Lower Blood Pressure Naturally - How Nitric Oxide (no) Lowers Blood Pressure

According to the American Heart Association nearly one out of every three Americans (65 million people) has high blood pressure. In addition, high blood pressure was the significant cause of death in approximately 50,000 people as of 2002.

To make things worse, studies have shown that a 55-year-old person who has normal blood pressure has a lifetime chance of having high blood pressure. Besides the risk of heart attack and stroke, high blood pressure can cause damage to blood vessels in the eyes, heart, brain, and kidneys.

All this would be very discouraging were it not for that fact that high blood pressure can be controlled by prescription drugs or by natural methods.

Prescription drugs can be effective in many cases but they are not a guaranteed solution. There is also the possibility of experiencing unpleasant side effects with prescription medications and for that reason many people are seeking non-drug means to lower blood pressure naturally.

Two of the best methods of lowering blood pressure naturally are exercise and diet. You don't have to join a gym or engage in strenuous exercise to make a difference. If you merely commit to walking 20 to 30 minutes at least 3 times a week this can have a positive effect on blood pressure. In addition, there are other benefits for the joints, bones and muscles.

Watching your diet can have a major impact on lowering your blood pressure naturally. You should strive to keep your sodium intake to less than 2400 mg per day. Be aware that processed foods are often high in salt (sodium) so read the label. Potassium is a mineral that has a positive effect on lowering blood pressure naturally and you want to consume a minimum of 4700 mg per day.

Recent discoveries have revealed another method of lowering blood pressure naturally.
This is called nitric oxide therapy and is the result of the research by Nobel® Laureate Dr. Louis Ignarro.

Dr. Ignarro along with his team of researchers knew that nitrogen in the form of nitro-glycerin had been used for years to help relieve angina or heart distress but they didn't know how it worked. They discovered that the nitric oxide molecule has a profound effect in dilating arteries and blood vessels, which could lower blood pressure naturally and support cardiovascular health.

But the question was how to create nitric oxide in the body? They discovered that the amino acid, arginine or L-arginine, causes nitric oxide to be produced in the arteries and blood vessels and produced the same effect that exercise does. Furthermore, they discovered that nitric oxide has other beneficial effects, which impact the immune system and the nervous system. In short, it seemed like nitric oxide was a miracle molecule.

So the next question was what foods are a good source of arginine? There were many on the list including nuts, red meat, chicken, and certain vegetables. Although these were a natural source, there wasn't enough arginine to make a major difference.

Dr. Ignarro realized that he would have to create a supplement, which would provide enough arginine in significant quantity. Five years of history have shown that this supplement has been
effective in lowering blood pressure naturally for many people. Even some individuals who were not able to effectively control their blood pressure with medication were able to do so using nitric oxide therapy.