In order to understand how PLASMAIDE works it's necessary to firstly understand what nitric oxide (NO) is and how nitric oxide is produced.

Oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are essential gases for life - oxygen fuels energy production, and CO2 regulates respiration and acid-base balance. There is a third critical gas that is critical for healthy physiology, nitric oxide (NO).

NO is produced in tiny amounts within tissues and acts locally as a fast-acting messenger. Its main role is to relax blood vessels, improve circulation and oxygen delivery - it synchronises blood flow with metabolic demand. It also helps mitrochondria regulate how cells used fuels like carbohydrates and fasts and supports immune and neural signalling.

Together, the gas trio- oxygen supply, carbon dioxide clearance, and nitric oxide regulation,  work together to maintain a healthy blood chemistry vital for efficient metabolism and vascular health.

NO is synthesized on demand. It is produced in the body primarily through the action of enzymes called NO synthases (NOS), which convert the amino acid L-arginine into NO and L-citruliine in the presence of O2 and cofactors. There are 3 main isoforms of NOS: endothelial (eNOS), which regulates blood vessel dilation and blood flow; neuronal (nNOS) involved in neurotransmission (brain and the nervous system); and inducible NOS (iNOS), which produces larger amounts of NO during immune responses.

PLASMAIDE acts on enhancing the activity of the NOS enzymes. Plasmaide’s active polyphenols from pine bark extract improve NOS function by stabilising NOS
coupling to its cofactors and reducing oxidative stress, thereby sustaining NO output.

A secondary pathway also exists via the dietary nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway, where nitrate from foods such as beetroot and leafy greens are reduced to nitrites by oral bacteria and further to NO in tissues, especially under hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions.

Beetroot powders/juice work through this second pathway where high levels of inorganic nitrate (NO3-) are absorbed into the bloodstream and concentrated in saliva. Oral bacteria then reduce nitrate to nitrite (NO2-), which is swallowed and further converted into NO in the stomach and tissues, especially under hypoxic and acidic conditions. This pathway is particularly important during exercise, when oxygen availability in muscle can be limited.

Using PLASMAIDE relies on a highly regulated system whereby NO is produced locally, only where and when it is needed, tightly coupled to oxygen availability and cellular demand. Stabilising NOS ensures efficient, sustained NO output without excess ROS. Benefits are the precision in which NO is generated aligning with natural control systems. This contrasts with ingested nitrates that provides a bulk substrate load. This can result in an acute rise in circulating NO levels, which can lead to headaches, hypotensions, or nitrosative stress. Nitrosative stress leads to radical oxidant production that can damagelipids, proteins and DNA. A key biomarker is 8-nitroguanine, found in inflammation-linked cancers.

Combining these two pathways by taking both Plasmaide and beetroot or other nitrate supplements is not recommended. Too much NO will cause excessive vasodilation, low blood pressure, and dizziness.