This study sought to better define the role of nitric oxide (NO) in brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in young, healthy humans. Brachial artery blood velocity and diameter were determined (ultrasound Doppler) in eight volunteers (26 ± 1 yrs) before and after 5-min forearm circulatory occlusion with and without intra-arterial infusion of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) inhibitor L-NMMA (0.48 mg/dl/min). Control (CON) and L-NMMA trials were performed with the occlusion cuff placed in the traditional distal position, as well as proximal to the measurement site. FMD was significantly reduced, but not abolished, by L-NMMA in the distal cuff trial (8.9 ± 1.3 to 6.0 ± 0.7%, CON vs. L-NMMA, P = 0.02), with no effect of L-NMMA on FMD with proximal cuff placement (10.6 ± 1.2 to 12.4 ± 1.7%, CON vs. L-NMMA, P = 0.39). When the reduction in shear stimulus following L-NMMA was taken into account, no drug difference was observed for either distal (0.26 ± 0.02 to 0.23 ± 0.03, CON vs. L-NMMA, P = 0.40) or proximal (0.23 ± 0.08 to 0.23 ± 0.03, CON vs. L-NMMA, P = 0.89) FMD trials. These findings challenge the assertion that NO is obligatory for brachial artery FMD, and call into question the sensitivity of this procedure for non-invasive determination of NO bioavailability in young, healthy humans.