How to Boost Nitric Oxide

Nitric oxide is a gas that can’t be harnessed well in a supplement, so nitrate-rich foods are your best source. There are also nondietary ways to increase the body’s production, including the following.

1) Exercise 20 to 30 minutes daily. It may seem obvious that exercise lowers blood pressure. What’s new is that scientists now know exercise triggers endothelial cells to release nitric oxide. “It is one of the most powerful ways to increase how much nitric oxide your body makes,” says board-certified neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, FACN.

And, he notes, the downstream effects of more nitric oxide are “good for the brain, good for the immune system.”

2) Wean off the antacids. Antacids and acid suppressors, like proton pump inhibitors, seem like an easy fix for a sour stomach, but the body needs stomach acid to make nitric oxide from food and exercise. Regular use of proton pump inhibitors has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia. (Here’s more on how chronic use of this common over-the-counter medication can become problematic.)

“Turns out that shutting down stomach-acid production is a really bad idea,” notes Nathan Bryan, PhD. “Our entire digestive, endocrine, and cardiovascular system depends on our ability to produce stomach acid.”

3) Buy local produce but not necessarily organic. In what may seem counterintuitive, a 2015 study found conventionally grown vegetables have substantially more nitrates than the same vegetables grown organically. Bryan suspects it’s because U.S. organic growers are not allowed to use synthetic nitrogen-based fertilizers.

“Without nitrogen, vegetables can’t assimilate nitrates,” he says. “Your best bet is to buy local, conventionally grown vegetables.” (At least sometimes: Most organic growing practices are still better for the soil and overall biodiversity.)

4) Practice deep breathing. Oxygen is essential to the body’s production of nitric oxide. “Breathing deeply stimulates receptors in the body that turn on nitric oxide production,” says Bryan. “Taking in that life-giving oxygen will help support every biological function in the body.”

He advises taking 10 deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, at least three times a day.

5) Eat nitric oxide–adjacent nutrients: Nudge up nitric oxide production by giving your body ample potassium and magnesium, says integrative physician Frank Lipman, MD. Potassium helps balance dietary sodium, which on its own can drive up blood pressure.

And magnesium prompts muscles and the endothelium to relax. As a bonus, magnesium glycinate is a mild sleep aid. “Magnesium is easy and cheap,” he says. “I recommend it to everyone.” (Explore these tips to increase your magnesium intake.)