I’ve stated previously that nitric oxide (NO) is my favorite gas. Recently, the breathing community has jumped on it for its antiviral effects. The thought is that nasal NO could serve as our first line of defense against COVID-19.
While I see how that argument makes sense, I don’t think anyone really believes nasal breathing alone will stop COVID-19. Yes, it might help, but to think it will stop it completely is rather naive. So, please, wash your hands AND breathe through your nose :)
But none of that is the point of this week’s post. We know nitric oxide has amazing benefits (it’s still my favorite!). But what if your blood sugars are stopping you from realizing its full potential?
Vasorelaxation by Red Blood Cells and Impairment in Diabetes. Reduced Nitric Oxide and Oxygen Delivery by Glycated Hemoglobin
(Click Here to Read the Full Summary)
I uploaded this paper to The Breathing Diabetic on December 11, 2018! I knew it was important, but re-reading my notes emphasized just how meaningful this research is.
Here are the important points:
Diabetics suffer from a lack of bioavailable nitric oxide. Because bioavailable NO is critical for whole-body oxygenation, this could play a major role in diabetic complications.
High blood sugar changes the configuration and binding properties of blood proteins. This changes how they store NO, explaining the lack of bioavailable NO stated above.
The net outcome is that sustained high blood sugar reduces oxygen delivery to the tissues.
I think you can immediately see the importance of this finding. Luckily, there are things we can do to increase our nitric oxide and oxygenation.
1. Control Your Blood Sugars
No surprise here, but you need to get your blood sugars in range. Breathing can help (I might be a little biased…).
There is also a positive feedback loop that speeds up the process. Better blood sugars will increase bioavailable NO and enhance blood flow, which will lead to better oxygenation, which will improve insulin sensitivity, and so on.
2. Breathe Through Your Nose 24/7
The second thing you can do is start breathing through your nose 24/7. The paranasal sinuses continuously release NO into the airways. That NO travels into your lungs, redistributes blood flow, and improves oxygen uptake. Nasal breathing is an easy and proven way to increase NO and whole-body oxygenation.
3. Start Humming
Humming can significantly increase nitric oxide. I haven’t dug into the papers yet (they’re on my list), but people I trust, like Patrick McKeown, have.
I now do 7-8 minutes of humming before bed every night. I set my breathing app to 4 breaths/min and hum on the exhale. Despite making me feel silly, humming has a mind-calming effect that I enjoy before falling asleep.
4. Supplement with Beetroot Powder
Finally, you can supplement to increase NO. I am a novice here, but I have tried BeetElite by Human after hearing Tim Ferriss recommend it. It seemed to give me a slight boost of energy while I was sitting in the sauna (which is another way [#4.5] to increase nitric oxide, but I’ll leave that science to Rhonda Patrick). As with any supplement, make sure you have no contraindications before taking it.
In good breath,
Nick
P.S. If you want to learn more about breathing, nitric oxide, and COVID-19, Patrick McKeown is holding a free 20-minute Zoom meeting to discuss the topic.
Here are the details:
Topic: Breathing Exercises to help defend against CoVid19
Time: Mar 26, 2020 05:00 PM Dublin (1:00 PM EDT)
https://zoom.us/j/542438957
Meeting ID: 542 438 957
Learn more here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ANbRfgE_v/