How to Increase Nitric Oxide Naturally: 6 Evidence-Based Steps

Short answer: The most reliable ways to increase nitric oxide naturally are to eat nitrate-rich vegetables every day (beets, arugula, spinach and other leafy greens), exercise regularly, and avoid habits that block the nitrate pathway, such as frequent use of antiseptic mouthwash. Supplements like L-citrulline can raise the raw material your body uses to make nitric oxide, but the human evidence for clear, felt benefits is mixed. If you are trying to boost nitric oxide because of blood pressure or erection concerns, see a doctor first, because both can signal a heart or blood vessel problem.

Key Takeaways

• Your body makes nitric oxide (NO) two ways: from the amino acid L-arginine inside blood vessel walls, and from dietary nitrate that mouth bacteria help convert.
• Beetroot juice is the best studied food source: a 2022 meta-analysis of 7 trials (218 people with high blood pressure) found an average drop in systolic pressure of about 5 mmHg.^[1]
• Regular moderate exercise increases the activity of the enzyme that makes NO in blood vessels.^[2]
• Twice-daily antiseptic (chlorhexidine) mouthwash was linked to higher systolic blood pressure after one week in a small study, likely by killing nitrate-reducing mouth bacteria.^[3]
• Oral L-citrulline raised blood arginine more effectively than L-arginine itself in a controlled study, but it did not improve a standard measure of blood vessel function.^[4]
• NO supplements are not right for everyone: people with low blood pressure, kidney or liver disease, or a recent heart attack should talk to a doctor first.^[5]

What Nitric Oxide Is and Why It Matters

Nitric oxide is a short-lived gas molecule that cells use as a signal. Its best known job is telling the smooth muscle around blood vessels to relax, which widens the vessel and lets more blood through. That is why NO comes up in conversations about blood pressure, exercise performance and circulation in general.

Because NO lasts only seconds in the body, you cannot simply “add” it. Every practical strategy works by supporting one of the two systems that produce it.

Pathway 1: the arginine (enzyme) pathway

Cells lining your blood vessels (the endothelium) contain an enzyme called endothelial nitric oxide synthase, or eNOS. It converts L-arginine into NO and L-citrulline. This pathway responds strongly to blood flow itself: when blood rushes along the vessel wall during exercise, the friction (called shear stress) switches eNOS on.^[2]

Pathway 2: the nitrate, nitrite, nitric oxide pathway

Nitrate from vegetables is absorbed, concentrated in saliva, and then converted to nitrite by bacteria living on the tongue. Nitrite is swallowed and can be turned into NO in the stomach, blood and tissues. This is why the health of your mouth bacteria matters, and why what you rinse with can make a difference.^[3]

How to Increase Nitric Oxide Naturally: 6 Evidence-Based Steps

1. Eat nitrate-rich vegetables every day

Diet is the simplest lever because it feeds pathway 2 directly. Beets and beetroot juice have the most human research. In the 2022 Frontiers in Nutrition meta-analysis, people with high blood pressure drank 70 to 250 mL of beetroot juice per day for 3 to 60 days, providing roughly 6.2 to 12.8 mmol of nitrate, and their systolic blood pressure fell by an average of 4.95 mmHg compared with nitrate-depleted juice. The change in diastolic pressure (0.90 mmHg) was not statistically significant.^[1]

Leafy greens such as arugula, spinach and lettuce are also strong nitrate sources. For a full list of foods, serving ideas and how they compare, see our guide to nitric oxide foods for performance. If you prefer a concentrated option, our article on beet root powder benefits explains how powders differ from juice.

2. Exercise regularly, especially aerobic work

Exercise is the main natural trigger for pathway 1. A review in Frontiers in Pharmacology describes shear stress from moderate exercise as one of the most important ways to improve blood vessel function, mainly through NO production, and notes that trained patients showed higher eNOS expression and activation.^[2] The same review describes a study in which 2 to 6 weeks of training increased NO bioavailability, after which NO levels returned toward baseline as the vessels structurally adapted. In other words, early gains in NO are part of how the body builds longer-term vascular fitness.

Practical take: brisk walking, cycling, swimming or interval work most days of the week. You do not need extreme sessions; consistency matters more than intensity.

3. Be careful with antiseptic mouthwash

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine gave 26 healthy adults chlorhexidine mouthwash twice a day for one week. Twice-daily use was associated with a significant rise in systolic blood pressure, and the proposed reason is that the rinse kills the tongue bacteria that turn nitrate into nitrite.^[3] This was a small, short study, so it shows a link rather than proof. Still, if your dentist has not prescribed an antiseptic rinse, brushing and flossing without a daily antibacterial mouthwash is a reasonable choice. If a dentist did prescribe it, keep using it and ask them about this question.

4. Consider L-citrulline rather than L-arginine

Your body can convert L-citrulline back into L-arginine, which is why it is often used as an indirect arginine source. In a double-blind crossover study of 20 healthy volunteers, oral citrulline raised plasma arginine more effectively than arginine itself, and the highest dose (3 g twice daily for one week) increased urinary markers of NO activity. However, none of the treatments improved flow-mediated dilation, a standard test of blood vessel function.^[4]

So citrulline clearly raises the building blocks, but whether that translates into a meaningful benefit for you is less certain. For doses and timing, see our L-citrulline dosage guide, and for a head-to-head comparison read L-citrulline vs L-arginine.

5. Protect your blood vessels overall

NO is made by the endothelium, so anything that damages blood vessels works against you. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases lists atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and heavy drinking among the factors that harm blood vessel related functions in men.^[6] Not smoking, limiting alcohol and keeping blood sugar and blood pressure in a healthy range are not glamorous, but they protect the system that makes NO in the first place.

6. Get enough protein from whole foods

L-arginine is found in red meat, poultry, fish and dairy, and L-citrulline in meat, nuts, legumes and watermelon.^[5] Most people eating a varied diet already get enough arginine, so this step is about avoiding a shortfall rather than megadosing.

Natural Nitric Oxide Boosters Compared

Nitric Oxide, Circulation and Erections: A Doctor-First View

Many men search for ways to boost nitric oxide because NO is part of the normal chemistry of erections, and some prescription medicines work on that same pathway.^[5] It is tempting to treat foods or supplements as a fix, but erection difficulties often have a medical cause. According to the NIDDK, heart and blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and many common medicines can all contribute, and erection problems may be a symptom of another health problem.^[6]

That is why the first step is a visit to a doctor, not a supplement. A clinician can check blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and medications, which matters for your heart as much as for your sex life. The steps in this article are healthy habits that support blood vessels in general; they are not a treatment for any condition.

Side Effects and Safety

Food-based nitrate

Vegetable nitrate is part of a normal diet. The authors of the 2022 meta-analysis note that the long-term safety of concentrated nitrate use is not yet known and suggest caution when extrapolating their findings.^[1]

NO supplements (arginine, citrulline)

Most people have no side effects. When they occur they are usually mild: diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, heartburn, headache, nausea or palpitations.^[5]

Who should talk to a doctor first

• People with low blood pressure, since these supplements may lower it further.^[5]
• Anyone taking blood pressure or diabetes medication, because of possible interactions.^[5]
• Anyone taking prescription medicine for erections or chest pain.
• People with kidney disease, liver cirrhosis or herpes infections, and anyone who has had a heart attack. A 2006 JAMA study found higher rates of death and repeat heart attack in people taking L-arginine after a heart attack.^[5]
• Anyone scheduled for surgery: doctors usually advise stopping NO supplements beforehand.^[5]

Where Ultra Bann Fits

To be clear about what it is and is not: Ultra Bann is not a nitric oxide supplement. It contains no L-arginine, no L-citrulline and no beetroot or nitrate. It is a natural male vitality supplement by DL Bioproducts with seven botanicals per serving, each listed with its amount and no proprietary blend: Thai Butea superba 345 mg, Panax ginseng 110 mg, Cynomorium songaricum 85 mg, black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora) 85 mg, tongkat ali 85 mg, epimedium (horny goat weed) 45 mg and reishi 45 mg, for a total of 800 mg. You take one capsule every 2 days.

Some men combine a nitrate-rich diet and regular training with a daily herbal routine. If that interests you, read the full Ultra Bann label first and check it with your doctor if you take any medication. Your first order ships free in the US and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee: see Ultra Bann.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to increase nitric oxide?

Eating or drinking a concentrated nitrate source such as beetroot juice is the quickest food-based route, because it feeds the nitrate pathway directly. A single bout of aerobic exercise also switches on NO production in your blood vessels. Lasting changes, however, come from doing both consistently.

Does L-arginine or L-citrulline boost nitric oxide better?

In a controlled study of 20 volunteers, oral L-citrulline raised blood arginine more effectively than L-arginine itself.^[4] That is why many people choose citrulline. Neither has strong proof of noticeable benefits in healthy people, and L-arginine is not advised after a heart attack.^[5]

Can mouthwash lower nitric oxide?

Possibly. Twice-daily chlorhexidine mouthwash was linked to higher systolic blood pressure after one week in a small study, likely because it kills the tongue bacteria that convert nitrate to nitrite.^[3] Do not stop a rinse your dentist prescribed without asking them.

What are signs of low nitric oxide?

There is no simple symptom checklist or routine blood test for “low nitric oxide.” Symptoms people often link to it, such as high blood pressure, poor exercise tolerance or erection problems, have many possible causes. The NIDDK notes that erection problems may be a symptom of another health problem, so these deserve a medical check rather than self-treatment.^[6]

Is it safe to take nitric oxide supplements every day?

Many healthy adults tolerate them, but they can cause digestive upset and headaches and may interact with blood pressure and diabetes medicines.^[5] Ask your doctor before daily use, especially if you have heart, kidney or liver disease or low blood pressure.

References

1. Benjamim CJR, Porto AA, Valenti VE, et al. Nitrate Derived From Beetroot Juice Lowers Blood Pressure in Patients With Arterial Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2022. frontiersin.org
2. Rodríguez I, González M. Physiological mechanisms of vascular response induced by shear stress and effect of exercise in systemic and placental circulation. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2014. frontiersin.org
3. Medical News Today. Report on a Baylor College of Medicine study of chlorhexidine mouthwash and blood pressure (Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology), 2019. medicalnewstoday.com
4. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolism. 2008 (PubMed ID 17662090). University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf research portal
5. Medical News Today. Nitric oxide supplements: benefits, side effects and risks. Medically reviewed, updated 2024. medicalnewstoday.com
6. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms and Causes of Erectile Dysfunction. niddk.nih.gov

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for information only and is not medical advice.