To the average person, nicotine is synonymous with cigarettes and tobacco smoke. It is an addictive substance that conjures up images of stained teeth, damaged lungs, cancer risk, and in the worst cases, death.

However, if you take a deeper look into the science behind this chemical, its benefits may come as a surprise to you.

The truth is that nicotine has so much more to offer than its infamous association with smoking and addiction. If anything, it is similar to caffeine, which is also a potent nootropic in its own right.

Like caffeine, it can be a most reliable cognitive enhancer when taken at low doses and in a pure form where it is free of any toxins or carcinogens. In fact, when you take nicotine away from chewing tobacco or cigarette smoke and examine its working mechanism in isolation, it ends up being a surprisingly powerful cognitive enhancer. 

And given the recent surge in the popularity of nootropics, many people have started to look at the potential benefits of nicotine when divorced from the traditional practices of smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco.

nicotine as nootropic

What Is Nicotine?

Nicotine is one of the most vastly studied psychoactive chemicals. It is an alkaloid with a protective role in nature where, in a manner similar to caffeine, it acts as a natural insecticide because of its action as a neurotoxin.

This keeps the plants from being devoured by small bugs, animals, or fungus. Several plants produce and store nicotine in their leaves. With a bitter taste and toxic potential in larger doses, it keeps hungry predators at bay. 

According to one study where researchers created a nicotine-free version of the tobacco plant, findings show that the nicotine-free version got attacked more routinely by herbivores than the nicotine-containing counterpart. The study goes to show how this substance has a defensive mechanism in plants that protects them from surrounding herbivores. [*]

But while nicotine appears toxic to small animals, humans are able to withstand it a fair bit and even get certain benefits from using it.

Alongside its plant-protecting potential, nicotine also offers specific cognitive benefits for people giving it the reputation of a potent nootropic. 

While the psychoactive substance is most notably found in tobacco, it is also present in trace amounts in members of the nightshade family such as eggplant, cauliflower, potatoes, and tomatoes.  

Nicotine Delivery In The Brain

Nicotine’s most notable nootropic benefit is its effect on specific receptors in the brain.

Upon reaching the brain, nicotine binds to nicotinic receptors that activate pathways which control attention, memory, motor function, and pleasure.

As nicotine attaches to these receptors, each type of receptor affects the brain in a specific way. And since nicotinic receptors are found in virtually every region and every cell type in the brain, nicotine has such diverse and wide-ranging effects. 

For instance, nicotine boosts neurotransmitter levels in certain parts of the brain. These include brain chemicals like dopamine, glutamate, and acetylcholine which play an important part in learning, memory, and concentration. 

  • Dopamine acts as a reward center in several bodily functions including memory, motivation, mood, movement, and attention, making it a big part of the uniquely human ability to think and plan. However, too much or too little of it is linked to several diseases, including Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, and ADHD. [*]

  • Glutamate is a naturally occurring molecule that is present in over 90% of all brain synapsis. It is used by neurons to send signals to other cells in the central nervous system and is essential to normal brain functioning offering cognitive benefits like learning and memory. It is essential to maintain optimal glutamate levels as any glutamate abnormalities can easily derange nerve health and neuronal communication. [*

  • Acetylcholine plays a critical role in cognitive function including all types of memory; long-term memory, memory formation, memory consolidation, and memory retrieval. Likewise, it is equally important for proper muscle function. Imbalances in acetylcholine levels have often been linked to mental health conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia and muscle/movement-related conditions like myasthenia gravis and Parkinson’s disease. [*]

Elsewhere in the brain, nicotine stimulates GABA and serotonin release which are neurochemicals that boost mood and relieve anxiety. 

While serotonin and GABA are known to lower anxiety, dopamine is the motivation neurotransmitter and acetylcholine and glutamate are heavily implicated in memory and learning.  

This is why nicotine has a seemingly paradoxical effect: it can calm down anxious people but it can also stimulate fatigue in people who are lacking in energy.

Upon taking nicotine, the drug rushes into the brain and floods the receptors instantly providing an almost instant buzz. Not only does this fast-acting molecule have a short half-life of just two hours, but it also reaches peak concentrations in the brain within 10 to 20 seconds. 

Nicotine Delivery In The Body

Along with providing some brain-boosting benefits when taken in low doses, nicotine can also provide benefits elsewhere in the body. 

For instance, it assists in providing more precise motor functions. Study participants showed improved control and fluid handwriting post nicotine consumption. [*]

It also allowed others to tap their fingers precisely and with greater speed without compromising accuracy. [*]

The drug also made study participants more vigilant. Participants with nicotine patches were able to attend better to a mentally tiring task longer than the control group. Nicotine gum had the same effect. 

It may even be possible to speed up reaction time when using nicotine. Study findings show that both smoker and nonsmoker participants reacted faster to visual cues after nicotine injection. [*]

And last but not least, it is believed that nicotine suppresses appetite. Anyone who wants to lose weight and manage their food cravings can use nicotine in a small dose to eliminate hunger and cravings. One study investigating this effect of the drug revealed that using low-dose nicotine gum paired with caffeine improved appetite suppression. [*]

On the flip side, too much nicotine can impact other organs in the body negatively, particularly the heart and cardiovascular system. The drug increases blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and over the long term, it can contribute to the hardening of artery walls. 

Nicotine also promotes the formation of new blood vessels, which has been linked to high cancer risk by bringing nutrients and oxygen to cancerous cells. While nicotine does not cause the tumor itself, in someone with cancer, it can aid the growth and metastasis of the tumors.  

Nicotine As A Nootropic

Taking nicotine as a nootropic depends on how you take it. While it is known to present harmful effects such as a greater risk of lung cancer, these negative side effects of nicotine are mostly associated with cigarette smoke and chewing tobacco.

Both these methods deliver more nicotine in high doses that are considered too much to benefit any cognitive function.

Research suggests that nicotine can speed up reaction time, improve working memory, and enhance focus and attention. 

In the capacity of a cognitive enhancer, nicotine administration is best seen as working on acetylcholine receptors in the brain where it stimulates and regulates the release of neurotransmitters including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. 

These are responsible for stimulating and mood-elevating effects inducing both relaxation and alertness as well as memory enhancement, anxiety reduction, and reduction in appetite and pain. 

The two most extensively researched areas regarding the use of nicotine to improve cognitive functions are attention and memory. 

Attention Boosting

As a nootropic performance enhancer, nicotine’s biggest contribution seems to be in the area of improved attention. This includes sustained attention, where studies have measured sustained attention vigilance tasks. 

Another is attentional switching where volunteers are required to switch their attention between two different sources of information and process information from both sources. 

And a third is selective attention which involves the process of sorting information by selecting relevant information and excluding distractions. [*

Nicotine seems to have performed well in all these areas indicating that the drug improves performance in these different areas of attention.  

Memory Performance 

With regards to memory performance, nicotine’s ability to stimulate nerve cell receptors in the brain by mimicking acetylcholine is a game-changer. This mechanism increases acetylcholine activity which is involved in attention, learning, and memory. 

While it may have some limited benefits for healthy adults, most of these benefits have been studied in relation to treating age-related cognitive decline or other neurodegenerative diseases.

Treatment For Neurodegenerative And Mental Health Diseases 

Nicotine is believed to help people who are cognitively impaired or have mental health disorders. The drug has been tested in clinical trials to treat Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD, and cognitive problems that accompany schizophrenia and depression. 

ADHD 

Research suggests that ADHD sufferers typically experience a higher rate of smoking than other demographics. Researchers believe this to be an attempt to self-medicate by using nicotine. 

Nicotine stimulates dopamine release which is a crucial neurotransmitter in ADHD. 

One study looked at how using a nicotine patch not only helped reduce anxiety and depression symptoms of ADHD, it also assisted smokers to stop using tobacco products while taking care of their ADHD symptoms. [*]

Another study compared nicotine to the effects of retaliation or placebo in treating ADHD. Results showed the nicotine group improved in performance and reduced errors. Plus, it reduced depression and the overall severity of ADHD symptoms. [*]   

Alzheimer’s Disease 

On another level, the positive effects this drug has on memory may be implicated in treating Alzheimer’s sufferers. Alzheimer’s is also recognized by a significant decline in acetylcholine levels in the brain. 

Since nicotine shares a chemical similarity to acetylcholine, some researchers hold the opinion that it may protect the aging brain from cognitive decline. Preliminary studies show promise that nicotine could possibly be a feasible treatment to prevent memory loss in people displaying signs of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia. [*]  

An initial study of 74 people with mild cognitive impairment, which is typically considered a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, involved giving nicotine to the participants. People who received it did better on cognitive tests than others who didn’t receive nicotine therapy. 

What’s more, some of those people showed improvement with some of the tasks over the course of six months indicating that nicotine might be a potential treatment for preventing cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s. [*]

Parkinson’s Disease 

Dopamine also plays an essential role in the effects of Parkinson’s as a dopamine deficiency has been linked to impaired motor control characterizing the disease. 

Research shows that nicotine stimulates neurons for boosting dopamine levels in typical brains. But evidence regarding the effect of nicotine on Parkinson’s is mixed.

While more research is needed in this area, a lot of it is trying to understand the way nicotine protects brain cells from damage. Some evidence also points to how nicotine may improve Parkinson’s symptoms like dyskinesia and trouble with memory.  

Depression

Limited research shows nicotine to have been examined for its scope in treating depression in populations who do not smoke. Participants were nonsmokers who were experiencing depressive symptoms. They were given either a nicotine patch or a placebo patch to wear and then had to undertake a standardized test to measure depression symptoms. 

Those who wore the patch for at least eight days experienced a significant decline in their depression assessment rating scores indicating that the drug could lead to an improvement in depression symptoms. [*]

How To Use Nicotine Safely

Lots of research has looked into the possibility of quitting smoking with the help of nicotine replacement therapy.

This involves the use of tools like a nicotine patch or nicotine gum. These devices substitute nicotine in a cigarette, delivering the drug at a slower and lower dose, so users don’t quite get the rush they would from the hit of a standard cigarette or the more contemporary e-cigarettes. 

One large meta-analysis shows that nicotine replacement products can increase the probability of quitting smoking by a significant 50-70%. [*]  

As nicotine’s cognitive effects have gained significant attention in recent decades, many people have now started using nicotine gum or nicotine patches as a nootropic.

  • Nicotine gum will release only 2-4 mg of nicotine over the course of 20 to 30 minutes. As a result, users do not get a euphoric hit from using nicotine gum but still get all of the energy benefits. It is possible to get addicted to nicotine gum but is very rare. On another note, one concern with using nicotine gum is that it contains aspartame and other artificial sweeteners.

  • Nicotine patches lie somewhere between nicotine gum and cigarettes. Nicotine patches have a higher nicotine content than gum but it gets absorbed through the skin slowly during the course of the day delivering the focus and energy users need. And while it isn’t particularly rewarding, users do experience a higher level of energy which is also more stable. 

  • Nicotine lozenges are easy to use but the majority are full of sweeteners and chemicals like aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. Some brands sell their lozenges as mini lozenges which are a better option as any sweeteners used will be in a much smaller dose, but it still delivers the cognitive nudge users need.   

  • Nicotine spray is a more recent invention that delivers around 100 sprays of 1 mg each per spray. It is sprayed under the tongue where it yields a quick burst of energy to sustain you through the better part of the day. 

Should you try to use nicotine as a cognitive medicine, it’s important to use it carefully. The safest bet is to take it periodically rather than daily.

Nicotine Dosage

For nootropic purposes, nicotine is dosed at 1 to 2 mg per dose. Most nicotine gum and lozenges follow this dosage safely for smoking cessation but it is possible to further split the dose by cutting them in half for cognitive enhancement. 

People typically do this two to four times daily to maintain energy and focus throughout their day. 

You can use nicotine gum and lozenges by chewing or sucking on them for around 30 minutes as the drug takes effect. It is best to stay away from coffee, soft drinks or other acidic beverages 15 minutes before taking nicotine. 

Nicotine Side Effects 

Nicotine is no doubt one of the most addictive substances, which when combined with harmful substances like those in cigarettes, can lead to over-exposure to dangerous chemicals and carcinogens. 

Research suggests it reduces elastin in the lungs which can contribute to the development of emphysema. However, this effect only occurs when it is inhaled through cigarette smoking or vaping. 

Nicotine has also been shown to negatively impact the immune system by decreasing certain immunological responses. T cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts are important immune cells that would have all been found to either become dysfunctional or be reduced because of this psychoactive substance. [*]

Although nicotine has strong effects on hormones like dopamine and adrenaline and can induce a range of cognitive benefits, it can have some significant negative effects on heart function. 

Catecholamine hormones like dopamine and adrenaline can increase heart rate and blood pressure and while this can help users to focus and remain alert, it can also reduce blood flow to the heart. This is a symptom that contributes to coronary vascular disease.

Nicotine has a short half-life which means it is quickly cleared from the body. The drug’s effects start to wear off within an hour or two and a couple of hours later withdrawal symptoms can set in.

This may put some users into a state of withdrawal where they feel irritable and agitated, experience poor mood, become anxious, are unable to concentrate, get hungry, or experience difficulty sleeping. 

The other major issue is tolerance as smoking triggers the nicotinic receptors to desensitize and become unresponsive to it. This mechanism works to protect the brain from overdosing on nicotine.

At the same time, up-regulation of receptors in the brain occurs meaning more of the receptors are produced to keep up with the influx of the chemical. Taken together, up-regulation and decentralization seem counterintuitive and more research is needed to establish why both mechanisms occur. 

Final Verdict 

Although justifiably recognized as an addictive drug, nicotine’s positive effect on dopamine and acetylcholine makes it an important nootropic. If you are looking for something to help with alertness, mood enhancement, and energy, nicotine may provide that.

However, to make the most out of nicotine as a nootropic and reduce your risk of side effects, it’s best to not consume it in an inhalable form. 

Instead, use nicotine intermittently, with a nicotine patch being a popular option. It is recommended to keep the dosage low and avoid inhalation. This will help you reduce your risk of nicotine addiction while still helping you keep the positive effects of nicotine in your nootropic routine.

Other safe ways to use this nootropic include using nicotine lozenges or a low-dose mouth spray which gives you benefits and minimizes the risk.

However, many effective nootropics and nootropic stacks are available that have zero or minimal potential side effects and provide similar benefits as nicotine. Click below to check them out.

Verdict

Although justifiably recognized as an addictive drug, nicotine’s positive effect on dopamine and acetylcholine makes it an important nootropic. If you are looking for something to help with alertness, mood enhancement, and energy, nicotine may provide that.

However, to make the most out of nicotine as a nootropic and reduce your risk of side effects, it’s best to not consume it in an inhalable form. 

Instead, use nicotine intermittently, with a nicotine patch being a popular option. It is recommended to keep the dosage low and avoid inhalation. This will help you reduce your risk of nicotine addiction while still helping you keep the positive effects of nicotine in your nootropic routine.

Other safe ways to use this nootropic include using nicotine lozenges or a low-dose mouth spray which gives you benefits and minimizes the risk.

However, many effective nootropics and nootropic stacks are available that have zero or minimal potential side effects and provide similar benefits as nicotine. Click below to check them out.