September 19, 2022 • 1hr 50min

Nicotine’s Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping

Huberman Lab

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the biology and effects of nicotine, one of the most widely used substances globally. He explains how nicotine impacts the brain and body, including its ability to enhance attention, focus, and alertness, as well as increase blood pressure, metabolism, and reduce appetite. The episode covers nicotine's mechanisms of action in the brain, common delivery methods and their health effects, the challenges of quitting, and science-based tools to help people stop smoking or vaping.

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Key Takeaways

Nicotine is one of the most widely used substances globally, with billions of users. It has potent effects on the brain and body.
Nicotine activates several key neurotransmitter systems in the brain, including dopamine (reward/motivation), acetylcholine (attention/focus), and norepinephrine (alertness/energy).
The rapid dopamine release from nicotine, especially via vaping, makes it highly addictive. This can lead to dependence and difficulty quitting.
While nicotine itself is not carcinogenic, common delivery methods like smoking and vaping have severe negative health effects on nearly every organ system.
Quitting nicotine is challenging due to withdrawal symptoms, but methods like clinical hypnosis, medications, and nicotine replacement therapy can help increase success rates.
Understanding the biology of nicotine addiction and withdrawal can help people develop more effective quitting strategies, especially getting through the critical first week.

Introduction

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the biology and effects of nicotine, one of the most widely used substances globally. He explains how nicotine impacts the brain and body, including its ability to enhance attention, focus, and alertness, as well as increase blood pressure, metabolism, and reduce appetite. The episode covers nicotine's mechanisms of action in the brain, common delivery methods and their health effects, the challenges of quitting, and science-based tools to help people stop smoking or vaping.

Topics Discussed

Nicotine's Effects on the Brain (14:35)

Nicotine has powerful effects on several key neurotransmitter systems in the brain:

Dopamine: Nicotine triggers dopamine release in the mesolimbic reward pathway, creating feelings of pleasure and motivation. This is a key factor in nicotine's addictive properties.
Acetylcholine: Nicotine increases acetylcholine, enhancing attention, focus and cognitive performance. Dr. Huberman explains: "When acetylcholine is released from nucleus basalis, it tends to be released at particular locations in the brain that are associated with whatever activity we happen to be doing...And all of a sudden, those neural circuits get a boost."
Norepinephrine: Nicotine triggers norepinephrine release, increasing alertness and arousal.

These combined effects make nicotine a powerful cognitive enhancer, explaining why many people find it helpful for focus and productivity.

Nicotine's Effects on the Body (41:10)

Nicotine also has significant effects on the body:

Appetite suppression: Nicotine activates POMC neurons in the hypothalamus, reducing hunger and food cravings.
Increased metabolism: Nicotine can boost metabolism by 2-5%, contributing to weight control.
Cardiovascular effects: Nicotine increases heart rate, blood pressure, and cardiac contractility.
Muscle relaxation: Paradoxically, nicotine can relax skeletal muscles while increasing alertness.

Nicotine Delivery Methods and Health Effects (58:35)

Dr. Huberman discusses various nicotine delivery methods and their health impacts:

Smoking: Cigarettes contain thousands of toxins and carcinogens. Smoking severely damages the lungs, cardiovascular system, and nearly every organ.
Vaping: While containing fewer toxins than cigarettes, vaping still harms lung and cardiovascular health. The rapid nicotine delivery makes it highly addictive.
Dipping/Snuff: These methods greatly increase risk of oral cancers.
Nicotine gum/patches: These have fewer health risks but can still lead to nicotine dependence.

Dr. Huberman emphasizes: "Smoking, vaping, dipping and snuffing negatively impact every organ and tissue system and cell of the body by virtue of the fact that they all damage the endothelial cells."

Challenges of Quitting Nicotine (1:09:23)

Quitting nicotine is notoriously difficult due to several factors:

Powerful dopamine reinforcement makes the behavior highly addictive
Withdrawal symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and decreased cognitive function
Lowered baseline mood/arousal due to homeostatic adaptation
Ingrained habits and triggers associated with nicotine use

Dr. Huberman explains that only about 5% of people succeed in quitting cold turkey, with high relapse rates. Understanding the biology of withdrawal can help people develop more effective quitting strategies.

Tools and Strategies for Quitting (1:25:06)

Several evidence-based approaches can increase success rates for quitting:

Clinical hypnosis: A single session can increase quit rates to 23%. The Reveri app offers an accessible version of this approach.
Medications: Bupropion (Wellbutrin) can help manage withdrawal symptoms by increasing dopamine.
Nicotine replacement therapy: Using patches, gum, etc. to gradually reduce nicotine intake.
Understanding withdrawal: Knowing what to expect, especially in the critical first week, can help people push through difficult periods.

Dr. Huberman recommends combining approaches and emphasizes the importance of getting through the first week of withdrawal when relapse risk is highest.

Nicotine's Cognitive Enhancement Effects (32:11)

While emphasizing the health risks, Dr. Huberman acknowledges nicotine's powerful cognitive enhancement effects:

Increased focus and attention via acetylcholine activation
Enhanced motivation through dopamine release
Improved alertness from norepinephrine effects

He notes that for adults, occasional use of safer nicotine delivery methods (gum, patches) may provide cognitive benefits with fewer health risks. However, he strongly cautions against any nicotine use for those under 25 due to risks of dependence and impacts on brain development.

Vaping and Youth Nicotine Use (1:13:56)

Dr. Huberman expresses serious concern about rising vaping rates, especially among youth:

Rapid nicotine delivery from vaping makes it highly addictive, similar to crack cocaine
Vaping is often perceived as safer than smoking but still carries significant health risks
Early nicotine use can impact brain development and lead to long-term dependence
Vaping is associated with increased rates of depression, especially when use is discontinued

He emphasizes the need for education and intervention to address this growing public health issue.

Conclusion

This comprehensive episode provides a deep dive into the biology of nicotine, its effects on brain and body, and the challenges of nicotine addiction. Dr. Huberman explains why nicotine is so powerfully reinforcing while also detailing the severe health consequences of common delivery methods like smoking and vaping.

For those trying to quit, understanding the underlying mechanisms of addiction and withdrawal can inform more effective strategies. Tools like clinical hypnosis, medications, and nicotine replacement therapy can significantly increase success rates. Dr. Huberman emphasizes the importance of preparation, especially for getting through the difficult first week of withdrawal.

While acknowledging nicotine's cognitive enhancement effects, Dr. Huberman strongly cautions against its use, especially for young people. He expresses particular concern about the rise of vaping and its impact on youth. Overall, this episode provides valuable scientific context to help people make informed decisions about nicotine use and develop effective quitting strategies if needed.