This $2 Food Beats Every Nitric Oxide Supplement

Brad Stanfield builds the case that the best way to raise nitric oxide is to support the endogenous nitrate–nitrite–NO pathway rather than relying on drugs or under-dosed supplements. He highlights arugula (rocket) as one of the highest nitrate vegetables available—~4800 mg nitrate per kg, comfortably exceeding the average nitrate content of beets. The preparation is simple: arugula leaves tossed with olive oil, black pepper, and lemon juice. This combination not only makes the meal palatable but also avoids any need for processing or supplementation. Stanfield underscores the independence from supplement companies and the absence of risk, calling it an ‘evidence‑backed, zero‑risk, whole foods‑based approach.’ He explicitly states this is the nitric oxide booster he personally takes, placing it above all commercial options. The protocol is grounded in the same science that showed beetroot juice (at 300‑400 mg nitrate) lowers blood pressure by ~8 mmHg, an effect he equates to prescription antihypertensives.

Stanfield walks through the evidence: a 2014 study gave patients with hypertension daily beetroot juice containing ~397 mg nitrate and saw an 8 mm Hg systolic blood pressure reduction, an effect size he directly compares to the antihypertensives he prescribes. A separate study in elderly heart failure patients using ~378 mg nitrate daily for one week improved exercise endurance and blood pressure metrics. However, he then ruthlessly exposes the market reality: ConsumerLab testing found a range from 4.3 mg to 500 mg nitrate per serving across products, with powders and pills especially poor. An analysis of 24 beetroot products revealed only five hit the 300 mg threshold. He emphasizes that you cannot achieve the necessary dose from pills, flatly calling such pills a waste of money. For those who still want to use beets, the message is to source a juice that documents ≥300 mg nitrate per serving and to be mindful of the oxalate load, which makes beets less ideal than low‑oxalate alternatives like arugula. He does not personally take beetroot juice, preferring arugula, but outlines this protocol as a viable second option if verified.

Stanfield frames the nitric oxide problem as one of supporting the body’s own nitrate‑nitrite‑NO pathway rather than bypassing it with drugs or poorly dosed supplements. He points out that arugula (rocket) contains about 4800 mg nitrate per kg, comfortably surpassing beets on average. A simple salad—arugula with olive oil, pepper, and lemon juice—provides a dose that easily clears the 300 mg threshold shown to have health effects, without the oxalate load that beets carry. He emphasizes it’s a zero-risk, whole-food strategy that costs pennies and doesn’t line the pockets of supplement or pharma companies. This represents a concrete, personal protocol update for him.

Stanfield explains that while beetroot juice studies show meaningful blood pressure reductions (~8 mmHg) and improved vascular function, the actual nitrate content in commercial products varies wildly. ConsumerLab.com testing found a range from 4.3 mg to 500 mg per serving, with powders and pills often at the low end. A 2022 analysis of 24 beetroot products revealed that only five met the minimum effective dose of 300 mg per serving. He argues unequivocally that a pill cannot deliver that amount, so any company selling a nitric oxide booster pill is ‘stealing your money.’ To get the benefit, you need a liquid like beet juice, and even then, you must verify the label. This insight reframes the conversation from ‘beet supplements work’ to ‘almost none of them are properly dosed.’

Stanfield details how tadalafil amplifies endogenous nitric oxide signaling by blocking PDE5, which breaks down cGMP. Observational studies of health records showed a 34% risk reduction for death, 27% for heart attacks, 34% for stroke, and 32% for dementia over three years, with a 2024 UK Biobank study finding a 28% all-cause mortality reduction. However, he stresses that these are not randomized trials: men prescribed tadalafil for erectile dysfunction are likely healthier, more engaged with healthcare, and have better baseline cardiovascular function than untreated men—massive potential for healthy user bias. He also notes tadalafil’s minimal blood pressure effect and dangerous interaction with nitrate medications. No guidelines currently recommend it for cardiovascular prevention. His personal stance is clear: the observational data are intriguing but insufficient; he will wait for RCTs before personally taking or prescribing the drug for prevention.

Stanfield lays out the logic: L-arginine is the raw material for the primary NO pathway, but supplementing it doesn’t reliably translate to better performance. L-citrulline is converted to arginine and raises blood arginine levels better than arginine itself, creating hope. However, he cites a 2023 study in healthy young adults that tested L-citrulline for time-to-exhaustion during exercise—it failed. A 2019 meta-analysis did find a small blood pressure reduction at doses ≥6 g per day, but he calls the overall picture ‘underwhelming.’ Consequently, L-citrulline does not feature in his personal approach or recommendations.

Stanfield contrasts two approaches: drugs that force nitric oxide release by bypassing the endogenous pathway, leading to tolerance and loss of effect, versus dietary nitrate that feeds the natural system. He details the conversion: nitrate (NO3−) from leafy greens is reduced to nitrite (NO2−) by bacteria on the tongue, then further converted through digestion to nitric oxide in the blood. This pathway is robust and doesn’t induce tolerance. He uses this distinction to explain why beetroot juice and arugula work while many supplements and drugs fail, and why the raw material of nitrate must come from food or properly dosed juice.