Most Replayed Moment: Mouthwash REVERSES The Benefits Of Exercise! Dr Nathan Bryan

Eliminating Fluoride From Daily Oral Care Routines

Nathan Bryan cites recent findings showing that fluoride provides no benefit and carries significant risks, including lowering children’s IQ by as much as seven points and impairing thyroid function. Bryan calls fluoride a neurotoxin, referencing evidence from the National Toxicology Program and stating that most toothpaste contains toxic concentrations of fluoride. He notes that toothpaste packaging in the U.S. warns users to contact poison control if ingested, highlighting its toxicity. Although manufacturers recommend only a pea-size amount—roughly half a milligram of fluoride per use—most users coat the entire toothbrush, applying 10 to 20 times the advised dosage. This overuse exposes individuals to five to ten milligrams of fluoride, which, due to fluoride’s small molecular size (weight of 19), is readily absorbed through the oral mucosa into the bloodstream, even without swallowing. Bryan strongly recommends switching to non-fluoridated toothpaste to safeguard neurological and endocrine health.

Tongue Scraping to Diversify Oral Bacteria

Bryan advocates for tongue scraping, an ancient practice with modern scientific support, to promote a diverse and healthy oral microbiome. He compares tongue scraping to tilling soil before planting seeds: breaking up the biofilm on the tongue’s dorsal surface aerates the microbiome and increases its diversity, which is beneficial to oral and overall health. He recommends reaching as far back on the tongue as possible, even near the gag reflex, and using a copper tongue scraper to effectively pull accumulated “goop” forward, thereby breaking up biofilms and aerating the bacteria. Bryan emphasizes avoiding antiseptic mouthwash after tongue scraping, as open tongue pores allow mouthwash to penetrate deeply into the tongue crypts, killing both harmful and beneficial bacteria.

Avoiding Antiseptic Mouthwash to Preserve Beneficial Oral Bacteria

Bryan warns against antiseptic mouthwash, stating that it destroys the beneficial oral microbiome responsible for producing nitric oxide. Without nitric oxide, blood vessels constrict, leading to elevated blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk. Moreove ...

Nathan Bryan and Steven Bartlett discuss the foundational role of nitric oxide (NO) in cardiovascular, hormonal, and healing processes, highlighting the wide-ranging consequences of insufficient NO production in the human body.

Nitric Oxide as the Foundation of Cardiovascular Function

Nitric oxide is essential for the dilation of blood vessels, enabling proper blood flow and preventing high blood pressure. Bryan explains that without NO, blood vessels constrict, leading to hypertension. An enzyme located in the lining of blood vessels is responsible for producing nitric oxide. If this enzyme is not functional, blood flow is impaired. Inadequate nitric oxide impairs blood flow, increasing the risk for high blood pressure and associated cardiovascular health risks.

Sex Hormones and Nitric Oxide: A Bidirectional Relationship

Sex hormones play a crucial role in the production of nitric oxide by triggering the relevant enzyme in vessel linings. In men, [restricted term] stimulates nitric oxide production; in women, estrogen does the same. When hormone levels are optimal and the enzyme is functional and "coupled," hormone replacement therapy offers cardioprotective benefits via the continued production of nitric oxide. Conversely, if [restricted term] or other hormones cannot activate this pathway, or if the enzyme is not working, the protective benefits are lost. For example, low [restricted term] in men leads to reduced nitric oxide production, resulting in constricted blood vessels and erectile dysfunction.

Nitric Oxide's Role in Healing and Repair

Nitric oxide is also critical for healing and repair. By boosting blood flow, it enhances cell turnover and activates stem cells, promoting faster healing and effective scar remodeling. Nitric oxide serums, when applied topically, can stimulate blood flow, accelerate cellular turnover, heal wounds, and improve circulation. NO also has antibacterial properties. High blood sugar in diabetics impairs nitric oxide production by interfering with the enzyme responsible for its synth ...

Sugar: A Toxin That Destroys Nitric Oxide

Nathan Bryan strongly asserts that sugar is a toxin, describing it as a poison for the body. He explains that when individuals consume sugar through foods or beverages—regardless of whether it is sucrose, fructose, or high fructose corn syrup—the body converts it into glucose. This glucose binds to various proteins and enzymes within the body, acting like glue and sticking to molecules such as hemoglobin and, significantly, to the enzyme responsible for producing nitric oxide.

This sugar binding is highly detrimental to enzymes because they need to undergo conformational changes to function. When glucose attaches to the nitric oxide-producing enzyme, it locks the enzyme in a restrictive conformation, halting its ability to generate nitric oxide, which is vital for vascular health and other bodily functions.

Bryan uses hemoglobin A1c as an example, explaining that it represents hemoglobin that has been glycated (sugar-bound), and that a hemoglobin A1c over 5.7 signals diabetes and indicates long-term glucose elevation. This also points to significant disruption in nitric oxide pathways, compounding health risks. Thus, Bryan urges the reduction or elimination of sugar and high-glycemic foods to protect nitric oxide production and prevent enzyme destruction and its cascading negative effects.

Stomach Acid's Role in Nutrient Absorption and Health

Bryan emphasizes the crucial role stomach acid plays in nutrient processing and general health. Stomach acid is required to break down animal and plant proteins into amino acids and is essential for the absorption of micronutrients. Without sufficient acid, nutrients such as B vitamins, selenium, chromium, iodine, magnesium, and iron cannot be efficiently absorbed in the stomach. Bryan highlights that a majority of Americans are already deficient in magnesium (75%) and iodine (95%), largely due to disrupted stomach acid and poor absorption.

He warns against routinely using antacids, as they can severely inhibit or neutralize stomach acid, escalating the risk of nutrient deficiencies. Bryan advocates removing anything that obstructs healthy stomach function, including antacids, fluoride, mouthwash, and especially foods causing blood sugar spikes, to maintain proper digestion and micronutrient uptake.

Proton Pump Inhibitors: Dangerous Stomach Acid Suppressors

Bryan details the dangers of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Omeprazole and [restricted term]. These drugs suppress acid production by inhibiting the action of pyloric cells in the stomach. Unlike temporary buffers, PPIs fundamentally prevent the stomach from making the acid needed for protein breakdown and nutrient absorption.

He distinguishes PPIs from buffering agents like Tums or sodium bicarbonate, which neutralize existing acid on a temporary basis but do not prevent future acid production. The quadrupling of PPI and antacid use globally over the past 20 years, Bryan states, has contributed to a worldwide epidemic of nutrient malabsorption and associated health issues.

Avoiding Aluminum-Containing Antacids and Buffer-Based Alternatives

Bryan warns about the dangers of antaci ...

Nathan Bryan highlights the critical role of nitric oxide in supporting vascular health, heart function, and overall well-being, emphasizing how specific lifestyle practices can stimulate its natural production.

Nasal Breathing Activates Nitric Oxide Synthesis In Airways

Nasal Breathing Activates Nitric Oxide in Sinus Cells, Like Exercise in Blood Vessels

Bryan explains that the same enzyme responsible for nitric oxide production in blood vessel linings is also found in the epithelial cells of the upper airways and sinuses. Nasal breathing activates this enzyme in these sinus cells, similar to how exercise activates it in blood vessels.

Nasal Breathing Produces Nitric Oxide Gas, Dilating Bronchioles and Expanding Pulmonary Arteries, Improving Oxygen Uptake and Delivery

When you engage in nasal or deep breathing, the activated enzyme synthesizes nitric oxide gas, which travels into the bronchioles and lower airways. This action dilates the bronchioles and pulmonary arteries, thereby enhancing oxygen uptake and delivering oxygen more efficiently throughout the body.

Nasal Breathing Lowers Blood Pressure Via Improved Nitric Oxide Production and Vessel Dilation

By improving the production of nitric oxide and promoting vessel dilation, nasal breathing and deep breathing techniques have been shown to lower blood pressure.

Humming As a Stimulator of Nitric Oxide Release

Humming Specific Frequencies Activates Nitric Oxide Enzyme, Detectable in Breath

Bryan states that humming at certain frequencies can activate the nitric oxide synthase enzyme in the sinuses, leading to measurable nitric oxide in exhaled breath. He describes how even simple "humming" or "ohms" during meditation can be checked with gas phase analyzers to detect this boost in nitric oxide output.

Personalized Humming Frequency Depends On Sinus Volume and Airway Dimensions

There is no single optimal frequency for everyone because each person’s airway, oral cavity, and sinus volumes differ. The specific frequency required to stimulate nitric oxide release through humming is individualized.

Humming Benefits Rely On Baseline Nitric Oxide-Producing Enzyme Function; Older Patients With Compromised Function May Not Produce Nitric Oxide From Humming Alone

Bryan emphasizes that the effectiveness of both humming and nasal breathing depends on the functionality of the underlying nitric oxide-producing enzyme. In older patients or those with compromised enzyme function, neither humming nor nasal breathing will increase nitric oxide output.

Exercise and Physical Activity as Nitric Oxide Stimulators

Exercise Boosts Nitric Oxide, Supporting Heart Health

Physical activity, like nasal breathing and humming, stimulates nitric oxide production, which is key for maintaining cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Exercise Impaired by Antacids, Fluoride, or Mouthwash Affecting Nitric Oxide

Bryan cautions that using mouthwash, antacids, or fluoride can inhibit the nitric oxide pathway, nullifying the cardiovascular and health benefits that exercise typically provides. A balanced diet, avoidance of excessive sugar, and the exclusion of disruptive oral hygiene chemicals are recommended to preserve nitric oxide signaling.

Exercise Paradox: Avoid Sugar, Exercise Regularly, Lose Benefits With Oral Hygiene Products

He warns that while regular exercise, a balanced diet, and sunlight are beneficial, these gains can be completely lost if you use products like mouthwash, take antacids, or consume too much sugar, as these di ...

Nathan Bryan warns against several common health practices, highlighting their detrimental impacts on the body’s systems, particularly regarding nitric oxide production, neurological health, and oral microbiome balance.

Fluoride in Toothpaste and Water: Neurological Threat

Fluoride Accumulates Systemically Through Oral Absorption, Making Topical Exposure Dangerous

Fluoride is absorbed systemically through oral tissues during routine brushing, especially when excessive amounts of toothpaste are used. This oral absorption, known as buccal mucosa uptake, increases the body’s overall fluoride burden beyond intended levels and undermines the notion that topical exposure remains localized to the teeth.

Systemic Absorption of Fluoride Through Buccal Mucosa due to Excessive Toothpaste Use

Bryan underscores that the buccal mucosa inside the mouth allows for efficient transfer of substances directly into the bloodstream. Using excessive fluoride toothpaste leads to significant systemic absorption of fluoride, adding to environmental and dietary exposures from fluoridated water.

Fluoride Lowers Children's Iq By Seven Points and Shuts Down Thyroid Function, Toxicology Research Shows

According to toxicology research that Bryan references, systemic fluoride exposure is linked to reduced IQ in children—on average lowering scores by seven points. Additionally, fluoride has been shown to negatively impact thyroid function, “shutting down” the thyroid and contributing to a range of metabolic disruptions.

Mouth Breathing as a Microbiome-Destroying Breathing Pattern

Mouth Breathing Alters Saliva Ph, Microbiome, and Nitric Oxide Production

Mouth breathing bypasses the body's natural nitric oxide production pathway in the nasal passages. Bryan explains that when someone habitually breathes through the mouth, it fully oxygenates the oral cavity, changing the saliva pH and profoundly disrupting the oral microbiome. This state entirely shuts down nitric oxide production within the mouth, undermining cardiovascular and immune health.

Mouth Taping as a Practice Requiring Medical Clearance

Mouth Taping Requires Imaging to Confirm Clear Nasal Airways For Oxygen Exchange

Bryan cautions against mouth taping for sleep or anti-snoring without thorough medical assessment. The worst outcome is taping the mouth while having a constricted airway, which can lead to suffocation. He strongly advises dental imaging to verify that the nasal airways are clear and allow for safe oxygen exchange before considering mouth taping.

Correct Anatomical Airway Obstructions With Dental Appliances or Surgery Before Mouth Taping to Prevent Oxygen Deprivation

Sometimes anatomical issues create airway obstruction and must be addressed. If the nasal airway is blocked, it is critical to correct these problems—potentially using dental appliances or surgery—before using methods like mouth taping, as improper application risks dangerous oxygen deprivation.

Mouth Taping Boosts Nitric Oxide Only if Nasal Breathing Is Safe Without Airway Constriction

Bryan notes that mouth taping's potential health benefits, such as increased nitric oxide production through nasal breathing, are only realized when na ...