What does nitro do for your body? Understanding nitric oxide and nitroglycerin
                                
                                
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                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                According to the Nobel Foundation, nitric oxide was identified as a crucial signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system in 1998, an important step in understanding what does nitro do for your body. The term "nitro," however, can refer to both the body's natural signaling gas (nitric oxide) and a powerful prescription medication (nitroglycerin), each with different effects on the body.