What is nitric oxide?
Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule the body uses to tell blood vessels to relax, and it supports healthy circulation and microcirculation by enabling vasodilation and blood flow to every vein, artery and capillary. Nitric oxide is imperative for both men and women for healthy sexual function and overall health.*
NO is naturally produced continuously, but once produced, it only lasts milliseconds in the body. Because nitric oxide is fleeting, your body must generate it on demand, moment to moment, so that oxygen and nutrients keep reaching muscles, organs, and tissues throughout the day and night.*
How Nitric Oxide Works: The Basics for Circulation and Microcirculation
Circulation is the blood that flows throughout the entire body, from the largest arteries to the tiniest capillaries. When talking about circulation, it's helpful to break the conversation up between macrocirculation and microcirculation. Macrocirculation refers to blood movement through the large arteries and veins that carry blood to and from the heart. Microcirculation refers to blood flow through the smallest vessels where oxygen, nutrients, and waste products are actually delivered to the organs and tissues that rely on it. Nitric oxide plays an important role in the entire circulatory process, including macro and microcirculation.
Inside the vessel wall, an enzyme called endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) produces NO in response to shear stress, the gentle friction of moving blood against the vessel lining. The endothelial glycocalyx senses this blood flow and helps trigger nitric oxide release, which relaxes the surrounding smooth muscle and widens the vessel. NO is also produced through a secondary pathway called the salivary nitric oxide pathway. This pathway relies on healthy bacteria in your mouth and gut to convert the food you eat into nitric oxide.
Because capillaries are where nutrient and oxygen delivery actually occurs, healthy microcirculation should be an important focus for overall health. It contributes to organ function, cognitive clarity, physical recovery, tissue sensation, and sexual wellness — all covered in more detail below.
The Endothelial Glycocalyx and Its Role in Nitric Oxide Signaling
The endothelial glycocalyx is a delicate, micro-thin lining that coats the inside of every blood vessel. Often described as the "smart inner lining," it acts as a semi-permeable barrier and an intelligent gatekeeper, regulating what passes into the vessel wall while sensing blood flow to help maintain normal nitric oxide signaling.
This matters for microcirculation specifically: a well-supported glycocalyx helps the smallest vessels respond appropriately to blood flow, supporting the healthy vasodilation that microcirculation depends on.
How Nitric Oxide Relates to Healthy Sexual Function for Men and Women
Nitric oxide contributes to healthy sexual function by supporting the blood flow and microcirculation that sexual tissues need for natural arousal and sensation. Nitric oxide is critical for helping the tiny blood vessels in and around sexual organs to relax and allow healthy blood flow. NO-driven vasodilation increases perfusion to genital tissues, and the regulation of blood flow through small capillary beds plays a role in sensation and physical response. This mechanism is not exclusive to any sex — it is a shared, foundational part of human vascular physiology.*
What Nitric Oxide Means for Men’s Sexual Wellness
The importance of nitric oxide for sexual health in men is well-known. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels in male sexual organs dilate so that blood can flow to the intended target and the tissues can function. This helps support overall sexual health and wellness in men. Supporting steady NO production is one way to support this microcirculatory process as part of an overall sexual wellness plan.*
What Nitric Oxide Means for Women’s Sexual Wellness
Women also benefit from healthy nitric oxide for intimacy because microcirculation and tissue perfusion are central to arousal, lubrication, and sensation. Female sexual response depends in part on blood flow to sexual tissues, which is regulated by the same small-vessel, capillary-level mechanisms described above. Supporting healthy nitric oxide signaling is a gender-neutral mechanism that contributes to overall sexual wellness.*
Nutrients and Approaches That Support Healthy Nitric Oxide Signaling
Several nutrients can support nitric oxide production:
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Dietary nitrates (found in foods like beets and leafy greens) — Eating nitrate-dense foods helps provide the body with the nitrates it needs to convert into nitric oxide through the salivary pathway.
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Polyphenols — (found in foods like berries, broccoli and almonds) have antioxidant properties that help support NO stability.
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Antioxidant compounds — (found in foods like garlic, pomegranate, and berries) support the bioavailability of nitric oxide once it is produced, helping it persist long enough to do its signaling work.
Optimal nitric oxide levels have been shown to:
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Support a healthy cardiovascular system*
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Support and maintain blood pressure in the normal range*
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Support healthy circulation*
Practical, Compliant Lifestyle Supports for Microcirculation
Lifestyle choices can complement a foundational approach to vascular health. These supportive habits offer general vascular wellness guidance:
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Eating a low-glycemic, low-salt diet, similar in pattern to the DASH diet
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Choosing antioxidant-dense foods to help support vascular resilience
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Moving regularly, since exercise stimulates blood flow
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Prioritizing healthy sleep routines
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Practicing mindfulness or meditation for overall wellness
Many people pair these habits with a nitric oxide support product as a simple way to build a consistent routine. Vascanox HP® with Noxa24® supports nitric oxide production for up to 24 hours with a single daily dose.*†
†As measured by saliva NO test strips in an open label published study.
How Long Does Nitric Oxide Last? Timing and What It Means for Daily Support
Your body needs healthy nitric oxide production throughout the day and night for healthy function.* Nitric oxide itself is fleeting in the body, lasting only milliseconds. This is why it is important to provide the body with support to help production throughout the day and night.
Vascanox HP with Noxa24 supports nitric oxide production for up to 24 hours with a single daily dose, as measured by saliva NO test strips in an open label published study.*
Frequently Asked Questions
What is nitric oxide and why is it important for circulation and microcirculation?
Nitric oxide is a signaling molecule that helps blood vessels relax and supports healthy circulation and microcirculation. It is produced on-demand by the body and triggers vasodilation so oxygen and nutrients reach tissues. Because NO is fleeting, supporting continuous production helps maintain healthy blood flow.*
Is nitric oxide important for overall sexual wellness?
Yes — nitric oxide contributes to healthy sexual function by supporting the blood flow and microcirculation that tissues need for normal sexual wellness. This is why nutrient and botanical supports that maintain NO signaling can be relevant as part of an overall sexual wellness plan.
Can women benefit from nitric oxide support for intimacy?
Yes — women can benefit because microcirculatory blood flow underlies sexual health for women equally as for men. Supporting NO signaling is a gender-neutral mechanism that may help daily vitality and intimacy as part of a broader wellness plan.
What nutrients support healthy sexual function and circulation?
Nutrients that support nitric oxide pathways include dietary nitrates, polyphenols, and foods dense in antioxidant properties. Vascanox HP with Noxa24 supports nitric oxide production for up to 24 hours with a single daily dose.*†
How long does nitric oxide last in the body?
Nitric oxide itself is extremely short-lived — only milliseconds — which is why the body needs continuous production.
What is microcirculation and why does it matter?
Microcirculation refers to blood flow through the smallest vessels, and it matters because it is where oxygen and nutrients are actually delivered to tissues. Healthy microcirculation supports organ function, recovery, and overall vitality.
Resources for further reading:
Coggan AR, Baranauskas MN, Hinrichs RJ, Liu Z, Carter SJ. Effect of dietary nitrate on human muscle power: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):66. doi:10.1186/s12970-021-00463-z
Dragovich MA, Chester D, Fu BM, et al. Mechanotransduction of the endothelial glycocalyx mediates nitric oxide production through activation of TRP channels. American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology. 2016;311(6):C846-C853. doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00288.2015
Džoljić E, Grabatinić I, Kostić V. Why is nitric oxide important for our brain? Funct Neurol. 2015;30(3):159-163. doi:10.11138/FNeur/2015.30.3.159
Ghimire K, Altmann HM, Straub AC, Isenberg JS. Nitric oxide: what’s new to NO? Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2017;312(3):C254-C262. doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00315.2016
Houston M, Chen C, D’Adamo CR, et al. Effects of S-Allylcysteine-Rich Garlic Extract and Dietary Inorganic Nitrate Formula on Blood Pressure and Salivary Nitric Oxide: An Open-Label Clinical Trial Among Hypertensive Subjects. Cureus. 2023;15(9). doi:10.7759/cureus.45369
Lanas A. Role of nitric oxide in the gastrointestinal tract. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008;10(Suppl 2):S4. doi:10.1186/ar2465
Lundberg JO, Weitzberg E. Nitric oxide signaling in health and disease. Cell. 2022;185(16):2853-2878. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.010
Poeggeler B, Singh SK, Sambamurti K, Pappolla MA. Nitric Oxide as a Determinant of Human Longevity and Health Span. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(19):19. doi:10.3390/ijms241914533
Sverdlov AL, Ngo DTM, Chan WPA, Chirkov YY, Horowitz JD. Aging of the Nitric Oxide System: Are We as Old as Our NO? J Am Heart Assoc. 2014;3(4):e000973. doi:10.1161/JAHA.114.000973
