Your body uses a specific enzyme called ALDH-2 to turn nitroglycerin (a heart medicine) into something that helps relax blood vessels. But if your body is under stress and produces too many harmful molecules, this enzyme gets blocked — which is why the medicine stops working as well over time.

1

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

1

Community contributions welcome

1

Organic Nitrate Therapy, Nitrate Tolerance, and Nitrate-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction: Emphasis on Redox Biology and Oxidative Stress

Narrative Review

2015 Oct 10

This study shows that a specific enzyme (ALDH-2) in mitochondria turns nitroglycerin into a medicine that opens blood vessels, but when there’s too much stress (oxidation) in the cells, this enzyme breaks down and stops working — which is why the medicine stops working over time.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Organic Nitrate Therapy, Nitrate Tolerance, and Nitrate-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction: Emphasis on Redox Biology and Oxidative Stress

Score: 1

DOI: 10.1089/ars.2015.6376

Similar Assertions

Taking nitroglycerin for a long time can make your blood vessels produce too many harmful molecules, which stops the drug from working properly and makes your blood vessels less healthy—this is why the medicine stops helping over time.

1

0

73%