How the Products Work

Plain explanations of the science behind what we grow and what we make. Every source is linked so you can read it yourself rather than take our word for it.

Nitric oxide, and why we pay attention to it

Nitric oxide is a signalling molecule the body makes for itself. It is remarkably short-lived, acting in under a second before handing off to the processes it triggers. It is best known for vasodilation — relaxing and widening blood vessels — and it is part of how cells communicate with one another.

The body makes it two different ways

The first pathway runs through an enzyme, nitric oxide synthase, in the endothelial lining of the blood vessels themselves.

The second starts on your plate. Dietary nitrate is converted to nitrite by bacteria living in the mouth, and converted again once swallowed. Both pathways matter, and the second is the one you can influence directly.

Where dietary nitrate actually comes from

Dark green leafy vegetables are the main dietary source — not processed meats, which is the more common assumption. Chewing thoroughly is thought to help, simply because it gives food longer contact with the nitrate-reducing bacteria in the mouth.

Those same bacteria are worth knowing about: the oral microbiome is the first step in this pathway, which is why antiseptic mouthwash comes up so often in nitric oxide research.

Hemp and the ground it grows in

We farm, so this part is closer to home. One distinction matters before any of it makes sense.

Industrial hemp and sunn hemp are not the same crop. They get discussed interchangeably and they should not be. Industrial hemp is the one relevant to soil function and nutrient capture. Sunn hemp is a different plant used for summer forage and grazing.

What the research suggests about soil

Peer-reviewed work from Florida found that industrial hemp may support soil organic matter under some site and season conditions, and may reduce soil nitrate-nitrogen. The honest caveat carried by that research is that outcomes are management- and site-dependent — hemp is not a guaranteed soil treatment, and anyone claiming otherwise is overselling it.

Penn State Extension's guidance adds the practical picture: hemp performs best in well-drained soils, is sensitive to compaction, and fits different production systems depending on what you are growing it for.

And on grazing

This is where the two crops get confused. University of Missouri Extension work on sunn hemp — not industrial hemp — found it can support summer grazing systems for cattle: rapid-growing, non-bloating, with season-long accumulation around 4,400 lb per acre. Grazing can begin at roughly 1.5 to 3 feet and graze down to about 10–12 inches, with around 21 days of rest supporting regrowth. One thing worth stating plainly: sunn hemp seeds are toxic to cattle.

Read the sources yourself

Looking for batch testing rather than background reading? Our certificates of analysis are published for every product.

This page is general education about plant science and human biology. It is not medical advice, and nothing here describes what any Oley product does. Speak to a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new wellness regimen.