Scientific Rationale for VasoFlow                     Return to product info

It is the objective of the present invention to provide a new and more efficient alternative for the delivery of nitric oxide and glycogen to working muscles. One of the major controlling factors in the expansion and contraction of blood vessels is nitric oxide (NO). In the body NO is produced from the amino acid arginine. When exposed to NO, blood vessels dilate, allowing for increased blood flow due to the vessel’s increased crossectional area. Working muscles require a copious blood supply to deliver nutrients and carry away waste products. Since arginine is the direct precursor to NO, bodybuilders have supplemented with arginine-based compounds to increase NO production. This leads to the sought-after “pump” associated with muscle blood vessels engorged with blood. Below we will take a look at every ingredient making VasoFlow’s formula and how each differs from ordinary arginine at delivering NO more efficiently to working muscles.

Di-Arginine-Orotate
DAO is SAN’s latest NO and endurance substrate invention. This compound is Arginine bound to orotic acid. Orotic acid is technically considered a B-Vitamin (B13 to be exact) that is purported to enhance the transportation of minerals across cell membranes. As a non-essential vitamin-like substance, orotic acid is biosynthesized by intestinal flora of the human body. Orotic acid coupled with the effects of Arginine as in Di-Arginine-Orotate offers the athlete much greater muscle cell membrane transfer of Nitric Oxide (NO) and other vital compounds that are contained in the bodybuilder’s diet. Additionally, Orotic acid is believed to increase cellular carnosine stores and hence prevent the muscles from becoming too acidic by buffering PH. *1 As a final result the DAO user experiences fuller muscle bellies without causing a negative influx in PH balance. All of this translates into longer workout sessions while maintaining strength and power output without feeling fatigued or sore afterwards.

L-Arginine-Ethyl Ester DiHCl
It is commonly known that L-arginine is the immediate precursor of NO, urea, ornithine and agmatine. *2 Arginine is also necessary for the synthesis of creatine and can be used if the need for polyamines, citrulline, and glutamate is required. *3 L-arginine is a glycogenic amino acid; meaning it can be converted to D-glucose and glycogen if needed by the body or it can be catabolized to produce cellular energy. *4 What is even more interesting is that when administered in high doses, L-arginine stimulates pituitary release of growth hormone and prolactin and pancreatic release of glucagon and insulin. *5 For this reason, it became the focal point of SAN to develop a more advanced delivery system for L-arginine to achieve the identical effects of the former studies at a much lower dosage. Introducing LAEE!!! LAEE is L-arginine with an ester attached. Esterification is a process where the carboxylic group of Arginine is reacted with ethanol to form an ester group. *6 And in this case we have two. The presence of the two ester groups not only increases bioavailability of the molecule, but also withstands the highly acidic environment in the stomach and thus reduces the need for large quantities that are otherwise required to duplicate the above referenced biological effects. Additionally, the esterification process makes the compound more lipophillic and thus crosses the cell membranes more easily. Lastly, due to the precise ester attachment the compounds half life in blood is increased substantially.

L-Histidine HCl
L-Histidine is an amino acid that can be derived from histamine. The body cannot manufacture this molecule and hence it needs to be obtained through the diet. The addition of L-Histidine in VasoFLOW augments the NO stimulatory action of LAEE and DAO by providing a third route to cellular NO elevation. L-Histidine goes far beyond ordinary Arginine in that it also synthesizes carnosine in muscle tissue. *7 Carnosine in and by itself is a powerful substrate for NOS (Nitric Oxide Synthase) and thus extremely beneficial when combined with other precursors such as Arginine, Orotic Acid and Ornithine. *8 Another less known mechanism of L-Histidine is that it is required by the body to regulate and transport trace minerals such as zinc, iron, copper and magnesium in and out of cells. Lastly, L-Histidine is necessary in forming a host of metal bearing enzymes and thus involved in red blood cell hemoglobin and super oxide dismutase- a powerful antioxidant. *9

Ornithine-Alpha Ketoglutarate
Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate, also known by its acronym OKG, is a salt formed of two molecules of the non-protein amino acid, L-ornithine, and one molecule of the dicarboxylic acid, alpha-ketoglutarate. Alpha-ketoglutarate is known as a naturally occurring krebs cycle intermediate, meaning, that alpha-ketoglutarate plays a crucial role in our natural energy producing cycle. OKG has been used both enterally and parenterally in burn, trauma, surgical and chronically malnourished patients. It appears to decrease protein catabolism and/or increase protein synthesis under these conditions. Along with DAO & LAEE, OKG has been well documented to increase the synthesis of growth hormone which can possibly help with increased fat reduction. *10 Very recent medical research reveals; that using chemical inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) suggests that nitric oxide derived from arginine could be partly involved in OKG activity. *11 Additionally, alpha-ketoglutarate combined with ornithine as in OKG dramatically increases the synthesis of arginine, proline and polyamines, which all play key roles on anabolic and anti-catabolic actions on protein metabolism.

Pure Proanthocyanidins (OPC)
Proanthocyanidins or more precisely known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins and, hence, the OPC acronym--are a class of flavonoids. Formerly coined as "condensed tannins," all proanthocyanidins are chemically similar, the only differences being slight changes in shape and attachments of their polyphenol rings. OPCs in nutritional supplements are generally extracted from grape seeds or pine bark. In recent studies, Proanthocyanidins have been shown to upregulate nitric oxide production by healthy arterial endothelium (cells lining the inner surface of blood vessels). *12 Besides vasodilatation, Proanthocyandins have the ability to protect against not only oxidation, but also nitration. *13 OPCs purpose in VasoFlow is related to its protein-folding effect as well as its function in cell-to-cell adhesion possibly by decreasing the rate of glycosylation. *14

Cnidium Monnier (Osthole)
Cnidium Monnier, also known in the Chinese medicine as “She Chuang Zi”, has a long history in the far-east as an herbal medicine that improves male sexual dysfunction.

The constituent responsible for this effect is believed to be a coumarin compound found in cnidium, called osthole. Osthole was found to help relax the corpus cavernosa of the penis by inhibiting the activity of cAMP and phosphodiesterases (PDE-5) in a concentration-dependent manner, which can potentially help with blood flow in those with erectile dysfunction.*17 Osthole’s secondary mechanism revolves around its Nitric Oxide stimulating effects by increasing the production of cGMP which is the chief mechanism in obtaining and sustaining a powerful erection. *18

L-Norvaline
L-Norvaline is our last and final ingredient rounding up VasoFlow’s amazing formula. The primary mechanism behind L-Norvaline is to inhibit the enzyme arginase. *15 Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by NO synthase (NOS) from compounds like DAO, LAEE or L-Histidine. Alternatively, Arginine can be metabolized by arginaseto produce L-ornithine and urea. Arginase (AR) exists in two isoforms, AR1 and AR2. At the right dose, L-Norvaline can inhibit arginase and thus increase Nitric Oxide (NO) elevation through a fourth and independent mechanism outside that of Arginine. *16 In essence, with DAO, LAEE & Histidine we provide the right amount of substrates for Nitric Oxide formation. And with L-Norvaline we prevent arginase from chopping Arginine into urea and ornithine. At the right level this will amount to increased nitrogen retention, oxygenation and nutrient delivery to working muscles.

References Cited:
  1. J Biochem (Tokyo). 1969 Aug;66(2):123-32 †
  2. J Ren Nutr. 2006 Jul;16(3):245-7 †
  3. Circulation. 2006 Jul 4;114(1 Suppl):I16-20 †
  4. J Nutr Biochem. 2006 Jan 9 †
  5. Int J Sports Med. 2005 Jun;26(5):344-9 †
  6. Eur J Biochem. 2004 Aug;271(15):3242-7 †
  7. Age and Ageing 2000; 29: 207-210 †
  8. Eur J Pharmacol. 2005 Nov 7;524(1-3):84-8. Epub 2005 Oct 19 †
  9. Free Radic Biol Med. 2005 Jul 15;39(2):145-51. Epub 2005 Mar 28 †
  10. J Nutr. 2004 Oct;134(10 Suppl):2858S-2862S; discussion 2895S †
  11. J Nutr. 2004 Oct;134(10 Suppl):2858S-2862S; discussion 2895S †
  12. Bioorg Med Chem. 2005 Dec 1;13(23):6470-6. Epub 2005 Sep 6 †
  13. Med Sci Monit. 2006 Apr;12(4):BR124-9. Epub 2006 Mar 28 †
  14. Food Chem Toxicol. 2004 Jun;42(6):975-81 †
  15. Am J Physiol. 1998 Jan;274(1 Pt 2):H342-8 †
  16. Am J Physiol. 1998 Jan;274(1 Pt 2):H342-8†
  17. Planta Med. 2001 Apr;67(3):282-4 †
  18. J Urol. 2000 Jun;163(6):1975-80 †

 

† These studies were performed at a different dosage than that in our product. The efficacy of this ingredient at the dosage level in our product has not been established in a clinical study and may not be equivalent.. Some of these studies were performed on animals and not humans. Because of differences between humans and animals and the difficulty in determining the equivalence of dosages administered to animals and humans, the results of animal studies may not be transferable to humans.