Friends in Low Places - The Positive Effects of Nicotine

Welcome back on a wonderful Wednesday, Natty Gang!

On the docket for today is a somewhat controversial topic that we BRIEFLY touched on in an earlier post, but now seems like a good time to expand on: Nicotine. Thats right, the Bogeyman we all grew up learning was the cause of death and destruction that outpaced guns n liquor combined.

Well, turns out, Nicotine itself really ain’t that bad, and in FACT, is a bit of a miracle molecule. As someone who hates burying the lead, before we dive in, let’s not get it twisted - tobacco is a complete dumpster fire of a substance, and we WILL address that. NOW, with that disclaimer out da way, what we actually gon’ look at today:

• Why you saying dis? - The Backstory

• Brain NOS - The Positive Effects of Nicotine

• Don’t forget to pack your Zyn - Safely consuming Nicotine

• Silver Bullet it is Not - Why you Still Need Caution

Before we get rolling, make sure to sub up TODAY:

Why you saying dis? - The Backstory

Why are we talking about this today? WHAT could have possibly prompted a deep dive into this topic? Well like anything worth chatting about, there IS in fact a story behind this. Couple weeks back, I was in Vegas for a conference for an entire week. Now, I have a thing about Vegas - Gotta be hauling on a vape the whole time. In a time past, the novelty of a dart at all times except in the elevator or in a limo was just too much for me to pass on - and thus was born a foul tradition, one thats evolved into the more (possibly?) health conscious one of temp vape the whole time I am there. BUT, typically I am there a couple days, not an entire week - so this time, daddy got a little hooked.

Long story short, I wasn’t going to be vaping back on Canadian soil due to my fiancée’s disgust with the smell, but I needed to ease off, and some pouches were the answer. This all coincided with me having a 2 day turnaround before my bachelor party - and an associated conference backlog to unfuck before I got rolling. Enter the log of Zyn’s sitting on my desk. Now, I had been vaguely aware of the potential positive cognitive effects of Nicotine for a while - but I was now desperate, gave it a quick look, got the thumbs up from Daddy Peter Attia, and it was go time. Result? What felt like a low dose of Adderall for controllable bursts. Placebo effect? Possibly! Though science seems to have my back here…

Brain NOS - The Positive Effects of Nicotine

While there are definitely a few positive effects, right now, we are gonna take a look at using it for the purpose I was, and that y’all can use as a lifehack literally tomorrow - Enhanced Attention & Focus. Addy-lite, if you will.

One study conducted by Levin et al. (2017) investigated the effects of nicotine in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The researchers found that nicotine significantly improved attentional performance in individuals with ADHD, suggesting that nicotine may have a potential therapeutic role in managing attention-related difficulties. Addy-lite, indeed… we may be onto something here Gang Gang.

Furthermore, research conducted on non-smoking adults has also shown promising results. Hahn et al. (2018) conducted a study where non-smoking participants received nicotine through transdermal patches. The results revealed that nicotine administration led to significant improvements in sustained attention and working memory. These findings suggest that nicotine may have a direct impact on cognitive processes associated with attention, enabling individuals to stay focused for longer periods and maintain optimal cognitive performance. Not only for those with ADHD, this is for all non-smokers, which, if you still hack darts, knock it off.

So why is this all happening? Well, the mechanism behind nicotine's effects on attention and focus is thought to involve its interaction with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain. These receptors play a crucial role in regulating attention and cognitive processes. By binding to nAChRs, nicotine enhances the release of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which are involved in attention and arousal. This increased release of neurotransmitters is believed to contribute to the improved attention and focus observed with nicotine administration. This is exactly what we briefly covered in our dopamine article - pump the dopamine - get dat work done.

One other area of interest is on selective attention. What dat? Selective attention refers to the ability to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring distractions. While a tad dated (holy eff, 2000 was 23 years ago) A study conducted by Rusted et al. (2000) found that nicotine improved selective attention in non-smoking adults. Participants who received nicotine performed better on tasks that required them to focus on relevant information while filtering out irrelevant distractions. This suggests that nicotine may enhance the ability to selectively attend to relevant stimuli, leading to improved cognitive performance in tasks that require attentional focus. What’s that mean? Less drive to switch to Insta vids of Mike O’Hearn, wondering aloud how he did it all naturally

TLDR: Shit can help you get DIALLED.

Now, there are a couple other POTENTIAL effects of this, but IMO, the research is sketchy at best, and I have a difficult time recommending what amounts to my adult study drug as a solution to Alzheimer’s - but hey, maybe we will address that when we start to tackle Longevity.

Alright Natty Lyfe, that’s all fine n dandy - but how are we getting this into us without smelling like the parking lot of a rural hardware store?

Don’t forget to pack your Zyn - Safely consuming Nicotine

Well, hate to be the bearer of bad news Vaper’s but you ain’t it. Firstly, the inhalation of aerosolized substances, including nicotine, can have adverse effects on respiratory health, potentially leading to lung damage and respiratory illnesses. On top of that, the long-term consequences of vaping are still largely unknown as the practice is relatively new. Additionally, there have been reports of severe lung injuries associated with vaping, highlighting the importance of exercising caution and seeking evidence-based information when considering vaping as an alternative to traditional smoking. Sorry y’all, you fell out of frying pan into the heated filament.

So, what are the options? Well hilariously enough, the ones that USED to indicate you were an absolute savage with no self control - Nicorette gum or Patches. These puppies are the purest form, and also the least off-putting. Clean pouches also work - but from experience, they also can absolute knock you on your keester, while also rubbing your lip raw as sushi. Figure out what works for you if you are getting on the train!

Alright, so this can’t just be this simple, can it? WELL, Mr. Critical Thinking skills, you’d be right!

Silver Bullet it is Not - Why you Still Need Caution

Now, in spite of everything we just talked about in terms of positive effects of nicotine on cognition, it is essential to approach these findings with caution. Nicotine is STILL a HIGHLY addictive substance, and its cognitive benefits should not overshadow the well-established health risks associated with smoking or nicotine dependence. Remember in our initial story, WHY I even had the pouches? I was fully addicted - legit felt like dying without it after LV - i.e. there is a SERIOUS chance you take ‘er too far. The other big thing we CAN’T ignore is plain and simple - most people ain’t chewing nic-gum or healthy pouches - they are hacking darts or mucking lippers. Let’s make no mistake here - Tobacco is straight up AWFUL for you. You want cancer? Smoke or chew - you will probably get it. Those PSA’s we all grew up with are legit - and there’s a reason some countries are outright banning it, that shit WILL kill you.

So where does that leave us? Well the fact of the matter is Nicotine IS a useful molecule, but in the exact same breath, so is Morphine. If you want to utilize it to it’s full potential, make sure you can keep it on the rails, or else this may not be the wonder-drug for you.

Till next time, stay sexy Natty Lyfe,

J + H