Nicotine can improve mood, concentration, memory and help prevent and alleviate the symptoms of a number of serious diseases.
Nicotine has a bad reputation because it is consumed in cigarette smoking.
Nicotine is part of the natural food chain
In its pure form it is safe, non toxic and is actually part of the natural food chain. Most of us consume trace elements of it everyday in a number of foods including:
Tomatoes, potatoes, and chilis, cauliflower, tea and eggplant.
The fact is, nicotine only provides the addictive nature of cigarette smoking and does not cause disease (that is some of the other 4,000 chemicals) present in cigarettes when smoking.
Implications for smokers
Many people who try and give up cant because Nicotine cravings kick in, however if they can get nicotine in pure form the chances of giving up increase dramatically.
We will look at some established and some new nicotine products outside of cigarettes later, but lets look now at why it's good for you.
Why Nicotine is good for you
Nicotine is known to switch on receptors on the surface of cells in the brain, causing these neurons to release the Neuro-transmitter dopamine - This chemical is know to lift our mood and give us pleasure.
It also affects other neuro transmitters which help improve memory, attention and concentration
This has led to medical research into treating diseases including:
Depression, Schizophrenia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease and attention disorders.
Drug companies are working on producing drugs containing pure organic nicotine for use by patients with the above conditions.
There is already one on the market which is simply nicotine in water with no chemicals added.
Originally aimed at smokers as an alternative simply when they cant or don't wish to smoke, this water is now popular with users who believe it has health benefits.
For smokers who want to give up smoking they need not be worried about taking nicotine and there are a wide variety of nicotine replacement therapies available including: Puffers, inhalers, gum and patches.
A Change in Reputation
Nicotine has had a bad reputation however, many people are now changing their views in the light of recent medical research and seeing nicotine as a cheap, naturally occurring compound with potential health benefits.
