What Is Nicotine & How It Benefits People? [A highly ignored subject]

What is Nicotine

Nicotine is a chemical that contains nitrogen and can be found naturally in several types of plants, including the tobacco plant, tomatoes et al, known as the nightshade family. It is also produced synthetically.

Nicotiana Tabacum - the type of nicotine found in tobacco plants - is a stimulant drug that speeds up the messages traveling between the brain and body. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, nicotine is absorbed through the lungs and reaches the brain in about 7 – 10 seconds.

Nicotine works by mimicking the actions of neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a naturally occurring brain chemical, by docking with its special receptor molecules. Some of these nicotine receptors in the brain activate part of the pleasure center, which could be responsible for nicotine's euphoric effects.

Since nicotine is the most famous constituent of tobacco, it has been accused of causing all the harms of smoking, when in reality just about everything in burning tobacco causes disease and death except from nicotine. The truth is that not only is nicotine blamed for health problems it doesn’t cause – cancer, cardiovascular diseases et al – but it can benefit you in several ways.

Can you really benefit from nicotine?
We‘ll find it out in this article. . .

Nicotine & Brain Satisfaction

Nicotine Effects

Nicotine has a range of effects on the human body.
Let’s explore some of them:

The adrenaline - dopamine effect

Nicotine is both a sedative and a stimulant.
When a body is exposed to nicotine, the individual experiences a "kick." This is partly caused by nicotine stimulating the adrenal glands, which results in the release of adrenaline.

This surge of adrenaline stimulates the body. There is an immediate release of glucose, as well as an increase in heart rate, breathing activity, and blood pressure.
Indirectly, nicotine causes the release of dopamine in the pleasure and motivation areas of the brain. A similar effect occurs when people take heroin or cocaine. The user experiences a pleasurable sensation.
Dopamine is a brain chemical that affects emotions, movements, and sensations of pleasure and pain. If your brain dopamine levels rise, the feeling of contentment is higher.
Depending on the dose of nicotine taken and the individual's nervous system arousal, nicotine can also act as a sedative.

Pharmacologic effects

When humans, mammals, and most other types of animals are exposed to nicotine, it increases their heart rate, heart muscle oxygen consumption rate, and heart stroke volume. These are known as pharmacologic effects.

Psychodynamic effects

Consuming nicotine is also linked to raised alertness, euphoria, and a sensation of being relaxed.

Nicotine reduces Stress & Anxiety

Concentration and Memory

Studies have shown that nicotine appears to improve memory and concentration. It is thought that this is due to an increase in acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Norepinephrine also increases the sensation of wakefulness or arousal.

Reduced anxiety

Nicotine results in increased levels of beta-endorphin, which reduces anxiety.
It doesn’t require o lot of research to explore and realize the benefits that this substance can deliver to people. More and more articles host extensive analyses on health benefits of nicotine.

Jim McDonald has recently published a promising article claiming that nicotine could possibly
  • treat Parkinson’s disease
  • help people with ADHD
  • or may provide an Alzheimer’s breakthrough, just to mention some of them.

Side Effects of Nicotine

Since there is no safe level of drug use it is important to be careful when taking any type of them.

Nicotine affects everyone differently, based on various factors like:
  • ▶size, weight and health
  • ▶whether the person is used to taking it
  • ▶whether other drugs are taken around the same time
  • ▶the amount taken

It must be said that use of nicotine isn’t free of unpleasant effects. Some of them might include:

  • ▶coughing
  • ▶dizziness, headaches
  • ▶increase in heart rate
  • ▶tingling and numbness in fingers and toes
  • ▶reduced appetite, stomach cramps and vomiting.

Some people believe that smoking ‘light’ or ‘low tar’ cigarettes is less harmful than regular cigarettes. However, there is little difference between the amount of chemicals inhaled by people who smoke ‘light’ cigarettes and those who smoke regular ones. Smoking is extremely bad for your health no matter what type of tobacco you are smoking.

Benefits from Vaping

It hasn’t been a long time since we wrote the benefits that many people gain when switching from smoking to vaping.

I believe that eCig Hellas blog has made it clear enough how much safer can be the use of electronic cigarettes in comparison with combustible cigarettes.

Cigarettes wreak havoc on the body, damaging the smoker practically from head to toe. The harms have been proven beyond doubt. But there is no evidence pointing to similar health effects from vaping — or any health problems, for that matter — unless you count possible nicotine dependence. But, as mentioned above, nicotine isn’t directly responsible for any of the terrible results of smoking. Vaping remains a far better choice when compared to smoking.

A vital decision: Vaping or Smoking

Bottom Line

In this article we learn what nicotine is and if and how it can benefit people. Continuing, we talked about some of the side effects that may occur if a large amount of nicotine is consumed.

Closing, it must be understood that e-cigarettes can hugely benefit adult smokers, as long as they completely replace any other nicotine or tobacco products.

Give yourself that chance!

Keep the pleasure and exclude the risk that combustible cigarettes impose to you.

Write a comment

Please login or register to comment