It’s no secret that smoking is harmful to your health. Aside from causing cancer, lung disease, and heart disease, it also impairs your mental function and makes you more susceptible to illnesses.
While quitting smoking is important for your health, it is not the only reason you should try to avoid taking the drug. If you’re looking for a way to lose weight, you might be interested in trying nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
Does nicotine help with weight loss? Let’s find out.
Does Nicotine Help With Weight Loss?
The short answer is yes, it does. If you’re looking for a way to ease your way into quitting smoking, try using nicotine patches, gum, or inhalers. These products are able to slowly release small amounts of nicotine into the body.
In a 2009 animal study, researchers found that rats who used gum containing nicotine lost more weight than those who used placebo gum. Further, those rats who were administered nicotine patches also showed significant weight loss. In both cases, the weight loss was attributed to the nicotine itself and not to some other substance in the gum or patch.
These results suggest that nicotine replacement therapy is a viable option for patients seeking a way to lose weight. It is also worth noting that while rats are not humans, the results of this study indicate that nicotine may play an important role in weight loss in humans as well.
Can It Be Replaced By Diet Or Exercise?
When it comes to lifestyle changes and weight loss, many people think that nicotine is the only remedy worth trying. While it’s true that quitting smoking can help individuals lose weight, it does not mean that the reverse is not also true. In some cases, nicotine can actually serve as a distraction while eating healthy foods and getting plenty of exercise.
In a 2016 study published in the International Journal of Obesity, researchers led by Dr. Sookmyung Amy Lee examined the effects of a placebo gum in combination with diet and exercise on obesity in adults. The researchers wanted to determine whether or not gum could “amplify” the effects of diet and exercise, or whether or not gum was necessary for successful weight loss.
To answer this question, the researchers assigned 160 adults with an average BMI of 29 to one of four different treatment groups:
- A placebo gum group
- A placebo gum with diet and exercise group
- A gum group
- A gum with diet and exercise group
All four groups were matched in terms of age and gender. The only difference between the groups was the type of gum they received. While all the participants in the study reported that they decreased their weight after using the corresponding treatment, those who received both diet and exercise in combination with a placebo gum lost the most weight.
In addition to revealing the potential of gum to help patients lose weight, this study also showed the importance of diet and exercise in weight loss. The participants who lost the most weight also adhered to healthy eating behaviors and took the stairs instead of the elevator more often than those in the other groups. These individuals also reported feeling significantly less hungry throughout the day.
It’s clear that both diet and exercise can help individuals lose weight. Still, it is not always easy to give up the foods you crave or to go on a diet. That’s why many people try to lose weight by taking an over-the-counter drug like nicotine. However, while it might help you lose weight initially, it’s not exactly clear how nicotine helps the body to regulate its appetite. Furthermore, many people experience unpleasant side effects from taking nicotine, including nausea, insomnia, and irritability.
If you’re interested in trying to lose weight, it’s important to remember that there are safer, more effective options. In some cases, surgery can be an effective way to shed extra pounds. If that’s not an option, talk to your doctor about your other options for successful weight loss.