Nutritional Impact on the Nitric Oxide Pathway

The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway is highly modulated by nutrition.Dietary choices and interventions may modulate endothelial function.The Mediterranean diet enhances endothelial vasodilator function and reduces major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).Increased dietary consumption of fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids improve NO activity, and also reduce MACE in those with cardiovascular disease.A number of nutritional supplements may improve endothelial function by reducing oxidative stress, by restoring elements of the NOS pathway, or by ameliorating insulin resistance, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia; however, their long-term effects on MACE are unknown.Some dietary supplements known to enhance the NOS pathway and improve endothelial vasodilator function in humans (Vitamin E, the B vitamins, and l-arginine) were ineffective at reducing MACE in large randomized clinical trials.Thus, dietary interventions that improve endothelial vasodilator function in the short term might not necessarily have long-term benefit. The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway is highly modulated by nutrition. Dietary choices and interventions may modulate endothelial function. The Mediterranean diet enhances endothelial vasodilator function and reduces major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Increased dietary consumption of fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids improve NO activity, and also reduce MACE in those with cardiovascular disease. A number of nutritional supplements may improve endothelial function by reducing oxidative stress, by restoring elements of the NOS pathway, or by ameliorating insulin resistance, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia; however, their long-term effects on MACE are unknown. Some dietary supplements known to enhance the NOS pathway and improve endothelial vasodilator function in humans (Vitamin E, the B vitamins, and l-arginine) were ineffective at reducing MACE in large randomized clinical trials. Thus, dietary interventions that improve endothelial vasodilator function in the short term might not necessarily have long-term benefit.