Nicotine organically occurs in tobacco plants, but tobacco isn’t the only plant where it can be found. In fact, nicotine actually occurs in the leaves of some of the foods you eat, including tomato plants. Nicotine is a hotly debated subject, perhaps due to the fact that it can have both negative and (seemingly) positive effects on the body. However, because nicotine can be deeply addictive, its effects on both the body as well as the brain are largely negative. And, though nicotine is most prevalent in tobacco cigarettes, today’s e-cigarettes can also contain nicotine, a fact that can cause health risks. Following is valuable information about the nicotine contained within these products, as well as tips for healthy living that may help you to make a final choice about your personal use of nicotine.
What is nicotine?
Nicotine is an organic compound that can be found naturally occurring in the leaves of a number of plants, most commonly known as occurring in the leaves of the tobacco plant. Though nicotine in small amounts is not necessarily harmful (as noted above, it can be found in the plants of some foods such as tomatoes), because in larger doses it is a highly addictive compound, the nicotine delivered to smokers via cigarettes can pose a number of health risks, including a racing heartbeat as well as altered brain function.
What are nicotine’s effects on the body?
Nicotine is capable of entering the human body through both mucous membranes in the nose or mouth, as well as through the skin. Because smokers receive nicotine into the lungs, they are also receiving carbon dioxide and nitrogen. One of the first things nicotine does in the body is to cause an adrenaline release or ‘rush.’ This can cause the heart to race, which causes a rise in blood pressure. One health risk this situation in the body poses is fooling the body into thinking there is excess glucose in the bloodstream.
What are nicotine’s effects on the brain?
The most significant health risks posed by nicotine are its effects on the brain. Because nicotine produces a feeling of happiness or satisfaction, smokers want to produce and reproduce that feeling, typically as much or as often as possible. Therein lies the addictive effect of nicotine.
Nicotine withdrawal
Because nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can pose many health risks to the human body and brain, it is important to eliminate its use. However, because of its addictive properties, quitting its use can be extremely difficult, especially due to the symptoms that accompany such withdrawal or elimination of use. Withdrawal symptoms, which can include severe cravings as well as emotional symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, and even depression, can, last as long as a month or even two months. This fact is only one reason that nicotine is so difficult to kick in all its forms.
Do e-cigarettes contain nicotine?
The simple answer to this question is: yes. But, do e-cigarettes pose as much of a health risk as smoking cigarettes? Though they’re much newer on the market than cigarettes meaning their effects largely are still being researched, most e-cigarettes do contain nicotine which can render them just as addictive as cigarettes themselves. As above, when you stop using any product that contains nicotine, you can go into withdrawal.
Though nicotine is an organic compound that can be found in the plants of many foods, another simple fact about nicotine is that it is a highly addictive substance. For this and other reasons, nicotine use can pose many health risks. Yes, smoking cigarettes delivers a substantial load of nicotine whose increased use causes more and more addiction. But cigarettes are not the only product that delivers nicotine. E-cigarettes also contain nicotine, and that means they, too, can be harmful. If you’re looking for daily health tips that can decrease your health risks and increase your chance of living a healthy life, consider eliminating all forms of nicotine use from your life. Because, when it comes to tips on living a healthy life, avoiding tobacco products and products that include nicotine in all its forms tops the list of best practices for adding vibrant years to your life.
