What Lowers Nitric Oxide Levels? Common Habits That Can Work Against Blood Flow

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Medical disclaimer

This article answering the question “what lowers nitric oxide levels?” is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, are pregnant, or take prescription medications, talk with a qualified clinician before changing treatment or starting supplements.

Quick answer

When people say “low nitric oxide,” they usually mean lower nitric oxide bioavailability—either your body makes less NO, or NO gets broken down faster before it can do its job.[1][2] For blood pressure and circulation, the most common real‑life reasons are habits that reduce healthy vessel signaling, like long sedentary days, poor sleep, high stress, low vegetable intake, and (for nitrate‑based strategies) overuse of strong antiseptic mouthwash.[2][5–8]

First: what nitric oxide does (the 20‑second version)

Nitric oxide (NO) is a tiny signaling molecule that helps your blood vessels relax and respond smoothly to changes—standing up, walking, digesting, stress, and exercise. A major source is the endothelium (the vessel lining), and another important route comes from dietary nitrate → nitrite → NO, which relies partly on oral bacteria.[1][2][3][8]

A common misconception

You usually won’t get a simple lab test that says “your nitric oxide is low.” In research, scientists use indirect markers (like nitrate/nitrite) or vascular function tests. In the real world, the most practical outcome to track is blood pressure trends and how you feel—using consistent measurements.[9]

Common NO-lowering patterns (and easy swaps)

Pattern	Why it can lower NO signaling	Easy swap (beginner)	What to track
Sedentary days	Less “shear stress” stimulus to the endothelium; exercise improves endothelial function markers in studies.[5]	Walk 20 minutes after dinner 4 days/week	Weekly BP average + steps
Very low vegetable intake	Less dietary nitrate and fewer supportive nutrients; nitrate meta-analyses show modest BP effects in some settings.[3][4]	Add 1 serving of leafy greens daily	BP trend + veggie servings
Inconsistent habits (changing everything at once)	You can’t tell what helped; inconsistent routines reduce adherence	Pick ONE change for 14 days	Habit streak + BP average
Poor sleep routine	Sleep affects BP regulation and vascular recovery (risk factor in guidelines).[9]	Fixed wake time 5–6 days/week	Sleep rating + BP average
High stress / constant rush	Stress can tighten vessels and raise readings; also tends to worsen sleep/food choices	5 minutes slow breathing daily	BP after breathing + stress rating
Overuse of strong antiseptic mouthwash (if using nitrate foods)	Can reduce nitrate‑reducing oral bacteria; controlled/observational evidence and reviews support this concern.[6–8]	Use antiseptic rinse only when dentist‑directed; avoid automatic daily use	Keep mouthwash consistent during testing
Relying on supplements but skipping basics	Supplements can’t replace sleep + movement + vegetables	Food-first + walking first for 2 weeks	BP average + energy/mood

The big 5 “Nitric Oxide killers”

1) Sitting all day (low movement)

Your blood vessels respond to movement. When you walk, climb stairs, or exercise, blood flow increases and the vessel lining gets a helpful signal. In people with hypertension, exercise interventions are associated with improved endothelial function markers in meta-analyses.[5]

Beginner move: add a 10–20 minute walk after one meal (and keep it consistent).

2) Not eating nitrate-rich vegetables most days

If you’re using a food-first NO strategy, vegetables matter—especially leafy greens and beets. Research reviews and meta-analyses suggest dietary nitrate can modestly lower blood pressure and improve vascular function in some settings.[3][4]

Beginner move: one serving of greens daily (arugula/spinach/romaine) before you worry about powders.

3) Poor sleep (or irregular sleep)

Sleep is a common driver of stubborn blood pressure. You don’t need perfect sleep—just a more consistent schedule. Guidelines highlight lifestyle and monitoring as part of BP management.[9]

Beginner move: keep your wake time within ~60 minutes most days.

4) Unmanaged stress

Stress doesn’t just change your mood—it changes your body’s signals. A fast nervous system response can tighten blood vessels and bump BP. A simple downshift tool is slow breathing.

Beginner move: 5 minutes daily (inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds). Then take your BP after you rest.

5) Mouthwash overuse (only relevant if you rely on nitrate foods/beet juice)

The oral nitrate pathway depends on oral bacteria converting nitrate → nitrite. Strong antiseptic mouthwash can blunt this conversion. Controlled and observational studies and reviews support this concern for frequent use.[6–8]

Beginner move: don’t change mouthwash habits during a 2‑week test. If you want to adjust, do it once and keep it consistent (and ask your dentist if you need it).

The 14-day “one change” experiment (recommended)

Pick one change	Do it daily for 14 days	Measure
Add greens	1 serving leafy greens daily (lunch or dinner)	BP: same time daily + weekly average
Add walking	20 minutes brisk walk 4–5 days/week	BP weekly average + steps
Fix wake time	Wake within 60 minutes of same time	BP weekly average + sleep rating
Reduce antiseptic rinse (if not prescribed)	Stop automatic daily use; keep brushing/flossing	BP weekly average + oral comfort

How to track blood pressure so the numbers mean something

Keep your BP routine consistent so you’re comparing apples to apples:

• Sit and rest 5 minutes before measuring.
• Feet flat, back supported, arm supported at heart level.
• Take 2 readings 1 minute apart and record the average.
• Compare weekly averages (not one-off spikes).

Do not stop or adjust blood pressure medication on your own. Guidelines emphasize safe monitoring and clinician-guided changes.[9]

Safety / who should be cautious

If you take blood pressure medication, have a history of fainting/very low BP, have kidney disease, or are pregnant/breastfeeding, talk with a clinician before making big changes or adding supplements.[9]

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is mouthwash really that important? It can be relevant if you’re relying on nitrate-rich foods or beet juice, because oral bacteria help convert nitrate → nitrite. Studies and reviews suggest strong antiseptic rinses can lower saliva nitrite and may affect BP in some people.[6–8]
2. Are supplements necessary to “raise nitric oxide”? Often not as the first step. For many beginners, food-first nitrate vegetables and regular movement are the best return on effort. Supplements can be considered later with safety checks and realistic expectations.[1][2][9]
3. How fast can I notice changes? Some people notice small same‑day shifts from walking or breathing, but the cleanest approach is comparing weekly BP averages over 2–4 weeks.[9]
4. What if I feel dizzy after making changes? Stop the new change and talk with your clinician—especially if you take BP medication or your readings are trending lower than usual. Safety comes first.

Next reads

• The Complete Guide for Blood Pressure & Heart Health
• What It Does and What to Track
• Nitrate‑Rich Vegetables + Easy Meal Ideas
• Nitrate‑Rich Vegetables List for Nitric Oxide
• Lifestyle Habits That Support Nitric Oxide
• Does Mouthwash Reduce Nitric Oxide? What the Research Suggests
• How Your Mouth Helps Make Nitric Oxide (Oral Nitrate Pathway)
• 12 Natural Ways to Support Nitric Oxide for Healthier Blood Pressure

References

1. [1] Carlström M, Montenegro MF. Nitric Oxide Signaling and Regulation in the Cardiovascular System: Recent Advances. Pharmacol Rev. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38866562/
2. [2] Rodionov RN, et al. Nitric Oxide in Hypertension. Int J Mol Sci. 2021. (Open access via PMC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8109558/
3. [3] Norouzzadeh M, et al. Plasma nitrate, dietary nitrate, blood pressure, and vascular health biomarkers: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr J. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40128734/
4. [4] Olas B. The Cardioprotective Role of Nitrate‑Rich Vegetables. Nutrients. 2024. (Open access via PMC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10931520/
5. [5] Liang C, et al. Exercise interventions for the effect of endothelial function in hypertension patients: systematic review and meta-analysis. 2024. (Open access via PMC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11180684/
6. [6] Bondonno CP, et al. Antibacterial mouthwash blunts oral nitrate reduction and increases blood pressure in treated hypertensive adults. Free Radic Biol Med. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25359409/
7. [7] Joshipura KJ, et al. Over‑the‑counter mouthwash use, nitric oxide and cardiovascular markers. J Dent Res. 2020. (Open access via PMC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7125030/
8. [8] Tribble GD, Angelov N, Weltman R, et al. The nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway and oral antiseptic mouthwash: a review. Nitric Oxide. 2020. (Open access via PMC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7567004/
9. [9] 2025 AHA/ACC/AANP/AAPA/ABC/ACCP/ACPM/AGS/AMA/… Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. Hypertension. 2025. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYP.0000000000000249

Last updated: 2026-01-01