Amazing new side effect of nicotine – it can help you eat less, live longer and even sharpen your brain. But only if you take it like this…

Cigarettes are arguably one of the deadliest consumer products ever sold; It causes around 76,000 deaths a year in the UK and millions more worldwide.

Now, in a surprising development, the very substance that makes cigarettes so addictive is being rebranded as a potential weapon in the fight against aging.

A growing number of Silicon Valley ‘biohackers’ claim that nicotine, long demonized as the hook that gets smokers high, can actually sharpen the brain, suppress appetite and even help people live longer.

They do not encourage people to smoke. Instead, they suggest that when nicotine is purified from tobacco and delivered in ‘clean’ forms such as patches or mouth pouches, it becomes something else entirely: a cognitive enhancer, a metabolic stimulant and a longevity aid.

As smoking rates have fallen to historic lows, the smokeless nicotine market has also taken off. Sales of oral nicotine pouches alone reached £200 million last year, with this figure expected to grow by 45 per cent annually.

At the cutting edge of the wellness world, a new niche is emerging: ‘long-lasting nicotine’, aimed at people who have never smoked but want to heal their bodies and minds.

Critics warn this is a dangerous reframing of an addictive drug with known risks. But proponents insist that nicotine has been misunderstood for decades and that its association with cigarettes has obscured its potential benefits.

Podcaster and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson is among those pushing the idea. Tucker Carlson runs nicotine pouch brand ALP and describes nicotine as a “life-enhancing, God-given” substance.

One of the loudest advocates is health entrepreneur Dave Asprey, who describes himself as the ‘father of biohacking’, a movement dedicated to hacking human biology to maximize performance and extend lifespan.

One of the loudest advocates is Dave Asprey, who describes himself as the ‘father of biohacking’ and claims his biological age is in his late 30s.

Asprey claims his biological age is in his late 30s and tests show his arteries resemble those of a 23-year-old.

He says nicotine is an important part of his routine. For the last five years, approximately 2 mg per day (one tenth of the nicotine in cigarettes) has been delivered via patch.

Biohackers argue that nicotine’s reputation has been unfairly tarnished by its distribution system.

‘When I say nicotine people hear smoking because the two are so tightly linked,’ Mr Asprey says. ‘But smoking contains thousands of other compounds that are harmful. Pharmaceutical grade nicotine is a different thing than purified nicotine.’

The cognitive effects of nicotine have some scientific basis, at least in the short term.

A 2021 review of 31 studies found that nicotine patches significantly improved attention compared to a placebo. Animal studies suggest this is due to nicotine binding to acetylcholine receptors in the brain (part of the neurotransmitter system that is central to memory and learning).

Activating these receptors can improve attention, working memory, and sensory processing.

Sales of oral nicotine pouches alone reached £200 million last year and are expected to grow by 45 per cent annually

“The rapid reach of nicotine into the brain activates reward pathways that enable people to experience pleasure,” says Adam Taylor, an anatomy expert from Lancaster University. ‘It also acts on memory pathways, making people more alert and improving working memory, attention and sustained focus.’

Researchers believe nicotine may also have longer-term protective effects. A 2018 study that analyzed data from more than 200,000 people found that smokers were significantly less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.

Experts suspect that nicotine plays a role. One theory is that it binds to receptors involved in dopamine signaling, a pathway known to be impaired in Parkinson’s disease.

But when it comes to aging, the evidence is weak.

A study in mice found that daily doses of nicotine improved ‘age-related symptoms’, possibly by stimulating cells involved in DNA repair. However, experts advise you to be careful.

‘We know very little about the effects of long-term use of nicotine in people who have never smoked,’ says Jasmine Khouja, a psychologist and nicotine researcher at the University of Bath. ‘Nicotine increases resting heart rate, and some evidence suggests that long-term exposure may damage the cardiovascular system.’

Professor Taylor adds that the stimulant effects of nicotine spread throughout the body. ‘They can cause muscle twitches and spasms, palpitations, high blood pressure and sleep disruption,’ he says. ‘These risks are higher in people with existing heart disease.’

Mental health is another concern. Smoking is linked to higher rates of depression, and switching to smokeless nicotine does not completely eliminate this risk.

‘There is no level of nicotine that would be considered low risk for everyone,’ says Dr Khouja. ‘The risks vary from person to person and we don’t yet fully understand them.

‘Nicotine products can help people quit smoking. But for non-smokers any cognitive benefits are likely to be short-lived and outweighed by addiction and withdrawal.’