N02 (Nitric Oxide) - The Latest Wiz Bang Supplement?

Editor's Note: This article about NO2 (nitric oxide) was published in the summer of 2003. Not much has changed since then regarding the effectiveness of this supplement so this article is still very relevant. I have posted some updated information in my "editor's note" found towards the end of this article. Enjoy!

Dear Tom,

I have recently stumbled onto a new product at GNC while looking to buy creatine again to hopefully help me show better results and thus help me stay more motivated. The new supplement that I found was NO2, Nitric Oxide. I bought a book that was written by the creator of the supplement, which extols all of the virtues of this new product.

Knowing that people will say anything to sell product, and being a wary consumer, I was wondering if you know anything about this supplement, and could tell me if it is anything that I should be considering.

-Paul

I haven't personally done any research on NO2 yet, although from what I've heard so far from trustworthy sources, there isn't much research to speak of. Naturally, I'm skeptical of NO2 as I am of nearly all these new "wonder supplements" that come down the pike with tons of hype.

Paul Cribb, the resident supplement expert from AST Sports Science, wrote an article about NO2 on the AST website last October: "NO2 supplements: Big claims, ZERO science - NO2 ways about it." (I got a chuckle out of that title).

Cribb Says he's not sure where this research on NO2 is coming from, but he thinks it's from "Alice in Wonderland." Cribb concludes by saying, "Money spent on these supplements is money flushed down the toilet."

Will Brink, another supplement expert and author of Fat Loss Revealed (whose opinion I greatly respect because Will is an independent source and he's a STICKLER for the facts and for unbiased research), did not even give NO2 a listing in his book, Bodybuilding Revealed.

In Will's forum, someone asked about the NO2 book written by the inventor of NO2 (which made all kinds of wild claims for the product). Will answered, "When the inventor of a product writes a book on the product, would you consider it an unbiased source of info?"

Will continued, "There's no real data regarding increases in Lean Body Mass (LBM.)" Then he concluded, "Follow your diet and training for a solid 6 months to a year, THEN worry about the greatest wiz-bang supplement. People seem to be always looking for the next great thing, vs. getting down to business."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Editor's Note: I visited Will's private forum today and his opinion on NO2 hasn't changed. In fact, Will cited three studies that came out in 2004, concluding that nitric oxide (NO2) supplements were ineffective. In Will's own words, NO2 is a "waste of money."

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About the Author

Tom Venuto is an NSCA-certified personal trainer, lifetime natural bodybuilder, certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, "Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle." Tom has written hundreds of articles and has been featured in IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men's Exercise. To contact Tom or get information on his e-book, visit www.BurnTheFat.com