7 Things Destroying Your Nitric Oxide (Doctor Explains)

Key wellness & productivity strategies (to support nitric oxide / vascular health)

Nitric oxide helps arteries widen to deliver more blood to muscles and the brain. The video focuses on seven everyday factors that reduce nitric oxide, contributing over time to stiffer arteries and higher cardiovascular risk.

1) Break up long sitting time

Sitting reduces blood flow and the “shear stress” signal that helps blood vessels produce nitric oxide.

Practical moves:

• Get up and move regularly (the video highlights ~5 minutes of walking every hour).
• Take stairs when possible; walk while talking on the phone.
• If you’re traveling or sitting for >4 hours, do calf raises and move.

2) Protect and prioritize sleep

Sleep loss increases oxidative stress, which breaks down nitric oxide and impairs vessel relaxation.

Practical moves:

• Treat sleep as a major health lever (including consistent enough nightly duration).
• If you suspect poor sleep quality, evaluate it medically rather than guessing.

3) Be cautious with antibacterial antiseptic mouthwashes (especially chlorhexidine)

Vegetable nitrates depend on mouth bacteria converting nitrate → nitrite → nitric oxide.

What the video suggests:

• Regular use of strong antiseptic/antibacterial mouthwash (e.g., chlorhexidine) can reduce nitrite levels and raise blood pressure (per the cited study).
• Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
• If a dentist prescribed a mouthwash for a specific oral issue, follow that guidance.

4) Avoid smoking and vaping

Smoke/vapor increases oxidative stress and directly damages nitric-oxide-related arterial function.

Practical moves:

• If you smoke: quitting is best. The video frames switching completely to vaping (same volume) as potentially less harmful as a stepping-stone to quitting.
• Seek help: GP/community smoking cessation services and other therapies.
• Quote mindset: “The only thing that should enter your lungs is air.”

5) Screen for and treat obstructive sleep apnea (if symptoms fit)

Repeated nighttime oxygen drops trigger adrenaline and oxidative stress that consumes nitric oxide.

Signs mentioned:

• Loud snoring, gasping
• Witnessed breathing pauses
• Waking groggy/tired; daytime sleepiness

Practical moves:

• Get a proper sleep study.
• Treatment: CPAP (keeps airways open); smartwatches may be inaccurate for diagnosis.

6) Improve fitness (especially aerobic capacity / VO₂ max)

Better cardiovascular fitness is linked to better nitric oxide function and lower mortality.

Practical moves:

• Do frequent aerobic exercise that leaves you breathless (build an aerobic base).
• If starting low: begin with walking (the creator references a “5,000 steps/day” entry point).

7) Cut ultra-processed foods (highest-impact dietary advice)

Ultra-processed foods reduce nitric oxide from two directions:

• Increase oxidative stress via refined carbs/sugar (glucose spikes)
• Displace vegetables/fruits that provide nitrate/nitric-oxide building pathways

Practical moves:

• Prioritize whole foods; reduce ultra-processed foods as a primary target.
• The video highlights beetroot for blood pressure benefits (often studied as juice, though it recommends raw beets when possible).
• Nitrate-rich alternatives discussed: arugula, lettuce, celery, radishes (lower oxalate than spinach/chard).
• Kidney stone considerations: spinach/chard are nitrate-rich but higher in oxalate; if prone, choose lower-oxalate nitrate sources and consider calcium in the meal (e.g., dairy) to bind oxalate.

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Supplement notes mentioned (L-arginine / L-citrulline)

• L-arginine: often disappointing in studies because many people already have enough, and a lot is broken down before reaching the bloodstream.
• L-citrulline: converts to arginine later in the gut; may raise blood levels more reliably, but trial benefits were small and inconsistent.

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Overall “most important” takeaways (from the video)

Biggest wins

• Reducing ultra-processed foods
• Improving aerobic fitness

Also critical

• Quit smoking/vaping
• Move often if you sit a lot
• Sleep well (and treat sleep apnea if present)

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Presenters / Sources

• Presenter: Dr. Alex (founder of the “Long Game” movement)

Institution/source mentions (studies & trials):

• Columbia University (sleep restriction trial)
• London researchers (smokers’ arterial dilation studies; passive smoke effects)
• Researchers in the United States (hospital unit ultra-processed food study)
• Large treadmill-test study (~120,000 people) (fitness/VO₂ max and mortality)
• Independent study on beetroot (blood pressure reduction)