Episode 1306: The Miracle Molecule that Transforms Your Health with Dr. Nathan Bryan

A tiny molecule produced inside your body may play a major role in how well you circulate blood, manage inflammation, exercise, and age. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Nathan S. Bryan, Ph. D., Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Bryan Therapeutics, Inc., who explains nitric oxide’s role in blood-vessel function, tissue oxygenation, inflammation, metabolism, and cellular energy, and shares his view on everyday habits that can affect the body’s natural production. He also discusses the oral microbiome, dietary considerations, lifestyle practices, consumer education, and the research-based standards he believes people should use when evaluating nitric oxide-related products. Key Takeaways: → Nitric oxide helps regulate blood flow, oxygen delivery, inflammation, metabolism, and cellular signaling. → Oral-care habits may affect the oral microbiome, which helps metabolize dietary nitrate. → Green vegetables and beets may contain dietary nitrate. → Product claims should be supported by scientific and clinical data. → Lifestyle habits influence nitric oxide production. Dr. Nathan S. Bryan earned his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and his doctoral degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, where he was the recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research. He pursued his postdoctoral training as a Kirschstein Fellow at Boston University School of Medicine's Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute. After a two-year post-doctoral fellowship, in 2006, Dr. Bryan was recruited to join the faculty at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston by Ferid Murad, M. D., Ph. D., 1998 Nobel Laureate in Medicine or Physiology. Dr. Bryan has been involved in nitric oxide research for the past 25 years and has made many seminal discoveries in the field, has dozens of issued patents, and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles in some of the top science and medical journals. Dr. Bryan is a best-selling author and successful entrepreneur who has built a billion-dollar enterprise value portfolio of companies. Dr. Bryan is one of the most successful inventors and top revenue producers in the history of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston. He is currently the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Bryan Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company actively engaged in the discovery and development of nitric oxide-based therapies. BTI has active drug development programs in heart disease, Alzheimers’ Disease, and topical drugs for diabetic ulcers and non-healing wounds. Dr. Bryan’s consumer line of nitric oxide products is among the most innovative and successful on the market. Dr. Bryan is an international leader in molecular medicine and nitric oxide biochemistry. Connect With Nathan: Website: https://n1o1.com/ https://bryantherapeutics.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnathansbryan X: https://x.com/drnitric LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnathansbryan/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drnathansbryannitricoxide

• 0:00Speaker 00

  Welcome to the Sharkpreneur Podcast with Kevin Harrington and Seth Green. Kevin Harrington is the inventor of the infomercial, one of the original sharks from the hit TV show Shark Tank, and has generated over $5 billion in TV and digital direct response sales. Seth Green is the world's first trusted authority on cutting-edge direct response marketing, a bestselling author, and the only three-time marketer of the year nominee. On the podcast, Kevin and Seth interview sharkpreneurs who share straight talk on what it takes to explode your business.

• 0:38Speaker 01

  Forty-nine faces looked to him in triumph. Over the last 12 months, they had each taken turns and promoted his business for a week at a time, driving over $987,342 in revenue. What if you had a network of 50 centers of influence who promoted your business every week for a year? Grab your copy of the number one Amazon bestselling book, The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Business with a Podcast, at 33% off the Amazon price by going to ultimatenpodcastbook.com. Again, that website for 33% off the Amazon price is ultimatenpodcastbook.com. Welcome to the podcast. This is your co-host Seth Green. Today, I've got the good fortune to be interviewing Dr. Nathan Bryan, who creates accessible health education with scientific depth while creating

• 1:20Speaker 01

  opportunities for amazing transformation, something we are all interested in. We're going to dive deep into his area of expertise today. Dr. Bryan, thanks so much for joining us.

• 1:29Speaker 02

  Thanks so much for having me. Great to be with you.

• 1:31Speaker 01

  Our pleasure. So, let's go back in time. What inspired you to become a doctor in the first place?

• 1:36Speaker 02

  You know, I always had an interest in science and medicine. I had a chance to do undergraduate research at University of Texas at Austin, where I got a degree in biochemistry. From there, I went to LSU School of Medicine and got a PhD in molecular and cellular physiology and just really loved trying to solve complex biological problems to make a difference and leave a legacy.

• 1:56Speaker 01

  Awesome. You have spent a lot of your career, I believe, studying nitric oxide. What first drew you to that molecule? And when did you kind of realize it would have such broad implications for human health?

• 2:08Speaker 02

  You know, God has a sense of humor, I think. You know, when I was at LSU School of Medicine, the Nobel Prize had just been awarded for the discovery of nitric oxide. And I had a chance to meet one of the gentlemen who shared the Nobel Prize. And, you know, I started to learn what nitric oxide is, what it does, how important it was in the body. And really, that led me down this direction because Dr. Ignacio told me, he goes, Nathan, if we can ever figure out how to restore and recapitulate nitric oxide production and signaling in the human body, it'll change the world and it will certainly change the landscape of medicine and healthcare. So that was a very profound statement and started me on that path and I haven't looked back.

• 2:44Speaker 01

  Okay, well, it's been described as a miracle molecule. In layman's terms, what does it do?

• 2:52Speaker 02

  Well, you know, 25 years ago, when I started, it was considered a miracle molecule. And a miracle implies that you don't have a scientific explanation for it. But fast forward to today, I don't think it's no longer a miracle molecule because we understand the science, the biochemistry, the enzymology, the signal transduction, the nitric oxide. But it does a lot of things that may be considered miraculous. But it dilates blood vessels. It's a gas that's naturally produced. It regulates blood flow, tissue oxygenation, controls inflammation, oxidative stress, immune dysfunction, mobilizes their own stem cells, activates the mitochondria. So everything we know about human optimization, longevity, disease prevention is dependent upon sufficient nitric oxide production inside the human body.

• 3:36Speaker 01

  That sounds absolutely incredible. What is one thing most people misunderstand about circulation, blood flow, cardiovascular health, how those types of things get affected, you know, by nitric oxide?

• 3:48Speaker 02

  Well, what we're finding is that the earliest event, the onset progression of cardiovascular disease, which is the number one killer of men and women worldwide, is the loss of nitric oxide production. And I think what people don't understand is a lot of the things they're doing on a daily basis is shutting down their natural nitric oxide production. Things like using antiseptic mouthwash, which is killing the oral microbiome, using fluoride-based toothpaste, you know, fluoride in the drinking water, taking drugs such as antacids, whether they're prescription antacids or over-the-counter, Polasek, Prevacid, Nexium, and then eating a high-sugar, high-carbohydrate diet. So those four to five things are completely shutting down the body's ability to make nitric oxide. So if we eliminate those practices, we're allowing the body to naturally produce this

• 4:30Speaker 02

  molecule, then, you know, we can do things like deep breathing, nasal breathing, moderate physical exercise, intermittent fasting, 20, 30 minutes of sunlight exposure day. All those things are scientifically and clinically proven to activate and stimulate nitric oxide production.

• 4:45Speaker 01

  So what are some of the best food sources for supporting nitric oxide pathways?

• 4:53Speaker 02

  Well, I think the best term in terms of diet is what we don't eat, and it's things like sugar and simple carbohydrates, and getting our supplements from gummies and chews and things like that. But, you know, when we look at food and dietary sources, most of the literature is on a molecule called inorganic nitrate, which is found in a lot of green leafy vegetables. You know, beets can contain this molecule. The challenge that we face is, and we published this in 2015, it depends upon which vegetables you're eating and where the vegetables are grown determines their nitrate content. So it's very difficult, if not impossible, to recommend certain foods and diets. The other problem, and the major problem, is that if you don't have the right oral

• 5:34Speaker 02

  bacteria, then you don't get a nitric oxide benefits from any of the foods you eat. And that's where the antiseptic mouthwash comes in, that's where the fluoride toothpaste comes in, because every time you brush your teeth with fluoride or drink fluoridated water or use an antiseptic mouthwash, you're destroying the oral microbiome, and these bacteria are responsible for the production of nitric oxide. So if you kill the good bacteria, you eliminate the benefits of diet and food. And what we're finding, and we and others have published on this, if you use mouthwash, it's killing the good bacteria, decreases nitric oxide production, and your blood pressure goes up. And high blood pressure is the number one driver of the number one killer of men and women worldwide. So this is a huge, huge public health initiative.

• 6:17Speaker 01

  So if we're not supposed to use antiseptic mouthwash, should we use any, is there a, is there a mouthwash that help, that is okay?

• 6:25Speaker 02

  Well, you know, for the past 25 years, I've been involved in trying to understand this microbiome and which bacteria responsible for this and how do we repopulate them? And so what we're developing a nitric oxide friendly mouth rinse, because two out of three Americans use mouthwash every day and we want to give them a safe alternative that improves their health, doesn't, you know, lead to a health decline. We've done this in toothpaste. We've created a non-floridated hydroxy appetite microbiome friendly toothpaste. So we're changing the terrain, the oral microbiome. So that's having a huge effect on public health. But we're developing a mouth rinse. It should be available by the end of this year. But we, it's taken us a long time to figure out, how do we create an environment to selectively kill the oral pathogens

• 7:08Speaker 02

  while allowing the good bacteria to repopulate and contribute to human health?

• 7:14Speaker 01

  As you've mentioned, you're helping bring nitric oxide focused products to consumers. What standards should people use when evaluating supplements or, you know, wellness products in this category?

• 7:24Speaker 02

  Well, look, you got to look at the science behind the products and the person behind the invention. Because, you know, there, unfortunately, there are a lot of companies out there who really don't understand the science. And so you got to look at the inventor of the products. Is there published clinical data on this? Is there strong science behind the, kind of the mechanism of those products? And the biggest misconception, and, you know, companies are out there spending tens of millions of dollars on advertising, is that beets can provide nitric oxide. And beets are not nitric oxide. In fact, beets are so far away from nitric oxide that it's, you know, it's almost humorous. And so what people have to understand, and my philosophy is a little bit different because number one, we had to understand how does the human body make nitric oxide? And then what leads to a loss of its production? And until you understand those two fundamental questions,

• 8:09Speaker 02

  you really can't develop safe and effective nitric oxide products. Because a lot of these companies are run by former tech CEOs, insurance companies, people who are not scientists. So they're, they're cannot and will not develop safe and effective products that address the root cause of nitric oxide deficiency just because they don't understand the science.

• 8:27Speaker 01

  Throughout your career, you've helped so many people. What's your biggest challenge now?

• 8:33Speaker 02

  You know, the challenge now is really education, or more importantly, the re-education. Because as I mentioned, a lot of these companies are out there providing false advertising, deceptive marketing, and creating misinformation in the marketplace. So my biggest challenge is not only educate and inform on the science of nitric oxide, so that consumers and patients can become better informed to make better decisions, but to correct all the misinformation that beads are not nitric oxide, that arginine is not a viable alternative, or you know, a way to enhance nitric oxide production. But for me, it's all about education, bringing the science to the fore, and so that consumers become aware of the things they shouldn't do, but more importantly, the things that they should avoid, and to recognize safe and effective nitric oxide products based on science.

• 9:19Speaker 01

  What does success look like for Brian Therapeutics over the next few years?

• 9:23Speaker 02

  You know, we've been very successful in the consumer market, but we're, you know, we've been focused on developing safe and effective drug therapy for the past 15 years. But for us, it's dealing with things like cardiovascular disease. It's eliminating, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women worldwide, which has been for the past 100 years. So we've got a drug we're addressing for ischemic heart disease. We're going after Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is a vascular metabolic disease that's the inconsequence of chronic nitric oxide insufficiency. So we're developing a nitric oxide drug for Alzheimer's, then we make a topical drug for diabetic ulcers and non-healing wounds. So for me, success is addressing these poorly managed medical conditions that current drug

• 10:05Speaker 02

  therapy is very poorly managed, and really getting to the root cause of many diseases. And really, our success is changing the world, one life at a time.

• 10:14Speaker 01

  Your passion is obvious. What do you like best about what you're doing?

• 10:17Speaker 02

  You know, waking up every morning and getting texts, phone calls, emails from people who said we've changed their lives. You know, they've implemented some of these lifestyle strategies and taken our products, and it's changed their life. They're getting off blood pressure medicine, they have better energy, their sexual performance improved, their cognitive performance improved, they're better able to spend time with their friends and family, and enjoy life. And there's no greater compliment or thing we can do every day. And you know, to wake up and the job that you're doing is changing people's lives.

• 10:47Speaker 01

  That's awesome. For our folks watching or listening who want to learn more about you and Brian Therapeutics, where is the best place for them to go?

• 10:54Speaker 02

  You know, I encourage people to get educated and informed. I always send people to my book. It's the latest book I've written. It's called The Secret of Nitric Oxide: Bring the Science to Life. I educate and inform on the science of nitric oxide, tell them my personal journey of discovery. You can follow me on YouTube, my own YouTube channel, Dr. Nathan S. Bryan Nitric Oxide. Social media, Dr. Nathan S. Bryan on Instagram and LinkedIn. And then, you know, our consumer products can be found at N101.com. That's the letter N, number one, letter O, number one, dot com.

• 11:26Speaker 01

  All right. Well, this has been Seth Green with Dr. Nathan S. Bryan from N101.com and The Secret of Nitric Oxide. Dr. Bryan, anything else you want to share that I didn't think to ask you yet?

• 11:36Speaker 02

  No, I think, you know, I just encourage people to do your own research, get informed, you know, understand what nitric oxide is, what it does. Because if you're someone who's sick and tired of being sick and tired and the standard of care has failed you, then look as a deficiency of nitric oxide as a potential cause of your illness. But more importantly, look at it as a potential solution. Stop doing the things that are inhibiting the natural production of this molecule. Start doing the things that we know can activate and stimulate its production and watch your life transform right before your eyes.

• 12:07Speaker 01

  That is absolutely incredible. Is there like a blood test or a urine test or something that'll tell us what our nitric oxide level is and if we're deficient?

• 12:15Speaker 02

  No, unfortunately, because this molecule's a gas and it's gone in less than a second once it's produced. So it's not part of your standard blood panel. And that's, we have to rely on symptoms. And I think that's the most important thing because our body talks to us all the time. And so we rely on these hierarchy of symptoms. So the first sign and symptom of nitric oxide deficiency is erectile dysfunction. If you can't dilate the blood vessels of the sex organs, then you can't get an erection in both men and women. Number two, your blood pressure goes up. Because if you lose the main molecule that dilates the blood vessels, your blood pressure goes up. Two out of three Americans have an unsafe elevation of blood pressure. Number three, you develop metabolic disease, insulin resistance, diabetes, because nitric oxide is required for insulin signaling. Number four, you develop exercise intolerance.

• 13:00Speaker 02

  You get short of breath walking up a flight of steps. And then fifthly, you develop mild cognitive impairment. You lose your memory, you develop dementia, and eventually Alzheimer's. So at each step and each symptom that manifests, it's your body telling you, you need to change course. You need to take corrective steps and improve nitric oxide production, or start taking our nitric oxide products to overcome the deficiency.

• 13:22Speaker 01

  That is absolutely incredible. Go check out N101.com. Go check out Dr. Brian on social. Go grab a copy of the book. We know your time's incredibly valuable. We greatly appreciate you spending some of it with us.

• 13:33Speaker 02

  Thank you very much for having me.

• 13:34Speaker 01

  You are welcome. Our pleasure. Thank you, everybody, for watching or listening. We'll talk to you or see you next time.

• 13:40Speaker 03

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