Nicotine therapy

This Week In The HSI Forum

Nicotine therapy: It sounds like something a smoker might claim to need right after a meal or at the end of a rough day. But believe it or not, nicotine therapy may eventually play a role in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Tourette’s syndrome.

“Nicotine” is the title of a Forum thread that addresses nicotine therapy, first with a posting by a member who calls himself “An Ex-smoker wondering.” Ex doesn’t actually have anything to say, he simply inserts part of an article titled “Nicotine Benefits,” written by Wanda Hamilton. Ms. Hamilton references research that indicates how smokers may have a reduced risk of AD and PD. In fact, one researcher claims that a smoker’s risk of Alzheimer’s drops by 50 percent, and “the more smoked, the greater the protection.”

In the e-Alert “Patching Up” (9/28/02), I told you how nicotine actually creates receptors in brain neurons called nicotinic receptors that help facilitate nerve impulses. Alzheimer’s patients are believed to suffer from a loss of nicotinic receptors, which results in memory lapses and problems with other brain functions.

But before you rush out to buy a carton of cigarettes, there are a few details that need to be recognized. Like: Trading Alzheimer’s for emphysema doesn’t make healthy sense. And: Nicotine may treat CNS disease symptoms, but there’s no evidence that it provides a cure.

In the “Nicotine” thread, a member named Chris writes: “I heard recently that they are going to try to develop a nicotine pill. Thought about taking up smoking again, but decided to wait and see what they develop since cigarette smoke has tar and many other bad chemicals. It appears the nicotine is the least harmful.”

A member named Jam backs up Chris’s observation about the chemicals in cigarettes.

Jam offers information about a study that examined a large group of smokers and non-smokers. He writes, “Most of the smokers ended up living longer and healthier than their counterparts.” Furthermore, none of the smokers developed cancer, but 11 percent of the non-smokers were diagnosed with cancer. And Jam finishes with an important note: “This study was done with pure tobacco leaf cigarettes made with no paper and not treated with chemicals.”

In other words, this research can’t be considered an endorsement for smoking typical cigarettes, which contain chemical additives that may be toxic.

More than two decades ago, research at Georgetown University showed that nicotine can protect brain neurons against damage and death. The problem is that nicotine affects a wide variety of neurotransmitter systems. So while it may provide benefits in some areas, it also increases blood pressure and heart rate. And this doesn’t even take into account the damage done to the respiratory tract by inhaling smoke into your lungs.

Bottom line: Whatever advantages nicotine may deliver, they’re not worth the disastrous side effects that smoking ordinary cigarettes has on the body. But don’t be surprised if we eventually see some form of controlled nicotine therapy emerge for CNS diseases. (Hmm that could make for an interesting battle: Big Pharma vs. Big Tobacco.)

Other topics on the HSI Forum this week include:

• Carbs increase CRP
• Cure for diabetes
• How do you treat mycoplasmas?
• Xylitol
• Air ionizers
• Yogurt

To join in with any of these discussions, just go to our web site at www.hsionline.com, find your way to the Forum, and add your own insights and comments about health, nutrition and natural treatments.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

Health Sciences Institute