Nicotine and your heart

[digitalmechanic]

I, too, want to hear that nicotine is not a cardio or circulatory problem. But this study was clearly produced for Big Pharmaceutical. Read it with that in mind. It's all about NRT, which e-smoking is not. It's all about those small amounts the FDA allows in NRT products, not super bad 36mg liquid that some here use.

And it really doesn't say nicotine is safe. This we know: nicotine boosts heart rate and blood pressure, demolishes a good cholesterol ratio and constricts arteries. That's good?

My cholesterol is in the toliet (due to several factors), but the #1 reason my doctor pointed out to me is that tobacco smoke, not nicotine, increases LDL and obliterates HDL.

Since I'm heavy smoker (2-4 packs a day), he offered to prescribe me a nicotine inhaler. As nicotine mimics nictonic receptors, which should help improve across the board since it's one of the most common in the human body.

I showed him my screwdriver and 36mg liquid to see if it fits the bill. He examined it and said that this for the most part functions exactly like the inhaler, except for the fact I can control the dosage. 4 weeks prior my blood pressure was 140/120 when I was smoking. Now it's 120/80, shoots up to 125/90 after vap'n for about 10 minutes.

After five weeks of not smoking, my HDL has gone up 10 points. I haven't changed my diet or increased my exercise (i'm a professional sitter err programmer by trade). Now it could be the decrease in CO2 levels, with more oxygen in my system the body is more readily able to deal with badness in my system.

Along with quitting, other obvious benefits have ensured. That tall-tale smoker's cough...not anymore. Nor am I standing in the shower for an hour coughing up chunks of yellow, orange, pink or gray phlegm. I can actually ride my motorcycle without running out of breath after 10 minutes.

While it's unpopular to give nicotine any validity, the real demon here is tobacco smoke. Nictone doesn't do nearly all the evil that the most popular delivery mechanism does.


hmm seems i'm not allowed to post links to articles.

[digitalmechanic]

I guess it depends where the fingers in the latex gloves are going eh bob?

if both dr. jelly finger's hands are on your shoulders, it's not his finger.

[mctriple]

I've been vaping 24mg. There was some discussion in here about people not wanting to use strong concentrations, but here's an article which seems to say that the amount of nicotine you consume doesn't matter a whole lot:

The two take-home messages are that very little nicotine is needed to occupy a substantial portion of brain nicotine receptors," Brody said, "and cigarettes with less nicotine than regular cigarettes, such as 'light' cigarettes, still occupy most brain nicotine receptors. Thus, low-nicotine cigarettes function almost the same as regular cigarettes in terms of brain nicotine-receptor occupancy.

Won't let me post a link since I'm so new, but found it on sciencedaily. Article date is Sept 29, 2008.

[Kate]

That's interesting, I read that somewhere myself a while ago. Apparently there is an optimum dose for the feelgood factor with nicotine, anything more than that doesn't have any good effect.

[surbitonPete]

I wish we could get testing done on how much nicotine we are getting....because I am convinced that even though I am vaping quite a bit of the 36 mg I am not getting anywhere near the amount of nicotine I was from smoking tobacco.....every time I do have an analogue now....the nicotine 'high' seems to be stronger than ever.

[Kate]

I know, it's annoying that we don't have any facts to work with, just perceptions.

Might it be the lack of oxygen to your brain that you are noticing with hot ones Pete?

[surbitonPete]

I know, it's annoying that we don't have any facts to work with, just perceptions.

Might it be the lack of oxygen to your brain that you are noticing with hot ones Pete?

That is the mystery Kate.....perhaps it's nothing to do with the nicotine at all.....but it sure 'feels' like what we would consider a nicotine high.

[Harry Crazington]

That is the mystery Kate.....perhaps it's nothing to do with the nicotine at all.....but it sure 'feels' like what we would consider a nicotine high.

Well from what I've read, the something else is that tobacco has been treated with ammonia for years by the cigarette manufacturers to " help free up a quicker delivery of nicotine to the user", by doing this the nicotine is changed into "free" nicotine, which is really "crack nicotine". Similar to the crack ........ Google crack nicotine for the info. Also the cracked nicotine creates additional receptors in the brain, apart from the uncracked nicotine receptors. So in reality the brain is addicted twice by the same drug. e-cigs only deliver uncracked nicotine, our other brain receptors are not getting fed their cracked nic by the e-cig juice. AND the brain receptors never go away, the brain has been permanently changed by using nic. and will always want it's fix. Willpower is all that will keep you clean, just like an alcoholic....take that one drink, chances are you'll keep doing it more & more. Ammonia Treatment of Tobacco

[TropicalBob]

Now that is a fascinating read, Harry, and could explain a lot about the lack of satisfaction I get with e-smoking. I also noted which cigarette brand was done first with ammonia: True 85, the exact same True Blue I smoked for decades after moving down from Kent King Size for "health" reasons.

If this is correct, and it must be, I have two well established sets of nicotine receptors in my brain. I smoked Kent-True-USA Gold for 50 years, 30 a day. The nicotine I now get from e-smoking and using snus and dissolvable tobacco is totally absent the free (crack) nicotine part. And the receptors for crack nicotine were created during the addicting decades I spent smoking True cigarettes (my entire 30s and 40s).

That's why the craving-screams never cease in my head. Every day. All day. I've been a year and a half off cigs, and I could light up right now and carry on at my old level within a day or two. Part of my brain would say thank you; part would say you pulled the trigger of the weapon that will kill you.

Very insightful, Harry. I think you hit it with that paper. Thanks for posting.

[surbitonPete]

Well from what I've read, the something else is that tobacco has been treated with ammonia for years by the cigarette manufacturers to " help free up a quicker delivery of nicotine to the user", by doing this the nicotine is changed into "free" nicotine, which is really "crack nicotine". Similar to the crack ........ Google crack nicotine for the info. Also the cracked nicotine creates additional receptors in the brain, apart from the uncracked nicotine receptors. So in reality the brain is addicted twice by the same drug. e-cigs only deliver uncracked nicotine, our other brain receptors are not getting fed their cracked nic by the e-cig juice. AND the brain receptors never go away, the brain has been permanently changed by using nic. and will always want it's fix. Willpower is all that will keep you clean, just like an alcoholic....take that one drink, chances are you'll keep doing it more & more. Ammonia Treatment of Tobacco

Well I don't think I am going to add ammonia to my e-juice....lol