Nicotine and nicotinic acid: synonyms or different concepts

The eighth Global Nicotine Forum will be held online in Liverpool on 17–18 June 2022. The theme of the forum is “The Future of Nicotine.” Recent scientific research shows that this is a very promising future, and it has nothing to do with smoking.

Tobacco has been known to mankind for many centuries, but serious study of all the properties of the nicotine it contains began only recently

Photo: Getty Images

Tobacco has been known to mankind for many centuries, but serious study of all the properties of the nicotine it contains began only recently

Photo: Getty Images

Natural product

Nicotine is a biologically active substance, a pyridine alkaloid found in plants of the nightshade family. Like other alkaloids, when consumed in high concentrations it can cause unwanted effects on the body, although in low concentrations the alkaloids are used effectively for medicinal and other purposes. Quinine is an antipyretic and analgesic, and is also the main treatment for malaria. Atropine is widely used in ophthalmology for examining the fundus of the eye, as well as in the treatment of peptic ulcers, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, bronchial asthma (and this is not a complete list). Colchicine - in the treatment of gout and AA amyloidosis. Codeine is an analgesic and antitussive. Strychnine is used both in medicine and as a zoocide, a means of controlling rodents.

One year after quitting smoking

A year without cigarettes is a serious achievement. During this period, the body usually recovers so much that the risk of stroke (by 30%), heart attack (by 50%) and the likelihood of lung and liver cancer (by 80-90%) is reduced. Women who have become pregnant by this point do not have to worry about the risk of miscarriage - its probability is almost the same as for non-smokers.

The risk of relapse is minimal, but it is worth remembering what you went through to get to this point. It is not worth risking such an achievement for the sake of one cigarette.

History of nicotine

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Tobacco contains a number of alkaloids (nornicotine, anabasine, anatabine), but the main one is nicotine. British psychiatrist Michael Russell said: “People smoke for the nicotine, but die for the tar.” However, nicotine, although not harmless and addictive, is not the main cause of smoking-related diseases.

Recently, the possible beneficial properties of nicotine have been actively studied, including the possibility of its use in various areas of medicine and veterinary medicine.

A clinic where they can help

The harm of nicotine has long been proven, so you need to get rid of the habit. For 22 years, the IMC Addiction By Yuzapolsky clinic has been helping people get rid of addiction using specially developed proprietary methods. Specialists individually draw up a treatment plan according to the smoking history, psycho-emotional and physical condition of the patient.

Experienced neuropsychologists, narcologists, and psychotherapists work with each patient. There are rehabilitation programs for the patients themselves and their relatives. The clinic offers maximum comfort, there is a VIP department and single apartments. In this case, the treatment takes place completely anonymously. If you wish, you can choose an outpatient program.

Nicotine in veterinary medicine

In 2016, a group of researchers from several universities in Iran led by Fatemeh Nouri published in the Journal of Parasitic Diseases

results of their work demonstrating that Nicotiana tabacum extract is effective against
Marshallagia marshalli
, a parasite of the digestive system of domestic ruminants.

At the Research Institute (FMI) in Neuchâtel (Switzerland), under the leadership of Sandra Schorderet Weber and Kacper Kaminski, a study was conducted to study the antiparasitic properties of extracts obtained from the leaves of various plants of the genus Nicotiana

.
His results were published in 2022 in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology
.
During the scientific work, alcoholic extracts of sticky tobacco ( N.glutinosa
), tobacco tree (
N.glauca
), Debney tobacco (
N.debneyi
) and several types of common tobacco (
N.tabacum
) were studied.
The effectiveness of their effects on parasites was checked on cat fleas ( ctenocephalides felis
), larvae of the Australian Green Fly (
Lucilia Cuprina
), Nematode
Caenorhabditis Elegans
(parasitic round worms), larvae and adults of brown dogs
sanguineus
) and dog ticks (
ixodes ricinusnymphs
) . None of the extracts at the concentrations used were able to kill cat fleas. Extracts of ordinary tobacco variety K326 and sticky tobacco had a moderate effect on nematodes. All extracts have been shown to be highly effective against brown dog ticks. Extracts with a high nicotine content killed ticks regardless of their species and life stage. In addition to nicotine, other alkaloids contained in tobacco could have an effect on parasites—nornicotine, anabasine, anatabine. But in the case of ticks, it was nicotine that was proven to be effective. Pure nicotine at a concentration corresponding to its concentration in the extract had the same effect as the tobacco extract.

Changes in the first month after quitting smoking

Let's see how the body recovers after quitting smoking in the second half of the first month.

Feel. Those who quit smoking are still bothered by dizziness, headaches, and blood pressure surges - the brain now receives more oxygen and has not yet adapted to this. The cough with sputum production becomes weaker towards the end of the month. The perception of smells and tastes of food is normalized - for someone quitting smoking, this is felt as a sharpening of the senses of smell and taste, since they were previously dulled. Weight gain is possible due to improved appetite. Since the regeneration of the gastrointestinal mucosa is still ongoing, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea may still bother you.

Changes in the body. The body is restored at the cellular level, harmful substances, for example, products of the processing of nicotine tar, are intensively removed. Feeling better. Regeneration of the bronchial mucosa occurs.

Blood cells are renewed: leukocytes - faster, red blood cells - slower. Vascular tone increases. This improves immunity and tissue nutrition. The yellowness from the fingers continues to disappear, and the complexion improves.

Psycho-emotional state. Aggression and irritability are less than in the first days. Psychological dependence on smoking still persists, and symptoms of “breathing deep” syndrome are present. Normal functioning of the stomach and intestines was restored. Liver regeneration begins (from 5 months).

Psycho-emotional sphere. The mood is cheerful and stable. Sleep is normalized. The craving for cigarettes is easily suppressed, because at this point it represents only a slight desire to return to a familiar ritual. A person develops other habits with which he replaces the ritual of smoking. But breakdowns are still possible under provoking circumstances.

Nicotine in dentistry

It is well known that smoking tobacco causes serious harm to the oral cavity. But what role does nicotine play in this? It also plays a negative role due to its vasoconstrictive effect and disruption of wound healing.

In 2022, dentists Richard Halliday, James Campbell and Philip Preshaw from Newcastle University published in the Journal of Dentistry

A systematic review of studies on the effects of nicotine on the gums, periodontal ligament and corneal epithelium. The viability, attachment and proliferation (growth by multiplication by division) of cells, and the formation of inflammatory mediators were studied. The review included 42 controlled studies that used nicotine.

When the concentration of nicotine used in the experiment corresponded to the levels that enter the body of a smoker or a person using a heated tobacco system (HTS), no effect on cell viability was observed. Only an increased concentration of nicotine, corresponding to the level of nicotine in the saliva of a chewing tobacco user, had a negative effect on viability. As for other types of effects of nicotine on the organs of the oral cavity, the available data on this matter are insufficient and contradictory. The review authors called for further research in this direction.

In January 2022 in the journal JMIR Research Protocols

information was published on the conduct by specialists of the PMI Research Center of a six-month randomized controlled open multicenter clinical trial in two parallel groups, the purpose of which was to evaluate the effect of switching from cigarette smoking to the use of an electronic tobacco heating system on the outcome of treatment of generalized periodontitis. The study has been completed and the results are currently being processed.

Negative aspects of quitting smoking

As we have already said, after quitting smoking, the body begins to rebuild its metabolism. As a result, the former smoker begins to experience a number of unpleasant symptoms. Fortunately, this only lasts for the first months, and after the metabolism normalizes, everything returns to normal.

Among the negative manifestations:

• emotional imbalance: tearfulness, irritability, aggressiveness, depressed mood;
• sleep disorders: insomnia, restless sleep, nightmares;
• susceptibility to colds due to a temporary decrease in immunity;
• unpleasant taste in the mouth after quitting smoking, associated with liver recovery;
• headaches, dizziness;
• weight gain, because against the background of emotional discord and the need to do something to drown out the craving for cigarettes, the former smoker begins to eat more.

Nicotine against Parkinson's disease

The fact that smokers are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease is widespread information in the medical community and has been confirmed by research.

In 2015, a group of scientists from the East China University of Science and Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences published the results of a meta-analysis of scientific publications from 1959 to 2014, which showed an inverse relationship between smoking and the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The authors of the work put forward the idea of ​​​​creating drugs for Parkinson's disease based on tobacco.

In 2022 in the journal Neurology

The work of a group of researchers from Oxford was published, the purpose of which was to identify the connection between tobacco smoking and Parkinson's disease. In 1951, a questionnaire was sent to all British doctors to study their smoking habits. 34,439 physicians provided complete responses. From 1958 to 1998, they answered new questionnaires six times that recorded whether their attitudes toward smoking had changed. The authors of the 2022 study examined the causes of death of survey participants who died over a 65-year period. 283 doctors have died from Parkinson's disease. The risk of acquiring this disease in smokers was 30–40% lower than in non-smokers.

A group of geneticists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, led by Angel Carnajal-Oliveros, published in May 2022 in the journal Scientific Reports

results of a study conducted on a model of Parkinson's disease in
Drosophila melanogaster
(fruit fly). Nicotine, acting on a model organism, contributed to an increase in the level of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine, motility and survival of Drosophila.

Deadly consequences of smoking

Since nicotine enters the human body in small doses, addiction develops, and there are no symptoms of acute poisoning1. During his life, a smoker smokes about 15 thousand lethal doses of nicotine. Urine harms almost all organ systems1.

This addiction increases the risk of coronary heart disease and hypertension by 4-6 times, and lung cancer by 101. Smokers are 5-8 times more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases and live on average 8-10 years less than non-smokers people1.

Every year, nicotine kills almost 5.5 million people in the world; on average, one person in the world dies from smoking every 6 seconds3. Smoking harms the health of not only those who smoke, but also those around them. Inhalation of cigarette smoke - passive smoking - annually leads to the death of 600 thousand non-smokers in the world4.

Next, we will look in detail at how smoking affects the body .

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Nicotine against Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. In first place is Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia (60–70% of cases).

The World Health Organization's Smoking and Dementia report, published in 2014, noted that 14% of Alzheimer's disease cases worldwide could potentially be caused by smoking. According to a study by an international team of neurosurgeons and neuroscientists published in the medical journal Lancet

in 2022, smoking is the third most influential modifiable risk factor increasing the risk of dementia (after hearing loss in midlife and lack of secondary education).

But in this case, one cannot equate nicotine with smoking. There are several types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAch receptors) in the human brain, most of them are α4β2 receptors. They are activated by nicotine and promote the release of a wide range of neurotransmitters. Nicotine, by activating nAch receptors, thereby has a positive effect on thinking, concentration, attention, and emotional background. These receptors also play a key role in the formation of various types of short-term and long-term memory and therefore are targets for the development of drugs aimed at the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other diseases associated with impaired memory function. The natural alkaloid nicotine can be considered as a potential active ingredient in such drugs.

In the United States, the National Institute on Aging, Vanderbilt University and the Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute collaborated to conduct the MIND clinical trial in 2022, involving 300 patients. MIND stands for Memory Improvement Through Nicotine Dosing. Half of the study participants used a nicotine patch daily (the second group was a control group: the patch used by its participants did not contain nicotine). Official results have not yet been published, but the media has already published rave reviews from test participants that their memory and attentiveness have improved.

The effect of smoking on the human body

Smoking, undoubtedly, has a detrimental effect on all systems of the body, but a description of all the effects of smoking on the smoker’s body would result in a separate medical reference book. Therefore, we will consider only the most basic.

A cigarette is poison in its purest form. Contains about 4,000 chemical compounds, and tobacco smoke contains about 5,000, of which approximately 60 cause cancer.

Nicotine. We have heard since childhood that a drop of nicotine kills a horse. When smoking a cigarette, you can “consume” from 0.1 to 1.8 mg of nicotine and, according to the “horse” scheme, go to the cemetery after the first pack. In fact, nicotine is not a carcinogen. First of all, it is a psychoactive substance that is addictive.

When smoked, nicotine causes the arteries to narrow, thereby making it difficult for oxygen carried in the blood to reach the heart, brain, lower extremities and other organs. Moreover, nicotine acts quickly, constricting blood vessels within a minute after the first puff. The normal lumen of blood vessels is not restored soon. Therefore, a smoker often constantly keeps his blood vessels in a spasmodic state.

In addition, nicotine, entering the bloodstream, irritates the adrenal glands, which release the hormone adrenaline into the blood, which also constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. The constant flow of adrenaline into the blood causes persistent changes in the vascular walls.

The effects of nicotine are also characterized by decreased appetite, impaired stomach function, and a sharp decrease in the body’s saturation with vitamin C, which does not normalize even with the introduction of large doses of ascorbic acid.

Nicotine has a detrimental effect on sexual and reproductive functions, vision and hearing.

Carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is a poisonous compound found in tobacco smoke.

Flowing through the smallest vessels of the lungs, the blood gives off carbon dioxide, which we exhale, and absorbs oxygen from the air, which is then distributed to all organs and tissues. Carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke has a hundreds of times greater affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen. Therefore, it displaces oxygen from its connection with hemoglobin, forming carboxyhemoglobin, and this interferes with the normal delivery of oxygen to the brain and other organs that need it. As a result, smokers develop chronic oxygen starvation, which affects the cardiovascular system and other organs and tissues.

Tobacco tar is a respiratory tract irritant and contributes to the development of chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and emphysema. But the worst thing is that it is a strong carcinogen that can suppress antitumor immunity and damage the DNA of cells, leading them to a malignant state. Therefore, smoking often leads to cancer.

Dozens of different alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and phenols contained in tobacco smoke have a harmful effect on the respiratory tract. Acrolein, formic and acetic acids, which have a strong irritating effect, and other substances cause inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the bronchial tree and the deeper layers of the bronchial wall.

This is not a complete list and characteristics of those poisons that are part of tobacco smoke.

Smoking causes the greatest harm to the cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems, and, finally, is a factor that provokes the appearance of cancerous tumors.

Smoking and the cardiovascular system.

The delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle is sharply impaired due to the blocking of blood hemoglobin by carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke. This leads to serious damage to the heart and blood vessels.

Smoking increases blood pressure: blood vessels constrict, forcing the heart to work harder.

Smoking increases blood cholesterol levels. Fats accumulate in the arteries supplying the heart and become blocked. As a result, myocardial infarction. Smokers have a 4-5 times higher risk of myocardial infarction than non-smokers. If a smoker has high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure, the risk of developing a heart attack increases 8 times.

In people who smoke, cerebral stroke (acute cerebrovascular accident) is recorded 4-8 times more often than among non-smokers and former smokers.

Tobacco smoking is considered by doctors in all countries as the main cause of such a serious disease as obliterating endarteritis of the vessels of the lower extremities (obliteration - closure, endarteritis - inflammation of the inner lining of the artery). This disease occurs 9 times more often in smokers than in non-smokers.

Smoking and respiratory tract.

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for respiratory diseases: chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, lung cancer.

Chronic bronchitis in smokers is registered 5-7 times more often than in non-smokers. Chronic bronchitis is manifested by a cough with sputum. In some patients, cough with sputum is the only symptom, while others have complaints of difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. The air we breathe must be purified before it reaches the lower part of the lungs. This function is performed by mucus, a sticky liquid found in the nose and upper respiratory tract. The mucus traps dirt and bacteria, while tiny hairs called cilia drain mucus from the lungs into the nasal cavity and throat. Resin, settling in the lungs, irritates the respiratory tract, mucus secretion increases, and the cilia no longer cope with their task, so mucus, dirt and bacteria remain in the lungs.

COPD is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease characterized by progressive narrowing and destruction of the bronchial tree and pulmonary alveoli. The main cause of COPD is smoking. Heavy smokers have a 30 times higher risk of developing COPD compared to non-smokers. COPD develops slowly over 10-15 years. Anyone who starts smoking early runs the risk of becoming seriously ill at the most productive age - at 30-40 years old. The first manifestation of the disease, which runs latent for a long time, is a chronic cough, which is also called smoker’s cough. Shortness of breath gradually increases, any effort - climbing stairs, light jogging - causes difficulty breathing. Even later, a person begins to choke even when dressing, washing, etc. It usually takes from 20 to 40 years for the development of pronounced COPD. Approximately 90% of COPD deaths are attributed to smoking.

Emphysema refers to an abnormality of the alveoli where the tissue around the alveoli changes, making them dilated and appearing like holes in the lungs on an x-ray (resembling Swiss cheese). The main symptom is shortness of breath. There is a cough, but it is less pronounced than with chronic bronchitis. The chest becomes barrel-shaped.

The chronic nature of these diseases means that those who develop them can live for many years, but with some degree of discomfort and disability. In the worst case scenario, people suffering from these diseases may become dependent on life-sustaining systems, such as constant oxygen treatment.

The effects of smoking on women's, men's and children's bodies.

The effect of smoking on the male body.

Nicotine inhibits the spinal centers of erection and ejaculation, and also has a vasoconstrictor effect, which results in weakened erection and premature ejaculation. The quantity and quality of sperm decreases. As a result, the chance of developing impotence and prostate cancer increases significantly.

The effect of smoking on the female body.

Women are more susceptible to the risks associated with smoking than men. In addition to external manifestations in the form of poor skin color, early aging and other adverse consequences, women pay with their health and the ability to bear and give birth to a healthy child. It has long been no secret that women who smoke are more likely than non-smokers to have problems conceiving and bearing children. In addition, a smoking expectant mother greatly risks the normal development of her child.

Tobacco ingredients suppress the production of female hormones, and therefore women who smoke lose their femininity and grace over time.

Smoking has an antiestrogenic effect. The menstrual cycle may be disrupted, and premenstrual syndrome will be moderate to severe. Another result of smoking in women can be early menopause and the development of osteoporosis, a disease associated with damage (thinning) of bone tissue, leading to fractures and bone deformities. Women smokers who take oral contraceptives have a much higher risk of heart disease than nonsmokers, as well as a much higher risk of stroke, hardening of the arteries, and death from aortic aneurysm.

The effect of smoking on the body of a teenager.

The child's body is not fully developed and is very sensitive to tobacco poisons. First of all, in the growing body, against the background of smoking, disorders develop in the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, metabolic processes, and vitamins are poorly absorbed. All this leads to inhibition of general development, mental disorders, slowed growth, hearing impairment, and diseases such as anemia and myopia.

Smoking worsens skin condition.

48% of smokers and 8% of former smokers have pale gray skin and more pronounced wrinkles than non-smokers. Components of tobacco smoke (especially carbon monoxide) accelerate the aging process in the body and cause the skin to suffer from oxygen starvation, acquire an unhealthy gray color and emit an unpleasant odor.

How smoking destroys beauty.

1. When tobacco is burned, soot, tar and tobacco smoke are formed. When you inhale smoke, tobacco tar settles on your teeth, making them dark and lacking in natural shine. Hot tobacco smoke spoils not only the appearance of teeth, but also the tooth enamel itself, destroying it and opening the way for pathogens that cause caries. No toothpastes, mouth rinses or deodorants can mask bad breath.
2. Substances contained in cigarettes make hair dull and can cause brittleness and hair loss. In addition, hair perfectly absorbs the smell of tobacco, which no perfume can displace.
3. The skin of the hands also suffers. It becomes dry and pigmented. Nails turn yellow and dull.
4. Smoke affects the vocal cords. As a result, the voice becomes lower and rougher.
5. Early aging. As a rule, smokers look much older than their age. The skin becomes loose and wrinkled due to the destruction and degradation of the collagen layer of soft tissue. It takes on an old, earthy hue.
6. Due to the fact that smokers squint all the time, trying to protect the eyeball from smoke (this is a natural mechanism), the first wrinkles appear in the corners of their eyes very early.

The result is a rather sad picture. A rough voice, lifeless wrinkled skin, bad breath and hair, bad teeth, dull eyes, constant cough - this is what a smoking woman looks like. She made cigarettes a part of her life. But what did you get in return?

Smoking and malignant tumors.

Approximately 85% of lung cancer cases can be linked to smoking. The risk of lung cancer increases the more cigarettes you smoke per day, the longer you smoke, the greater the amount of smoke you inhale, and the higher the tar and nicotine content in cigarettes.

In the early stages and sometimes even later, lung cancer may not show any symptoms. But when its signs are detected, the disease is often very advanced. Only less than 10% of patients remain alive 5 years after being diagnosed with lung cancer, while the majority die within the first five years. Signs of lung cancer include chronic cough, wheezing, hemoptysis, loss of weight and appetite, shortness of breath, chills for no reason, recurring acute respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia, and chest pain.

Lung cancer kills more people worldwide than any other type of cancer, and in many countries more than 90% of these deaths are due to smoking. Among the causes of death associated with smoking, lung cancer is in third place after cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

About 30% of cancer deaths are directly related to smoking. Smoking is the main cause of many types of cancer:

• Cancer of the lungs, trachea and bronchi (85%).
• Laryngeal cancer (84%).
• Cancer of the oral cavity, including lips and tongue (92%).
• Esophageal cancer (78%).
• Pancreatic cancer (29%).
• Bladder cancer (47%).
• Kidney cancer (48%).

Tobacco smoking and the neuropsychic state of the body.

When you take your first puff on a cigarette, the toxic substances of tobacco smoke enter the lungs, then they penetrate the blood and after a few seconds end up in the brain, affecting it. Over time, in order to increase the vitality of the body, a person has to resort to cigarettes more and more often, and puff deeper and deeper. A cigarette becomes necessary for such a person; in its absence, inconvenience and annoyance arise. Gradually, increased fatigue and “unexplained” weakness develop that accompany every smoker.

A smoker with many years of experience has a deteriorating memory, absent-mindedness, and forgetfulness. Many smokers, and all during the period of abstinence from smoking, have astheno-neurotic symptoms, and 12.5% ​​have psychopathic-like states. The former manifest themselves in the form of increased irritability, lethargy, absent-mindedness, and general weakness; the second - in the form of mood disorders, anger and malice.

Myths about smoking

Myth No. 1: Smoking invigorates and improves performance.

Physiologist I.P. Pavlov established at the beginning of the century that tobacco smoke has a two-phase effect on the central nervous system. First, the blood vessels of the brain expand, which is felt by the person as a surge of strength. But this is necessarily followed by a second phase, opposite in effect and longer. Short-term vigor is replaced by long-term fatigue. Fatigue, bad mood, and a feeling of general exhaustion return - and a new dose is required. And the further you go, the more nicotine you need to cheer yourself up. In the West, some employers refuse to hire people who smoke, believing that the work process suffers from constant smoking breaks.

Myth #2: Smoking helps relieve anxiety and reduce stress.

In fact, the components of tobacco do not relax, but simply “slow down” the most important areas of the central nervous system. But, having gotten used to a cigarette, a person practically cannot relax without it. The elimination of anxiety and irritability by nicotine, observed with systematic smoking, is largely explained by mental and physical dependence on it. It turns out to be a vicious circle: both the occurrence and cessation of stress become dependent on smoking. The acute need for nicotine is an additional source of stress for the smoker. The feeling of relief resulting from nicotine use is usually perceived as “relaxation.”

Myth No. 3: Smoking is just a bad habit, which is easy and simple to give up.

This is not a bad habit, but a disease, manifested by dependence on the components of the smoke of smoldering tobacco, i.e. one of the forms of substance abuse. This disease is presented in the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) under the heading of mental and behavioral disorders, section of addictions.

Myth #4: Cigars and pipes are safer to smoke because they don't cause inhalation.

This is only true for lung cancer. The risk of developing cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus and stomach is much higher with pipe smoking than with cigarette smoking. Pipe smoking increases the risk of cancer in the following organs:

• upper digestive tract – 8.7 times
• oral cavity and pharynx 12.6 times
• esophageal cancer – 7.2 times

Myth No. 5: Light cigarettes are not as harmful as regular cigarettes.

Constantly using light cigarettes, smokers puff more often and deeper, which can subsequently lead to lung cancer.

Myth No. 6: Hookah is not harmful to health.

In one hour of hookah smoking, 100–200 times more smoke passes through the lungs than when smoking a cigarette. One hookah refill contains 6.25 mg of nicotine; for comparison, 1 cigarette contains only 0.8 mg of nicotine. In 45 minutes of hookah smoking, more carbon monoxide (CO) enters the body than is contained in one pack of cigarettes!

Myth No. 7: It makes no sense to quit if you have been smoking for a long time.

Even after smoking for many years, quitting significantly reduces the risk of developing myocardial infarction, other cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO QUIT SMOKING!

According to information from WOCMP website

Nicotine in cardiology

Nicotine, through its effect on the peripheral nervous system, has a direct negative effect on the cardiovascular system. During the development and evaluation of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), studies were conducted on the isolated effects of nicotine on this body system. These studies showed that, despite the effect on heart rate and blood pressure, those smokers who already had signs of hypertension did not worsen their condition. This suggests that the benefits of using NRT outweigh the harm from the negative effects of nicotine. In the journal Scientific Reports

in June 2022, a report was published on a study conducted by a group of Greek scientists from the National Kapodistrian University of Athens under the leadership of Ignatios Ikonomidis.

Scientists compared the effect on the human cardiovascular system of regular cigarettes and the heated tobacco system (CHT), which uses nicotine, but not tar and other combustion products (since there is no combustion process) in the body. The study showed that when using SNT, the speed of propagation of the pulse wave through the vessels increased less than when smoking. With smoking, systolic blood pressure in the brachial artery and heart rate increased, while with the use of SNT they remained virtually unchanged. Smoking led to a noticeable increase in the body's levels of carbon monoxide, malondialdehyde, and thromboxane B2, which was not observed in those who used SNT.

In patients who switched from cigarette smoking to SNT, a month after the transition, indicators of relative blood flow reserve, vascular endothelial function, elasticity of arterial vessel walls, myocardial function, platelet aggregation, and oxidative stress improved.

Further study of the isolated effects of nicotine on the body may open up new perspectives in medicine and other fields of science.

Alexey Alekseev

A nicotinic acid. A little biology and chemistry

Nicotinic acid or vitamin PP - this substance takes an active part in metabolic processes in the body, regulates fat metabolism, and promotes the production of enzymes.

In its natural state it is found in bread, meat products, buckwheat, mushrooms, vegetables and fruits.

A lack of this substance leads to hypovitaminosis. In this case, pellagra develops. Without proper treatment, this disease ends sadly. In addition to vitamin deficiency, the following organs and systems suffer from a lack of vitamin PP:

1. blood cell synthesis is disrupted;
2. the production of bile and gastric juice decreases;
3. hormonal imbalance occurs;
4. neuralgia of various parts of the nervous system develops;
5. impaired control of blood sugar and cholesterol;
6. Pregnant women experience disturbances in the development of the nervous system of the unborn baby.

How to help your body when quitting smoking

Three things will help reduce the intensity of unpleasant symptoms when quitting smoking and recover faster. This:

• Fresh air. Walk in parks and forests more often, ventilate the room more often. Play sports outdoors. This helps clear the lungs faster and restore normal functioning of the respiratory system.
• Special food. Include in your diet foods rich in vitamins C, A, E, and rutin - with their help, nicotine will be removed from the body faster. To normalize the functioning and cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, potato decoction, mucous decoctions of flaxseed, rice or oatmeal are useful.
• Sport. Not immediately (in about six months), but you need to include physical exercise in your schedule. This will strengthen the heart, speed up metabolism, and increase lung capacity. In addition, they have a positive effect on overall well-being due to the release of endorphins.

Do you need psychotherapeutic help when quitting smoking?

Of course, willpower, determination and a willingness to overcome difficulties can greatly help a person cope with addiction and restore the body after quitting smoking. However, cravings for cigarettes associated with psychological dependence may still persist.

Some smokers find themselves having to try again to quit the bad habit. This happens when a person returns to it a few weeks or months after quitting smoking. Only a small percentage of people can truly quit smoking permanently without help. Therefore, it is extremely important to seek help from a psychotherapist in a timely manner.

During the consultation, the specialist will explain the consequences of consuming tobacco smoke tar and nicotine and will help to form a strong motivation to quit smoking. With the support of a doctor, it will be easier for a smoker to overcome psychological dependence; he will learn to get out of stressful situations without the help of cigarettes. During sessions, the specialist uses techniques that promote relaxation, overcome psychological discomfort and change well-being, making the process of quitting smoking as painless as possible.

As a result, with the patient’s desire, the support of loved ones and the help of a qualified doctor, the person’s desire to smoke is suppressed, and the effect persists even several years after the end of psychotherapy.

Gastrointestinal tract

Even a minimal amount of nicotine has a negative effect on the mucous membrane of the digestive system. The following are subject to destruction:

• teeth and gums;
• stomach;
• intestines;
• liver and gall bladder.

The main reason for the development of gastric pathologies is slow digestion. Products remain in the hollow organ for a long time, which leads to increased production of aggressive hydrochloric acid and pepsin. Digestive enzymes and caustic juice damage epithelial cells. In a person with a long history of smoking, the negative process affects the deeper layers of the gastric walls. Their inner surface is deformed and growths form on it.

Smokers are rarely diagnosed with acute gastritis; it immediately takes on a chronic form, which is a precancerous condition. The body loses its ability to neutralize pathogenic microorganisms. Viruses and bacteria enter the ulcerated mucous membrane, forming infectious foci. They gradually enlarge and become the cause of a dangerous inflammatory process - peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. All smokers develop:

• slow digestion;
• death of beneficial microflora in the intestines;
• chronic constipation or diarrhea.

The beneficial bacteria that inhabit the intestines are replaced by pathogenic microorganisms. The absorption of vitamins and microelements decreases, which has a bad effect on a person’s appearance. His nails begin to peel, his hair falls out, and his skin loses its elasticity and firmness. Many women who resort to smoking as an effective method of losing excess weight do not think about this.

Nicotine can reduce appetite, but only for a short time. The metabolic processes of fats, proteins and carbohydrates are gradually distorted - body weight begins to increase. As a result, the person gains weight, but is no longer able to quit smoking due to the developed psychological and physical dependence.

The liver is located in close proximity to the gastrointestinal tract and over time begins to feel the negative effects of nicotine addiction. She experiences increased stress due to indigestion, so her tissues are damaged. The liver is one of the most important biological filters of the body - a decrease in its functional activity under the influence of nicotine affects other vital systems.