The Claim
In overweight, non-smoking adults aged 40–65, saliva test strips from Berkeley and Neogenesis show no correlation with serum nitrite or serum nitrate concentrations, indicating that these test strips cannot be used to assess endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity or systemic nitric oxide bioavailability.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
In overweight adults aged 40–65 who do not smoke, saliva test strips from Berkeley and Neogenesis do not match the levels of nitrite and nitrate in the blood, so they cannot measure endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity or systemic nitric oxide levels.
See the scientific wording
In overweight, non-smoking adults aged 40–65, neither the Berkeley nor Neogenesis saliva test strips correlate with serum nitrite or serum nitrate, indicating they cannot assess endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity or systemic nitric oxide bioavailability.
Dietary nitrate enters the bloodstream, gets pulled into saliva by glands in the mouth, and is turned into nitrite by bacteria on the tongue. This nitrite stays in the mouth and does not enter the blood in measurable amounts, so saliva tests only show what’s happening in the mouth, not in the blood vessels where nitric oxide is made and used.
What the research says
1 studyStudy: Validation of two Point-of-care Tests against Standard Lab Measures of NO in Saliva and in Serum
These saliva strips can tell you how much nitrite is in your spit, but not how much is in your blood — so they can't tell you if your blood vessels are making enough nitric oxide.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.