Which Nitric Oxide Test Strips Values Should Be Used?

[kajcomp]

I have the brand Two Blue Diamonds test strips and am wondering if I should use the "Optimal" value, which is 200 umol/L on the bottle, or try to minimize my nitric oxide levels to read a lower or lesser value for better health. I am hoping perhaps haidut might be able to shed some light as testing for nitric oxide with the test strips was discussed on one of Danny Roddy's audios.

 

[Philomath]

I have the brand Two Blue Diamonds test strips and am wondering if I should use the "Optimal" value, which is 200 umol/L on the bottle, or try to minimize my nitric oxide levels to read a lower or lesser value for better health. I am hoping perhaps haidut might be able to shed some light as testing for nitric oxide with the test strips was discussed on one of Danny Roddy's audios.

Any word? I just bought the same brand. It mentioned testing in the morning but recommended rinsing out your mouth first.
I'm wondering if rinsing is necessary and when the optimal time to test may be.

 

[kajcomp]

Any word? I just bought the same brand. It mentioned testing in the morning but recommended rinsing out your mouth first.
I'm wondering if rinsing is necessary and when the optimal time to test may be.

Thanks for the reply Philomath. First time post with new website format and I was wondering if I was getting out!
I would suppose testing in the morning first thing is the way to go - not sure about rinsing the mouth first though. I guess that by checking first thing in the morning before using foods and supplements would give a more accurate account of nitric oxide levels. Most importantly, what then should the preferred level be? should nitric oxide levels be what shows as "normal" on the bottle which is 200 umol/L ? or does the level need to be lower for better health?

 

[Philomath]

Kajcomp,
I'm still getting used to the new format as well.
I think the makers of the test strips subscribe to the thinking that NO should be high for optimal health, which of course we know is backwards. I would not trust what they consider normal - I would try to have as low a number as possible. The first and only time I tried it mine it registered at the lightest color. I guess this is good. I too would like to have someone like Haidut share their experience and knowledge on the subject.

 

[Blossom]

Kajcomp,
I'm still getting used to the new format as well.
I think the makers of the test strips subscribe to the thinking that NO should be high for optimal health, which of course we know is backwards. I would not trust what they consider normal - I would try to have as low a number as possible. The first and only time I tried it mine it registered at the lightest color. I guess this is good. I too would like to have someone like Haidut share their experience and knowledge on the subject.

If you do this- @haidut - or @Blossom or whomever you want to see the thread they will be alerted!

 

[haidut]

Kajcomp,
I'm still getting used to the new format as well.
I think the makers of the test strips subscribe to the thinking that NO should be high for optimal health, which of course we know is backwards. I would not trust what they consider normal - I would try to have as low a number as possible. The first and only time I tried it mine it registered at the lightest color. I guess this is good. I too would like to have someone like Haidut share their experience and knowledge on the subject.

I called the strips vendor about a year ago and asked about the oprimal levels. They said the "high" level was equivalent to somebody taking arginine or nitroglycerin, which are both pro-NO drugs/supplements. When I asked about the low level they said it would be somebody who takes an anti-Viagra drug. I don't think such drug exists but if that statement is based on an actual data it would mean the low level should be seen in somebody in good health or taking niacinamide or caffeine.

 

[kajcomp]

I called the strips vendor about a year ago and asked about the oprimal levels. They said the "high" level was equivalent to somebody taking arginine or nitroglycerin, which are both pro-NO drugs/supplements. When I asked about the low level they said it would be somebody who takes an anti-Viagra drug. I don't think such drug exists but if that statement is based on an actual data it would mean the low level should be seen in somebody in good health or taking niacinamide or caffeine.

So then, would you suppose the low level needed for good health to be about 50 umol/L or lower? The Two Blue Diamonds brand has "0 umol/L" level as Depleted, "20 umol/L" as Zero, "50 umol/L" as Low, "100 umol/L" as Low Normal, "200 umol/L" as Optimal and "300 umol/L" as Elite. Thanks for any clarification.

 

[haidut]

So then, would you suppose the low level needed for good health to be about 50 umol/L or lower? The Two Blue Diamonds brand has "0 umol/L" level as Depleted, "20 umol/L" as Zero, "50 umol/L" as Low, "100 umol/L" as Low Normal, "200 umol/L" as Optimal and "300 umol/L" as Elite. Thanks for any clarification.

The product I have has only 3 levels - Optimal, Normal, Low. I don't know what these levels would correspond to in your product but I would try for either level Zero or Low.

 

[kajcomp]

The product I have has only 3 levels - Optimal, Normal, Low. I don't know what these levels would correspond to in your product but I would try for either level Zero or Low.

Yes, makes sense, thanks much for your input. My NO levels are always high according to these test strips regardless of my supplementing niacinamide, aspirin, thyroid, pregnenolone, K2, vitamin A, Vitamin D and low PUFA diet restrictions. I am wondering if these test strips are accurate? I am beginning to wonder if I should try methylene blue to bring NO down.

The product I have has only 3 levels - Optimal, Normal, Low. I don't know what these levels would correspond to in your product but I would try for either level Zero or Low.

 

[haidut]

Yes, makes sense, thanks much for your input. My NO levels are always high according to these test strips regardless of my supplementing niacinamide, aspirin, thyroid, pregnenolone, K2, vitamin A, Vitamin D and low PUFA diet restrictions. I am wondering if these test strips are accurate? I am beginning to wonder if I should try methylene blue to bring NO down.

If I take 500mg niacinamide, within 30min I get from Normal to Low. So, I know mine measure something...
I would try methylene blue to see if the strips are legit. I think there is a human study that says even a single dose of 5mg methylene blue should lead to noticeable drop in NO.

 

[ecstatichamster]

do men taking MB or whatever, with low nitric oxide, report difficulty having and maintaining erections?

 

[haidut]

do men taking MB or whatever, with low nitric oxide, report difficulty having and maintaining erections?

No, they don't. If NO is low and CO2 is high, you will be perfectly capable of getting an erection. Boosting NO to maintain erection is a great way to give yourself priapism, as an artificial buildup of NO is not physiological and is difficult to get rid of if it becomes pathological. Not to mention that drugs like Viagra have been implicated in skin cancer, which is quite expected given how pro-NO they are.
Sildenafil use and increased risk of incident melanoma in US men: a prospective cohort study. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Parsifal]

No, they don't. If NO is low and CO2 is high, you will be perfectly capable of getting an erection. Boosting NO to maintain erection is a great way to give yourself priapism, as an artificial buildup of NO is not physiological and is difficult to get rid of if it becomes pathological. Not to mention that drugs like Viagra have been implicated in skin cancer, which is quite expected given how pro-NO they are.
Sildenafil use and increased risk of incident melanoma in US men: a prospective cohort study. - PubMed - NCBI

Since 2 months, my morning wood is back every morning and it was absent since 5 years and I was high in NO, so I say no to NO :)...

 

[yerrag]

I used the Berkeley Test strip and I got a very light pink color, which would amount to a "depleted" state of NO, at 20 (I assume to be umol/L).

So far so good. My CO2 (bicarbonate, enzymatic) test is at 29 (range 22-30), so it checks out well.

But I have hypertension (180/120 on good days), I'm not getting any improvement in my thinning pate, and my erection has no endurance.

So, I'm wondering if there's another story to NO other than it has to be on a depleted state.

So, I'm going to get me a yellow-fleshed watermelon for citrulline, eating the flesh and especially the rind. And see if I get any change. Is there any possibility at all that I could see some improvement if I bump up my NO to the next color up the color scale, a darker pink, where NO would be at 110 umol/L?

The test strip color scale goes from 20 (depleted) to 110 (low), to 220 (threshold), to 435 (target) to 870 (high). Just to provide some perspective.

 

[Mito]

I used the Berkeley Test strip and I got a very light pink color, which would amount to a "depleted" state of NO, at 20 (I assume to be umol/L).

I’ve used those same strips getting the “depleted” result each time.

 

[aquaman]

^^ same. Only ever got a depleted light pink result with Berkeley. Wonder if they are duds?

 

[yerrag]

Could it be that NO is normally this low, but goes high only when we have an erection, systemically, not just on the penis? Would the test strip indicate higher NO when in an aroused state of erection? Does NO work on an "on-demand" basis, just like on cars with nitrous oxide mode on their engine when a bump is needed on acceleration?

Because NO is a vasodilator, would hypertension be a lack of NO? But I doubt this to be the case, otherwise everyone would need to have a higher NO level in order to have a normal blood pressure.

And what about hair? Is NO that important to hair growth? But if hair growth can go on without high NO, NO could just be providing a vasodilator effect to already constricted blood vessels supplying the scalp. It is only used to help in a scalp that is not fully benefiting from good blood circulation.