Effect of Cigarette Nicotine on The Brain
In present day and age, smoking is something so widespread that
it will only be fair to regard it as a socially acceptable norm. Tobacco has
always been smoked in one form or another for what seems like an eternity and
as the years progressed, it appeared in the form of cigarettes. Smoking has
always been a controversial issue, one that has been raising eyebrows ever
since its adoption as an addiction. The reasons people start
smoking are entirely different from the ones that prevent them from giving up
this life threatening habit. Research has concluded and it has also been
medically proven that smokers put quitting smoking next to impossible as cigarettes
contain nicotine which is an exceedingly addictive drug.
Some physicians even claim that nicotine can be as addictive as
cocaine or heroin which leaves no doubt as to why individuals fail to quit it
once they get started. While it is obvious that the nicotine in cigarettes
makes you vulnerable to certain health hazards, the way it affects the brain
and other organs remains a mystery.
Physicians believe that the
way nicotine can make a smoker feel depends on the quantity and frequency of
intake. Based on how much and how often you smoke, one can restrain the influence
of nicotine on the brain and body. When nicotine enters the body, it instructs
the brain to release a hormone called adrenaline. Often called the 'fight or flight' hormone, adrenaline causes an increase in
heartbeat, raises blood pressure and causes irregular or shallow breathing.
Apart from all these general effects, adrenaline also instructs
the brain to release glucose into the blood. This also negatively affects the
functioning of one other hormone known as insulin. This makes smokers prone to
hyperglycemia or diabetes. This happens because of the disturbance of the two
hormones which means that a smoker is likely to have more sugar than desired in
his blood.
In addition, nicotine is also
believed to reduce one’s appetite. Again, diabetes can be a feasible
explanation. When the brain receives signals regarding the increased blood
sugar levels, it translates it into satiation, hence, the smoker experiences
loss of appetite.
Nicotine also influences
one’s metabolic rate. This means that if you are making efforts for weight
loss, nicotine will accelerate the process. Even if nicotine helps burn
calories faster, you can never secure the desired health benefits by using it
for weight loss.
What makes nicotine all the more menacing for the heart is the
fact that is that it constricts the arteries. It is a medically proven fact
that nicotine causes an increase in levels of LDL, often termed as bad cholesterol. So,
if you are consuming nicotine in one form or the other, you are actually at a
higher risk for stroke and other heart diseases.
In short, nicotine is the
magnet that compels smokers to stay hooked to it. It may make smokers feel good
for the time being but in the long run, it can affect the brain and body
devastatingly. In order to steer clear of any undesired and menacing health
issues, throw nicotine out of your life once and for good.
