No.1 Nitric Oxide Expert: Why You’re Always Tired and It’s Not Your Fault

Dr Nathan Bryan brings 18 years of nitric oxide research to Steven Bartlett's podcast, revealing why so many people feel constantly tired and what's really behind modern chronic disease epidemics. Nitric oxide is a simple molecule that plays a foundational role in vascular function, energy production, and longevity, yet most people are significantly deficient in it. The decline in nitric oxide production stems from modern lifestyle choices including oral hygiene practices, sedentary behavior, and dietary patterns that have fundamentally changed in the last few decades. When nitric oxide levels drop, people experience fatigue, erectile dysfunction, cognitive decline, and increased susceptibility to serious chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Dr Bryan shares his personal journey into this field, inspired by his father's health struggles, and explains how understanding this one molecule can revolutionize how we approach health and aging. He introduces the concept of vascular age as distinct from chronological age, and explains how to measure it to understand true biological aging. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on how antibacterial mouthwash and common oral hygiene practices actually harm our health by destroying the beneficial bacteria that produce nitric oxide. This destruction of the oral microbiome not only eliminates cardiovascular benefits from exercise but also increases blood pressure and has been linked to cancer development. Dr Bryan advocates for ditching traditional mouthwash, using tongue scrapers, and maintaining a healthy oral microbiome as foundational health practices. He discusses specific foods that boost nitric oxide production, particularly beetroots, which inspired his book 'Beet the Odds'. Simple behavioral changes like nasal breathing instead of mouth breathing and humming can dramatically increase nitric oxide levels. Dr Bryan critiques the current medical establishment for being trapped in a broken system focused on treating diseases rather than preventing them through molecular understanding. He positions nitric oxide as the molecule of longevity and emphasizes how it affects hormonal balance, wound healing, telomere length, and overall cellular function. The episode concludes with practical recommendations for improving nitric oxide production and hints at how the future of medicine must shift toward prevention and molecular awareness. Throughout the conversation, Dr Bryan presents compelling evidence that many of our modern health problems are not inevitable consequences of aging but rather preventable results of choices that deplete our nitric oxide levels.