We all are familiar with the term nicotine. It is naturally produced in plants like tobacco. It is also found in the form of nicotine salt present in tobacco leaves. People inhale nicotine through smoking. It has many disadvantages and some advantages too. Most people are unaware of their good uses because of its side effects.
Here is some brief knowledge about nicotine by which most people are unaware.
What is nicotine?
Basically, nicotine is a nitrogen containing the chemical. Mostly plants produce it like tobacco plants. It can also be prepared in laboratories. It is considered addictive material. Excess use or inhaling of nicotine can harm your body. It may cause different diseases. Following are some facts about nicotine:
- Chewing nicotine is more harmful than inhaling it.
- It may harm your lungs as well as your heart too.
- Nicotine also helps you in memorizing something.
- Addiction to nicotine is as dangerous as heroin.
Uses of nicotine:
Nicotine has widespread use in many industries. Here are some of its uses are mentioned.
Use as medicine:
One of the most popular use of nicotine as a medicine is used in quitting smoking. When a person addicted to smoking nicotine level of his body starts increasing when he quits smoking, his nicotine level start falling very quickly. So, it causes some side effects like nervousness, cravings for tobacco, and weight gain. Doctors inject less harmful nicotine in his body to recover his nicotine levels.
Nicotine also uses in the cure of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. According to research, these diseases are mostly observed in people who don’t smoke. But people who smoke remain safe from these diseases.
Use in pesticides:
Pesticides are insect or pest killers. They are mostly used in plants to kill harmful pesticides. Tobacco extract is also used as a pesticide. Nicotine is also used in the formation of some pesticides and insecticides. But now it is banned in many countries because of its effects on plants.
Effects of nicotine:
Nicotine is mostly inhaled by smoking cigarettes. It has many effects on the body. Some sudden effects of nicotine are the following:
- When you first time inhales nicotine through smoking, you will feel a sudden freshness. This is because of the release of the adrenaline hormone in your body. The adrenal gland is stimulated through nicotine.
- Inhaling nicotine also stimulates less insulin release in the body. which decreases the sugar level in your body
- Nicotine also affects your brain by stimulating dopamine. Because of dopamine, you feel pleasure and relax your mind.
- Nicotine also increases your heartbeat rate. This may lead you to a heart attack.
- Through nicotine, you can also enhance your concentration and memorizing ability.
Diseases cause by nicotine:
Addiction to nicotine can badly affect your health. It may cause severe diseases. Most of the effect of nicotine is on our lungs. Regular smoking may completely damage our lungs. It may also cause lung cancer. This will lead you towards death.
Nicotine may also affect your heart. It increases heartbeat and blood pressure levels. These situations may cause a heart attack. Some other severe diseases are leukemia, diabetes, infertility, gum disease, and mouth cancer.
