caffeine, and more
Who makes it: This product is made by Cellucor, a famous and well-respected supplement manufacturer. They produce a wide range of helpful supplements, including our #2 overall suggestions on this list. All their products are developed by industry experts, and they back their proffering with a 100% money-back guarantee.
Bottom line: largely, if you’re looking for a pre-workout booster that also offers a good amount of NO-boosting ingredients, Cellucor C4 is a good choice. The only real downsides are that it is sweetened with artificial sweeteners that several people may want to avoid.
7. MusclePharm Assault Pre-Workout
Muscle Pharm Assault Pre-Workout is an all-in-one workout booster joining beta-alanine, tyrosine, creatine, taurine, and more. It’s intended to deliver intense energy for your workout, without the crash afterward, as also boosting NO production. It’s also a very affordable option, and wholly free of fillers and artificial dyes.
Highlights:
- Loaded with beta-alanine, arginine, tyrosine, creatine, taurine and other
- Provides explosive energy, without the crash
- Boosts NO production
- A total pre-workout solution
- Affordable
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 3,500mg ATP Amplifier, consisting of beta-alanine, L-tyrosine, and other
- 2,952mg cellular transport & insulin activator, consisting of dextrose, L-glycine and other
- 2,000mg athlete performance blend, consisting of creatine nitrate, L-arginine nitrate, BCAAs, and other
- 1,750mg energy & neuro igniter, consisting of choline bitartrate, caffeine, huperzine A and other
- 1,200mg hydration system, consisting of taurine, coconut water powder, and L-glutamine
Who makes it: This product is made by MusclePharm, a famous supplement manufacturer founded in 2008. MusclePharm has fast grown in popularity in a short period, now proffering its products to citizens of more than 110 countries. They have won many awards along the way for the innovative products, and are well known for being one of the higher class yet low-cost providers of fitness supplements.
Bottom line: It’s one of the more accepted pre-workout blends out there, it’s offered by a good company, and it’s sold at an affordable value. With that said, the product does use a proprietary blend, and its large reviews are mediocre.
8. Irwin Naturals Nitric Oxide Pre-Sport
Irwin Naturals Nitric Oxide Pre-Sport is a strong pre-workout booster that combines some exclusive ingredients to make an effective fitness enhancement. It uses some standard fitness boosters, like L-citrulline and L-theanine, and some exclusive ingredients like medium-chain triglyceride oil, ginkgo extract, cayenne powder, and yerba mate powder. It’s as well the only product on this list sold in liquid gelcap format, so it’s surely a unique option.
Highlights:
- Unique formula
- includes L-citrulline and L-theanine
- Unique ingredients like yerba mate powder, Ginkgo Biloba extract, MGT oil & more
- Boosts nitric oxide production
- Liquid gel caps
- Made by a great company
- Very inexpensive
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 1,000mg medium-chain triglyceride oil (MCT oil)
- 750mg L-citrulline
- 60mg beet powder
- 50mg L-theanine
- 40mg ginkgo extract
- 30mg cayenne powder
- 20mg yerba mate powder
- 62mg Asian ginseng extract
- 3mg BioPerine black pepper extract (to develop absorption)
Who makes it: This product is completed by Irwin Naturals, a natural supplement producer with over 20 years of industry experience. Unlike most companies on this list, Irwin Naturals is more of a general-reason supplement company, instead of a fitness-specific manufacturer. They make a broad range of all-purpose products, from vitamins to probiotics to fitness enhancements. They are a well-reputed company with high-class products.
9. Pure Encapsulations – Nitric Oxide Ultra
Pure Encapsulations Nitric Oxide Ultra is an easy and effective nitric oxide booster including a unique blend of L-citrulline, cranberry extract, and grape extract. The simple formula is also very gentle and simple on the stomach and only contains 3 active ingredients.
Highlights:
- easy formula
- Gentle & pure
- L-citrulline, cranberry extract, and grape extract
- Hypo-allergenic
- No fillers or needless ingredients
What’s in it: One serving contains:
- 1,000mg L-citrulline
- 382mg CranLoad proprietary blend, consisting of cranberry extract and grape kernel extract
Who makes it: This product is made by Pure Encapsulations, a producer of simple and pure supplements for a range of applications. They focus on creating hypo-allergenic, filler-free products for the fitness and wellness industry. They ignore the use of artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, coatings, gluten, and other regular allergens in all of their products.
Bottom line: Its restricted ingredient profile is both a good and a bad thing; good, because it avoids many general allergens and unnecessary fillers, but bad since it does not offer many of the most helpful nitric oxide boosters. For the cost, there are better options out there.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nitric Oxide Supplements
What is Nitric Oxide?
Nitric oxide is a natural molecule that is obviously produced in our bodies. It’s used to aid facilitate communication between cells, by helping to transmit signals all through our bodies.
Nitric oxide, generally referred to as “NO”, is used for a huge variety of purposes within the body, but it’s mainly thought of for its strength and endurance-boosting properties.
What Are Nitric Oxide Supplements?
Nitric oxide supplements are a class of health products intended to boost nitric oxide production. They usually use a blend of ingredients, such as citrulline, arginine, beta-alanine, BCAAs, Taurine, Tyrosine, and more. We’ll go over these elements in greater detail in the section below.
Generally, nitric oxide supplements will include a blend of ingredients that are formulated to aid boost your nitric oxide levels during workouts. This may help improve the quality, strength, and duration of your exercise sessions, which in turn leads to better results. We’ll cover nitric oxide advantages in greater detail in a later section.
What Are the Ingredients Commonly Used in Nitric Oxide Products?
As mentioned, nitric oxide products use blends of some ingredients. There is a wide variety of ingredients used, but some of the most general are:
Arginine
L-arginine is an amino acid that is known to inspire the production of certain hormones, counting growth hormones, which are key to muscle growth and power levels. This product is considered “semi-essential”, meaning that as the body can produce it on its own, supplemental L-arginine is beneficial to those who exercise frequently. L-arginine can also help to prevent inflammation, decrease high blood pressure, reduce muscle pain, develop athletic performance, and more. Arginine can be contained in nitric oxide supplements on its own, or in the form of L-citrulline, as discussed below.
Citrulline
Citrulline is an amino acid that may aid to improve energy levels and survival in both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. The amino truly turns into L-arginine when it is taken in supplement form. This gives the benefits of L-arginine, and as it turns out, L-citrulline truly may be a more effective way to obtain more L-arginine when compared to real supplemental L-arginine.
Branched Chain Amino Acids
Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs for short, are some of the most vital amino acids for athletes and bodybuilders. This group contains leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Combined, BCAAs have some key benefits, with the most famous being increased protein synthesis, which may lead to improved muscle growth.
Of the three, leucine is considered mainly anabolic, having been found in clinical trials to help boost strength during workouts while stimulating muscle recovery and increase. BCAAs can be obtained throughout a diet rich in food products including meats and eggs, but they are most helpful in their concentrated pure form, or as part of a blend.
Beta-Alanine
Heralded for its capability to increase cellular carnitine levels during exercise, beta-alanine may aid to extend your workout endurance by replenishing lost carnitine stores. Basically, beta-alanine aids to delay the onset of neuromuscular fatigue, leading to longer, more helpful exercise sessions.
Creatine
creatine is one of the most accepted fitness supplements on the planet, and for good reason. Basically, creatine helps to increase power and fuel muscles once they have used up their stores of ATP, the main energy source for human activity. In clinical trials, creatine has been shown to boost maximum power during exercise by up to 15%.
a few of the ingredients that are listed above and found in nitric oxide supplements do not essentially boost nitric oxide levels directly but are still helpful at improving workout performance.
Frequently, nitric oxide supplements get grouped with pre-workout supplements, since the two categories have a lot of overlap. Most nitric oxide products are best used before working out, basically putting them into the pre-workout category.
Additionally, products marketed as pre-workouts generally include nitric oxide-boosting ingredients.
What Are the Benefits of Nitric Oxide?
Nitric oxide supplements are intended to boost nitric oxide levels, which can lead to better, more effective workouts. This basically helps to increase circulation, leading to your muscles getting more oxygen and more nutrients when they require it the most.
The benefits of nitric oxide go beyond that, though. Here are just a few:
- Increased nitric oxide levels
- Muscle “pump”
- Athletic ability
- Workout duration
- Endurance
- Post-workout recovery
- Blood flow to muscles
- Nutrient flow to muscles during work out
- Cell hydration
- Vascularity
- useful workouts and better results
Who Can Benefit from Nitric Oxide Supplements?
Nitric oxide supplements are mainly marketed towards bodybuilders and other fitness enthusiasts. In reality, a wide range of individuals can experience benefits from these products. Some key groups include:
Athletes
anybody who considers themselves an athlete – whether that means playing in the NBA or a local softball league – can help from nitric oxide boosters. These supplements help mostly in the training stage, as they allow for longer, extra intense, and more productive workouts. Also, athletes put their muscles through some important strain, so they can also advantage from the increased nutrient uptake to muscles offered by these products.
Weightlifters
whether you’re an informal weightlifter or a full-blown bodybuilder, nitric oxide supplements can aid on your path to the body you want. By improving workout class and duration, these products can help you squeeze the most help out of your time in the gym, while increasing muscle increase and strength gains.
Experienced Bodybuilders
if you’re a usual gym-goer, you may have experienced what is referred to as an exercise plateau, which basically means a sudden lack of further progress towards your goals. For instance many people may have a gradually increasing max bench press for the first year they are lifting, and then unexpectedly get “stuck” at 250lbs. It can be really hard to push through these plateaus, but introducing a nitric oxide supplement can sometimes create a difference by giving your muscles the tools required to break through those barriers.
How Do I Take Nitric Oxide Supplements?
Nitric oxide supplements can arrive both in powder form and in pill form. Nitric oxide pills might be the most convenient option, though powdered versions have their benefits as well. Most severely NO supplements come in pill form, while most of the more common pre-workout boosters tend to come in powdered supplement form.
For best results, you’ll desire to take a nitric oxide dosage about 60-90 minutes before you begin exercising. The exact nitric oxide dosage you should take depends on the exact product you’re using. You’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s directions found on the supplement label. A few products may suggest multiple doses per day, which may or may not be necessary depending on your situation.
Some manufacturers suggest taking nitric oxide boosters on an empty stomach. It is factual that many nitric oxide boosting ingredients do tend to work better when taken on an empty stomach.
Consuming these supplements on an empty stomach can potentially increase the efficacy of the products, it can also reason stomach upset in some people.
If you get this too is the case for you, the supplements will still useful when taking after meals. Try to ignore taking your dose at mealtime, but if you wait an hour or two after eating you can reap the full advantages of the supplement without risking stomach discomfort.
Are There Any Side Effects of Nitric Oxide?
Nitric oxide side effects are probable for some people. Then, Stomach upset and related gastrointestinal issues are some of the more normally reported issues. If you notice stomach upset after taking an NO supplement, believe taking your next dose with food, or cutting down on the dosage size. Mainly NO supplements have a serving size of 2-3 nitric oxide pills, so it’s pretty simple to lower the dosage.
As nitric oxide supplements affect the blood vessels, this can potentially lead to adjusts in blood pressure. For the most part, this translates to a lowering of blood pressure, which can potentially result in side effects for example headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. If you see these symptoms, you should seek medical attention since low blood pressure can cause potentially serious symptoms down the line.
How Do I Choose a Good Nitric Oxide Product?
Most products these days, including nitric oxide supplements, proffer a LOT of options. There are hundreds of products competing for your business, thus why should you decide one or the other? You can also use the following factors to help you make a decision:
Included Ingredients
the initial step when choosing the best nitric oxide supplement for you is to take a close glance at the ingredient label. See what ingredients contain, and in what quantities. Then, Refer to a previous section to learn more about the ingredients that usually includes in these products.
Nitric Oxide Booster vs Pre-Workout
as we mentioned formerly, there is somewhat of a blurred line between factual nitric oxide supplements and general pre-workout boosters. Usually, nitric oxide blends don’t include creatine or stimulants like caffeine, as pre-workouts do. There’s nothing wrong with using pre-workout supplements (actually, they are quite effective), but it’s fine to be aware of the difference between the two. On our list of the best nitric oxide boosters, we’ve contained both types of supplements but completed an effort to note the difference.
Brand Quality
who makes the product? Are they famous and well appreciated? On our list of the best nitric oxide supplements, we’ve completely used products from well-reputed companies. However, if you shop elsewhere, ensure you do some research on the companies you’re buying from before making a buy.
Value
if you work out frequently, nitric oxide supplements are something you’ll want to take fairly often. Due to that, you’ll want to consider the price and value of the product(s) you’re considering. Don’t just look at the cost alone, as you will desire to take into account the included ingredients (and dosages), the number of servings per package, and the brand class.
Recap
Now that you have learned all about nitric oxide advantages and looked at the list of most effective nitric oxide supplements, we wish that you feel prepared to make a buy and start on your path towards your fitness goals.
If you are curious about other supplements, remember to test out the rest of our site – we have guides like this one on almost every type of supplement out there. Besides, don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
