What are nitro/nitrate/nitrox products?

Nitric Oxide is quite a new supplement on the market. The science behind Nitrix Oxide (NO) is solid, and these products help increase muscle strength and size. Most NO boosters share one thing in common: their primary active ingredient is arginine. Supplement companies are now mixing other ingredients with NO and they contain more than just this important amino acid, packing a whole host of ingredients that bump up the effectiveness of arginine.

Nitric oxide, a gas produced naturally in the body, is responsible for numerous processes, but the most important for bodybuilders is vasodilation--NO causes the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels to dilate, allowing more blood to flow through. The more blood flow, the more oxygen, nutrients and anabolic hormones your museles can get to fuel workouts, repair postworkout damage and ultimately grow. This is achieved by the amino acid arginine, in the presence of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase (NOS), is converted to NO, which means taking more arginine can lead to higher NO levels and supplement companies now add different versions of arginine that are more easily used by the body than the ordinary L-Arginine form such as: Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG) Besides apparently improving uptake, the alpha-ketoglutarate molecule in AAKG is a precursor to another amino acid, glutamine, which the body can use to produce arginine. It's like getting double the arginine in one dose.

Arginine ketoisocaproate (AKIC) The ketoisocaproate part of AKIC has anticatabolic properties, meaning it helps to prevent muscle breakdown during strenuous exercise. It also plays a role in energy production and aids the removal of ammonia during workouts, which otherwise could induce muscle fatigue. Furthermore, in the body, ketoisocaproate gets converted to beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), which can increase muscle, mass and prevent muscle breakdown. Arginine mallate this version contains malic acid, a molecule involved in energy production. Malic acid helps burn the lactic acid produced during workouts; the result is more energy for training. Arginine ethyl ester the latest arginine variation to make the scene, this is arginine with the addition of an acid and an alcohol. The ester group enhances an arginine molecule's ability to pass across cell membranes, such as in the intestines--thus the easier absorption--as well as muscle cells.

Question answered by: Doug Lawrenson

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