Consequences of nicotine abuse (tobacco smoking) for the human body

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— Smoking prevention — Nicotine: disgusting, pleasant, dangerous

A drop of nicotine not only “kills the horse”, but also helps prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease. A click of a lighter, a few puffs - and after just 7 seconds, the molecules of the substance overcome the blood-brain barrier and begin to act on the brain. The effect of nicotine is not only the appearance of relaxation and high spirits. The substance also affects sleep and wakefulness rhythms, appetite, pain perception, digestion and the cardiovascular system.

Regular smoking leads to the formation of a dependence syndrome and chronic changes in tissues and organs.

Properties of nicotine

What is nicotine? It is an alkaloid - an organic heterocyclic substance consisting of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. The group of compounds owes its name to its slightly alkaline chemical properties. Most alkaloids have an effect on the nervous system, among those. What people hear most are caffeine, cocaine, morphine.

According to its physical and organoleptic properties, nicotine is a bitter oily liquid. At certain temperatures it easily mixes with water, their densities are almost the same - about 1 g/cm3.

Nicotine dissolves well in environments with low polarity. This causes its rapid absorption through the skin and the blood-brain barrier. At high pH values, it easily penetrates through mucous membranes.

Where is nicotine found? The alkaloid is isolated from the shoots of plants of the nightshade family (tobacco, tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes). The concentration in tobacco is maximum – up to 14%. Nicotine is synthesized in plant roots, transported and accumulated in leaves. In the human body and warm-blooded animals, the compound breaks down to form safe metabolites.

How much nicotine is in cigarettes

The range of lethal dose of the substance is from 50 to 100 mg. Recalling the drop of nicotine that killed the horse, toxicologists note that 2-3 drops are enough for a person. A person can get this amount of alkaloid from 1.5 packs of cigarettes.

How much nicotine is contained in 1 cigarette? The tobacco industry produces products of various strengths. The amount of nicotine in them ranges from 0.3 mg to 1.26 mg. For example, one Parliament cigarette can “supply” a smoker with 0.5 mg of nicotine, and a Marlboro “cancer stick” from a red pack can provide a smoker with 1.1 mg.

It is interesting that the strength of products in the line of one manufacturer can be determined solely as a subjective feeling. The filter of so-called light cigarettes has a larger number of perforations than their strong counterparts. This allows the smoker to draw in more air, due to which the concentration of nicotine and other toxic substances in the inhaled air becomes lower, and the taste is not so “rough”.

Another secret of “light” products: such products smolder on their own. The amount of tobacco gradually decreases, even if the person does not puff and just holds the cigarette in his hand.

The very idea of ​​grading cigarettes was associated with an attempt by tobacco corporations to retain consumers: smoking light products was presented as a process of giving up a bad habit. In fact, people increased their daily number of cigarettes because they believed they were getting less tar and nicotine. According to the WHO Framework Convention, the labeling “light” and “soft” on the package is prohibited.

Consequences of long-term smoking

In addition to the acute physiological effects of nicotine, smoking is an atherogenic, thrombogenic and carcinogenic factor. The mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases among smokers is 2 times higher than among those who do not smoke. Myocardial infarction in men who smoke at 30-49 years old occurs 5 times more often, at 50-59 years old - 3 times more often, and at 60-69 years old - 2 times more often than in those who do not smoke.

Women who smoke are highly discouraged from using any oral contraceptives!
This increases their risk of strokes by 20 times. Consequences of long-term smoking

The greatest threat to an arsonist is neoplastic processes, because about 30% of all deaths from cancer are caused by smoking. The structure of cancer incidence that has developed as a result of tobacco abuse is shown in the figure.

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Percentage of deaths from nicotinic cancers

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How quickly does nicotine leave the body?

After inhalation, nicotine is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and reaches the brain within a few seconds. The half-life (the time during which the concentration of a substance drops by half) is about 2 hours. Depending on the length of smoking and the method of tobacco use, the rate of intake and metabolism may vary. Information about this helps to understand:

• with what frequency does a person feel the need to “take a drag”;
• how to choose the right therapy to alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

About 30% of the nicotine that enters the body is excreted unchanged, the remaining 70% in the form of non-toxic cotinine. The complete breakdown cycle of nicotine takes about 6-8 hours. When answering the question of how long nicotine is removed from the body, experts give a time frame of 1-2 days.

Interestingly, the name of the cotinine metabolite is an anagram of the word “nicotine.” The substance has an affinity for H-cholinergic receptors, providing a weak anti-anxiety and antipsychotic effect. Its half-life is up to 20 hours. The study of the duration of the last use of medications or smoking is assessed by the presence of cotinine and nicotine in the urine.

A clinic where they can help

The harm of nicotine has long been proven, so you need to get rid of the habit. For 22 years, the IMC Addiction By Yuzapolsky clinic has been helping people get rid of addiction using specially developed proprietary methods. Specialists individually draw up a treatment plan according to the smoking history, psycho-emotional and physical condition of the patient.

Experienced neuropsychologists, narcologists, and psychotherapists work with each patient. There are rehabilitation programs for the patients themselves and their relatives. The clinic offers maximum comfort, there is a VIP department and single apartments. In this case, the treatment takes place completely anonymously. If you wish, you can choose an outpatient program.

Nicotine meets receptor

The effect of nicotine on the body is realized through communication with nicotinic cholinergic receptors (or N-cholinergic receptors) and partially with adrenergic receptors.

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for the autonomous functioning of internal organs. It consists of 2 parts - sympathetic and parasympathetic. The work of biologically active substances occurs at the level of synapses - places of contact between neurons and neurons or organ cells. Each of them consists of a presynaptic. postsynaptic membranes of cells and the gap between them.

The transmission of impulses in the parasympathetic department is carried out due to the mediator acetylcholine. When it interacts with the presynaptic membrane of the receptor:

• pupils constrict;
• blood pressure decreases;
• heart rate decreases;
• peripheral blood vessels dilate;
• muscle fibers of internal organs contract;
• The secretion of sweat, bronchial, digestive, and lacrimal glands increases.

But the work of acetylcholine is not limited only to the parasympathetic system. The mediator also “puts his hand” to the sympathetic department. By connecting to a receptor on the presynaptic membrane, it has an effect reminiscent of adrenaline. Namely:

• heart rate increases;
• blood pressure increases;
• the concentration of glucose in the blood increases;
• fat breakdown is activated;
• appetite decreases.

Nicotine has a similar structure to the important C-loop of the acetylcholine molecule, but the connection of the alkaloid with the cholinergic receptor is stronger. Chemists claim that its molecule ideally replaces acetylcholine in all parts of the autonomic nervous system. The effect of nicotine on the human body is almost identical and consists of its effect on receptors in various tissues.

One year after quitting smoking

A year without cigarettes is a serious achievement. During this period, the body usually recovers so much that the risk of stroke (by 30%), heart attack (by 50%) and the likelihood of lung and liver cancer (by 80-90%) is reduced. Women who have become pregnant by this point do not have to worry about the risk of miscarriage - its probability is almost the same as for non-smokers.

The risk of relapse is minimal, but it is worth remembering what you went through to get to this point. It is not worth risking such an achievement for the sake of one cigarette.

Nicotine and the brain

The effect of the alkaloid on the brain is associated with the activation of α4β2 receptors. They make up more than 80% of all H-cholinergic receptors in the central nervous system. Nicotine's affinity for them is so high that even acetylcholine cannot compete with it. These receptors take part in the release of mediators such as dopamine, GABA, and glutamate. This is how smoking improves attention and memory.

The effect of nicotine on the human brain is:

• in stabilizing the emotional background;
• in reducing anxiety;
• in increasing resistance to stress;
• in accelerating the reaction;
• in improving the perception of visual and auditory information.

In addition, the alkaloid activates metabolism in brain tissue and delays cell death. This circumstance formed the basis for clinical studies that have proven the effectiveness of nicotine as a means of preventing atrophic brain lesions (for example, Alzheimer's disease).

The effect of relaxation and increased resistance to stress, for which acetylcholine is responsible, plays a cruel joke in the formation of addiction. Since nicotine binds better to receptors, the body stops producing the mediator on its own. If a person decides to give up cigarettes or, due to various circumstances, cannot satisfy his nicotine hunger immediately, anxiety and irritability appear. Gradually, the addict begins to resort to smoking not in order to feel great, but in order to eliminate discomfort.

Symptoms of physical dependence are due in part to endogenous opioids in the brain. A constant supply of nicotine promotes the release of endorphins and enkephalins, which play an important role in reducing pain.

Nicotine “vigor” and “attractive slimness” are the result of the influence of the alkaloid on a certain group of neurons in the brain. These cells secrete substances that are involved in reducing appetite, breaking down fats and maintaining a high level of activity. When quitting smoking, a person may feel the need for large quantities of food and become lethargic and drowsy.

Nicotine and the cardiovascular system

As described earlier, the effect of nicotine on both parts of the autonomic nervous system is realized through changes in the lumen of blood vessels, heart rate, and fluctuations in blood pressure. Arterial spasm, tachycardia and increased pressure are the result of the release of adrenaline. The heart begins to work in emergency mode, pushing blood through narrowed vessels. It is forced to cope with the increased load. If a person smokes continuously, the blood vessels are constantly spasmed.

Nicotine also reduces the level of a substance called prostacyclin, which helps large and small arteries relax after contraction. The blood supply to all organs deteriorates, including the most important ones - the brain and heart. In fact, a smoker lives in a state of hypoxia.

Active and passive smoking destroys the membranes of cells located on the inner surface of blood vessels. Thus, changes in the aortic endothelium are observed even in infants 1 month of age, if their mother does not part with a cigarette. The dangerous effect of nicotine on human blood vessels can lead to sudden death. The risk of acute coronary syndrome in adult passive smokers compared with those isolated from tobacco smoke increases by almost 100%.

Activation of lipolysis and damage to vessel walls accelerate the development of atherosclerosis of any localization.

In addition, nicotine affects the rheological properties of blood. It increases the ability of platelets to stick together. Small clots form in the vessels. Blood viscosity increases, flow rate decreases. The presence of damage to the vascular wall leads to adhesion of formed elements and the formation of wall thrombi.

So the effect of nicotine on the human heart and blood vessels is to increase the risk of developing:

• arterial hypertension;
• coronary heart disease;
• heart attack, stroke;
• gangrene.

How does smoking affect the oral cavity?

Tobacco consumption causes a range of dental diseases and side effects. The effects of smoking on cavity are as follows:

• change in taste sensitivity;
• dark brown or black "smoker's plaque" on the teeth ;
• bad breath;
• gum diseases (periodontitis);
• leukoplakia of the mucous membrane (inflammation of the keratinization type);
• Oral cancer5 .

This effect of smoking on the oral cavity is due to the following factors:

1. chemical—cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxic compounds 5;
2. thermal - due to high temperature (300°C for smoldering tobacco, 900-1000°C at the time of puffing and 40-60°C for tobacco smoke6), the blood supply to the gums is disrupted, which leads to hardening of blood vessels and atrophy of gum tissue5;

Smoking can lead to an unpleasant mouth condition called halitosis. The reasons for this are as follows:

1. nicotine, tar and other products of tobacco combustion that linger in the oral cavity have a specific odor;
2. a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the oral cavity caused by smoking leads to an increase in the number of anaerobic microbes, as well as to the breakdown of proteins;
3. in smokers, the mucous membrane becomes dry - its desquamation increases;
4. Smoking is a risk factor for the development of inflammation in periodontal tissues and the appearance of tartar6.

Smokers have an increased content of pathogenic microbes in cavity that affect periodontal tissue. A feature of the clinical picture of periodontitis is minor external signs of inflammation and at the same time a sharply progressive loss of bone tissue5.

It has also been proven that constant tobacco consumption increases the growth of fungi of the genus Candida, which leads to the development of candidiasis in cavity (identified in 60% of men and women with this bad habit)7.

Oral diseases in smokers have a worse prognosis, including cancer, not only because of the local influence of tobacco, but also because of the effect on the immune system - the content of immunoglobulins IgG and IgA in the blood decreases 6 .

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