Nicotine’s Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping | Huberman Lab Podcast #90

Name: Nicotine’s Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping | Huberman Lab Podcast #90
Uploaded: 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
Duration: 3 h 46 min 37 s

Introduction to Nicotine

In this section, Andrew Huberman introduces the topic of nicotine and its various sources.

Nicotine Consumption

Nicotine is one of the most commonly consumed substances on the planet.

Most people consume nicotine via smoking tobacco, but there are other sources such as dip, snuff, patches, gum, pills and toothpicks dipped in nicotine.

Today's discussion will focus on separating nicotine from a discussion of smoking and vaping.

Smoking and Vaping

The detriments to health associated with smoking and vaping will be highlighted.

Vaping use is on the rise, particularly in young people.

Nicotine can lead to addiction for a number of other substances related to vaping.

Partnership with Momentous Supplements

In this section, Andrew Huberman announces his partnership with Momentous supplements.

Momentous Supplements

Momentous supplements are shipped internationally and have high quality ingredients.

Single ingredient supplements are supplied in dosages that allow you to build a supplementation protocol that's optimized for cost and effectiveness.

Key Takeaway from Previous Episode: Focus Toolkit

In this section, Andrew Huberman highlights a key takeaway from a previous episode about focus.

Focus Toolkit Episode

The toolkit for focus episode discussed behavioral, pharmacologic, and other interventions that can be used to increase concentration and focus.

Meditation and Neurochemistry for Focus

This section discusses two protocols that can help increase focus. The first protocol involves a daily 13-minute meditation practice, which has been shown to improve focus ability even outside of the meditation practice. The second protocol is called the arrow model of focus, which involves increasing acetylcholine, epinephrine, and dopamine simultaneously.

Daily Meditation Practice

A daily 13-minute meditation practice can vastly increase focus ability.

The meditation practice involves sitting or lying down, closing your eyes, and directing your attention to a place just between your two eyes and right above it.

Continually bring your focus back to that location just about an inch behind your forehead over and over again.

Positive effects on mood and other positive aspects of mental health and performance have also been observed.

Arrow Model of Focus

Think about focus on any goal or endeavor as an arrow with three components: the head (direction of focus), the shaft (energy for focusing), and a propeller/motor (ongoing motivation).

Acetylcholine largely sets the direction of your focus while epinephrine provides energy for focusing.

Dopamine provides ongoing motivation by pushing that arrow forward continually as you strive to focus on a particular thing.

Increasing acetylcholine, epinephrine, and dopamine simultaneously can enhance this arrow model of focus.

Alpha GPC Supplement Protocol

Alpha GPC taken in 300 milligram form 10 to 30 minutes before cognitive work or physical work will increase your focus by way of increasing acetylcholine.

Cognitive processing or other dopamine-increasing protocols can be used to achieve increased dopamine levels.

Timestamps are only available for some parts of the transcript.

Nutritional Tools for Focus

In this section, the speaker discusses how Alpha GPC can increase TMAO levels and how taking garlic capsules can offset that increase. He also emphasizes the importance of using behavioral tools first before focusing on nutritional or supplement-based tools.

Garlic Capsules and Alpha GPC

Garlic capsules can offset the TMAO increase caused by Alpha GPC.

It is uncertain how much Alpha GPC one needs to take before increasing TMAO levels to a point where it's of concern.

For most people, 300 milligrams of Alpha GPC taken every once in a while is sufficient.

Behavioral tools should be emphasized first before focusing on nutritional or supplement-based tools.

Prescription Compounds for Focus

In this section, the speaker mentions various prescription compounds that can be used to improve focus, such as Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil, Armodafinil, Vyvanse, etc., but emphasizes that they should only be prescribed by a board-certified physician.

Prescription Compounds

Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil, Armodafinil, Vyvanse are prescription compounds that can improve focus.

These compounds may be necessary for people with ADHD but should only be prescribed by a board-certified physician.

Nicotine and Neurochemistry

In this section, the speaker discusses the neurochemistry behind acetylcholine, epinephrine/adrenaline and dopamine and why nicotine is effective at increasing focus.

Neurochemistry of Acetylcholine, Epinephrine/Adrenaline and Dopamine

Understanding the neurochemistry of acetylcholine, epinephrine/adrenaline and dopamine is important for understanding why nicotine is effective at increasing focus.

Nicotine increases focus, motivation, working memory and cognitive capacity.

Thesis Nootropics

In this section, the speaker talks about Thesis nootropics which are custom-made to get you into optimal states of mind and body.

Thesis Nootropics

Thesis nootropics are custom-made to get you into optimal states of mind and body.

They have a clarity formula that's specifically designed for long bouts of cognitive work and an energy formula for challenging physical workouts.

To get your own personalized nootropic starter kit, go online to takethesis.com/huberman. Use the code Huberman at checkout to get 10% off your first box.

InsideTracker Personalized Nutrition Platform

In this section, the speaker talks about InsideTracker which is a personalized nutrition platform that analyzes data from your blood and DNA to help you better reach your health goals.

InsideTracker Personalized Nutrition Platform

InsideTracker analyzes data from your blood and DNA to help you better reach your health goals.

Regular blood work can help analyze factors that impact immediate and long-term health.

Nutrition, Exercise, and Supplementation

In this section, the speaker discusses nutrition, exercise, and supplementation. He talks about things to do, things to consider, and things not to do in order to bring those numbers into the ranges that are optimal for your immediate and long-term goals.

InsideTracker

InsideTracker is a tool that can help you optimize your nutrition, exercise, and supplementation.

Visit insidetracker.com/huberman to get 20% off any of InsideTracker's plans.

ROKA Eyeglasses and Sunglasses

In this section, the speaker talks about ROKA eyeglasses and sunglasses. He explains how they were designed with performance in mind and are great for wearing while running or cycling.

Features of ROKA Eyeglasses and Sunglasses

Designed for optimal clarity regardless of activities.

Extremely lightweight.

Terrific aesthetic.

Won't fall off if you get sweaty.

Discount Code

Go to roka.com and enter the code Huberman at checkout to save 20% on your first order.

Nicotine: Impact on Brain & Body

In this section, the speaker discusses nicotine's impact on our brains, bodies, mental performance, mental health, physical performance, and physical health.

Separating Nicotine from Delivery Device

It is important to separate out a discussion about nicotine from the discussion about the delivery device for nicotine.

Nicotine does not necessarily mean smoking.

Using Nicotine for Smoking Addiction

Many people use nicotine-like substances or nicotine itself in order to relieve nicotine addiction.

The speaker will offer various protocols for this later in the episode.

Nicotine and Brain Development

The speaker has a long-standing interest in nicotine and did research on its role in brain development early in his scientific career.

Acetylcholine and nicotine have important roles in normal brain and body function.

Nicotinic Receptors

Acetylcholine activates nicotinic receptors, which can serve as a gateway or trigger for directed rewiring of the brain.

Nicotinic receptors are locations in the brain to which nicotine binds and can exert its effects.

Nicotine: What It Is and How It Affects Your Brain and Body

In this section, the speaker talks about nicotine, its effects on cognitive function, and how it can be both beneficial and harmful to the body.

Nicotine Consumption

The speaker was surprised when he learned that an individual consumed three pieces of nicotine gum during a 45-minute conversation.

Chronic smoking impairs cardiovascular health and fitness. Smoking cigarettes or any form of smoking impairs lung health.

Nicotine disrupts lung endothelial function, lung function, blood vessels, making it harder to breathe with vigor, take deep breaths, deliver oxygen to tissues.

Nicotine can be protective against certain forms of cognitive impairment.

Nuanced Conversation About Nicotine

Nicotine-containing products have potential advantages and disadvantages.

Nicotine should not be confused with the delivery device through which nicotine arrives.

A nuanced conversation about nicotine is necessary as it has benefits and drawbacks for children, pregnant women, people with addictive tendencies or depression/mood disorders.

Nicotine can powerfully modulate mood.

What is Nicotine?

Nicotine is a substance found in tobacco plants but also in nightshades such as tomatoes, eggplants, sweet peppers.

The concentrations of nicotine in these plants are vastly lower than those found in tobacco plants.

Plants evolved alkaloids like nicotine as a way to prevent insects from eating them.

Nicotine is also used as a pesticide because it can disrupt the nervous system of insects.

Conclusion

Nicotine is a plant alkaloid that can both promote cognitive function and impair it under certain conditions.

Nicotine and its Effects on the Body

In this section, the speaker discusses how nicotine is pulled from plants and into the human body. The effects of nicotine are divided into two categories: effects on the brain and effects on the body.

Nicotine's Path to the Human Body

Nicotine can be ingested by inhaling smoke from tobacco plants or placing dried leaves against mucosal tissue.

Once in the bloodstream, nicotine binds to nicotinic receptors found in both the brain and body.

Burning tobacco releases nicotine, allowing it to be liberated and go into the bloodstream simply by inhaling it into the lungs.

Effects of Nicotine on the Brain

Nicotine binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain, which changes how cells behave.

The differences in these receptors dictate what sorts of effects nicotine will have on those tissues.

Effects of Nicotine on the Body

The main effects of nicotine in the body are mediated through its actions on peripheral nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

These include increased heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate.

Nicotine's Effects on Appetite and Metabolism

In this section, the speaker discusses how nicotine affects appetite and metabolism by binding to alpha four beta two receptors in the brain.

Nicotine's Effects on Appetite

Nicotine reduces appetite by binding to alpha four beta two receptors in the brain.

Direct effects of nicotine on appetite reduction and metabolism increase are caused by its effects on various areas of the brain and body.

Neurochemical Effects of Nicotine

It takes about 2 to 15 minutes for nicotine to enter the bloodstream when ingested through smoking or placing tobacco in contact with mucosal lining.

Nicotine can pass through the blood-brain barrier, which allows it to have rapid effects on the brain in four major categories of neurochemicals and neural circuits.

The mesolimbic reward pathway is a set of connections between a brain area called the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which connects to another area called the nucleus accumbens.

Nicotine triggers dopamine release from nucleus accumbens, increasing motivation, alertness, and feelings of well-being.

Nicotine also triggers release of certain neurochemicals from VTA itself that impinge on nucleus accumbens and increase dopamine levels further. This makes reinforcing properties of nicotine so powerful.

Nicotine increases dopamine while decreasing GABA activity within mesolimbic reward pathway involving VTA and nucleus accumbens.

Effects of Nicotine on the Brain

In this section, we learn about the effects of nicotine on the brain and how it increases motivation, decreases negative feelings of mood, and increases positive feelings. We also hear about Athletic Greens, a vitamin and mineral drink that supports gut microbiome.

Nicotine Increases Acetylcholine

Nicotine increases acetylcholine in the brain.

Acetylcholine is a neuromodulator released from multiple sites in the brain.

The two major sites are nucleus basalis and some brain stem areas.

Acetylcholine released from nucleus basalis leads to spotlighting or highlighting particular neural circuits in the brain.

Boosting Attention with Acetylcholine

When acetylcholine is released from nucleus basalis, neurons extend axons elsewhere in the brain.

Neural circuits get a boost when acetylcholine is released at particular locations associated with whatever activity we happen to be doing.

Nicotine increases acetylcholine and thereby focus and concentration by making more acetylcholine available at those release sites.

The Effects of Nicotine on the Brain

In this section, the speaker discusses the effects of nicotine on the brain and how it affects cognitive function.

Nicotine Half-Life

Nicotine has a half-life of 30-45 minutes depending on how it's ingested and whether or not there is food in the gut.

The effects of nicotine come on in about 2 to 15 minutes and last anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.

Chain Smoking

Chain smokers try to maintain constant levels of nicotine in their brain and bloodstream.

They smoke cigarettes to maintain a constant level of nicotine for whatever activities they need to perform.

Positive Effects of Nicotine

Nicotine increases dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway, which makes us feel good and motivated.

It also increases acetylcholine, which can increase our ability to focus on particular types of endeavors.

Nicotine also activates epinephrine or norepinephrine, which increases levels of alertness, energy, and arousal.

Negative Effects of Smoking

Smoking has terrible effects such as cancer and depletion of just about every organ and body tissue.

Ingesting nicotine through smoking or vaping in order to improve physical performance is a terrible idea because smoking impairs lung function.

Overall, nicotine has both positive and negative effects on the brain. While it can increase cognitive function by increasing dopamine, acetylcholine, and epinephrine/norepinephrine levels, smoking has many negative health consequences.

Nicotine and the Brain

In this section, we learn about how nicotine affects the brain and why it is such a powerful molecule.

Nicotine's Effects on the Brain

Nicotine sprinkles the brain with norepinephrine, which serves as a wake-up signal, elevating levels of energy.

Nicotine combines with acetylcholine from nucleus basalis to cause attentional spotlighting, increases in concentration and focus.

Nicotine triggers activation of all circuits for focus and motivation in one fell swoop.

Nicotinic receptors are naturally present in the brain and body, binding acetylcholine that's naturally released without any external trigger within your brain and body.

Appetite Suppressing Effects of Nicotine

The POMC neurons have a profound impact on whether or not you feel hungry or whether or not your appetite is suppressed.

When nicotine gets into the bloodstream and then into the brain, some of that nicotine binds to nicotinic alpha four beta two containing nicotinic receptors. As a consequence, these POMC neurons increase their electrical activity and appetite is suppressed.

Appetite and Nicotine

In this section, the speaker discusses how neural circuitry associated with appetite and suppression of appetite dictates whether or not a person prefers to move their mouth or chew. The speaker also talks about the effects of nicotine on metabolism and how it suppresses appetite.

Neural Circuitry Associated with Appetite

The neural circuitry associated with appetite and suppression of appetite dictates whether or not a person prefers to move their mouth or chew.

One way to suppress appetite is to sew the jaw shut neurally, or at least make it less likely to open your mouth and put food in it.

The gene that controls whether or not you open your mouth actually dictates weight loss more than calories in, calories out.

Whether or not you crave, desire, or impulsively want to put things in your mouth and chew it will dictate how many calories you eat.

Effects of Nicotine on Metabolism

Nicotine has direct effects on metabolism by increasing it transiently by 2% up to about 5%.

People who quit smoking often find that their appetite goes up, they sometimes gain weight depending on whether they offset that increase in appetite with increased physical exercise or decreased food intake in other ways.

Nicotine has certain effects on the brain by virtue of binding these nicotinic acetylcholine receptors found on some but not all neural circuits within the brain.

Nicotine is fat-soluble which allows it to pass through everything including the brain and body.

Nicotine Effects on the Body

In this section, we will discuss how nicotine affects the body and its organs.

Nicotine's Ability to Move Through Fatty Tissue

Nicotine can move through fatty tissue in the brain and body.

It can move from outside of cells to inside cells.

Effects on Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Contractibility

Within two to 15 minutes of ingesting nicotine, heart rate, blood pressure, and contractibility of the heart increase.

This is due to an increase in sympathetic activity of the autonomic nervous system.

The effects are balanced by the parasympathetic nervous system.

Nicotine causes more blood flow but also constricts blood vessels in many locations in the body.

Effects on Penile Girth

Smoking and vaping reduce penis size and have damaging effects on endothelial tissue.

When not smoking tobacco, many if not all disruptions of endothelial cell function can be bypassed.

However, nicotine still reduces blood flow to various tissues during its effects.

Relaxation of Skeletal Muscle

Nicotine has a relaxing effect on skeletal muscle while causing an increase in readiness and alertness.

Nicotine and its Effects on the Body

In this section, the speaker discusses how nicotine affects the body and why it is not ideal for physical performance but can be useful for cognitive work.

Nicotinic Receptors and Muscle Relaxation

Nicotine activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in muscles.

Increasing nicotine causes relaxation of muscles due to neural circuits upstream of the muscles.

The autonomic nervous system determines which receptors go where, making it a complex topic.

Effects of Nicotine on the Body

Reward pathways are turned on, attention is increased, alertness is elevated, blood pressure and heart rate increase.

Nicotine creates an interesting state of mind and body that is ideal for cognitive work.

Feeling agitated in your body makes it hard to do cognitive work.

Usefulness of Nicotine

Nicotine is generally a bad idea for pre-workout or enhancing physical performance but excellent for enhancing cognitive ability.

Ingesting nicotine by way of nicotine-containing gum increases levels of cognitive focus.

Other forms of delivery for nicotine such as dipping or chewing tobacco can be bad for your health as well.

Overall, nicotine has different effects on the body depending on what you want to achieve. It can be useful for enhancing cognitive ability but not ideal for physical performance. Different forms of delivery have different health risks associated with them.

Nicotine and Brain Development

In this section, the speaker discusses the impact of nicotine on brain development and how it affects cognitive function. The speaker also talks about the risks associated with ingesting nicotine at a young age.

Nicotine and Brain Development

Before puberty, during puberty, and probably for the next 15 to 20 years after puberty, avoiding nicotine is probably a good idea.

Ingesting nicotine in any form unless it's prescribed by your doctor for a very specific clinical reason seems like a terrible idea based on all the data that I've read.

For people who are 25 years or older, there may be instances in which increasing acetylcholine, dopamine, etc., by way of nicotine ingestion might be a good idea.

Increasing acetylcholine, dopamine, etc., by way of nicotine ingestion might be a good idea but certainly not by smoking, vaping or direct contact of tobacco to mucosal lining tissue.

Negative Effects of Smoking

In this section, the speaker discusses how smoking negatively impacts every organ and tissue system in the body.

Negative Effects of Smoking

Smoking negatively impacts every organ and tissue system and cell of the body by virtue of damaging endothelial cells.

Endothelial cells are strongly and negatively impacted by all practices related to smoking such as dipping tobacco or snuffing.

Cigarettes contain anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000 toxins including carcinogens such as tar in cigarettes even low tar cigarettes as well as ammonia within cigarettes formaldehyde contained within cigarettes and carbon dioxide that's generated from smoking those cigarettes.

Carbon dioxide has the negative effect of depleting the amount of oxygen that's delivered to any and all of our tissues by way of the impact of carbon dioxide binding hemoglobin and preventing hemoglobin from delivering oxygen to the tissues of the body.

The Effects of Toxins and Carcinogens in Cigarettes

In this section, the speaker discusses the presence of toxins and carcinogens in cigarettes, including ammonia, tar, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide. They also address the argument that everything is a carcinogen and explain how other environmental hazards like solvents can be carcinogenic as well.

Toxins and Carcinogens in Cigarettes

There are many toxins in cigarettes, including potent carcinogens like ammonia, tar, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide.

Other environmental hazards like solvents can also be carcinogenic.

While there are other carcinogens in the environment, smoking or vaping compounds their carcinogenic effect.

Smoking damages endothelial cells involved in delivering blood and nutrients to every tissue of the body.

The Reinforcing Effects of Nicotine

In this section, the speaker explains how nicotine triggers dopamine reinforcement pathways leading to increased focus and attention. They also discuss how nicotine's reinforcing effects make it difficult for people to quit smoking or using other nicotine delivery devices.

Nicotine's Reinforcing Effects

Nicotine triggers dopamine reinforcement pathways leading to increased focus and attention.

Nicotine's reinforcing effects make it difficult for people to quit smoking or using other nicotine delivery devices.

Increased dopamine resulting from nicotine use leads to positive effects beyond just triggering dopamine directly.

Negative Effects of Smoking on Lifespan

In this section, the speaker discusses how smoking reduces lifespan by an average of 14 years for every pack of cigarettes smoked per day. They also address how the brain's inability to understand opportunity costs contributes to people continuing to smoke despite knowing the negative effects.

Lifespan Reduction from Smoking

Smoking reduces lifespan by an average of 14 years for every pack of cigarettes smoked per day.

The brain's inability to understand opportunity costs contributes to people continuing to smoke despite knowing the negative effects.

The Dangers of Nicotine Delivery Devices

In this section, the speaker discusses the dangers associated with nicotine delivery devices such as cigarettes, vaping, dipping and snuffing.

Nicotine Delivery Devices Increase Cancer Risk

There is a 50-fold increase in mouth cancers from dipping.

Nasal cancers are greatly increased by snuffing and smoking.

Rates of heart attack, stroke and cognitive decline are all increased in people who engage in these behaviors.

Endothelial Cell Damage and Brain Function

Vaping causes endothelial cell damage to the lungs.

Cigarette smoking and vaping dramatically decrease cognitive function due to disruption of vasculature through endothelial cell dysfunction.

Working memory suffers as well as long-term memory.

High Number of People Consume Tobacco

More than 1 billion people consume tobacco every day to get their nicotine fix.

Estimates range from 200 million to 500 million for those who vape or smoke hybridly.

One-eighth to one-quarter of human beings consume tobacco in one form or another.

Consequences of Consuming Tobacco

Consuming tobacco increases the probability of cancer, stroke, heart attack, peripheral neuropathies, brain dysfunction (cognitive dysfunction/memory impairment), sexual dysfunction and cortisol levels.

The Effects of Nicotine on Health and Performance

In this section, the speaker discusses the negative effects of smoking, vaping, dipping, or snuffing on health. They also explain why people find it difficult to quit these habits despite their harmful effects. Additionally, they discuss how nicotine can enhance cognitive performance in certain circumstances.

Negative Effects of Smoking and Nicotine Addiction

Smoking, vaping, dipping, or snuffing are among the leading causes of preventable death and debilitating life conditions.

Despite 70% of cigarette smokers wanting to quit smoking, they find it difficult due to the brain neurochemistry involved.

Withdrawal symptoms from nicotine addiction include agitation and craving for nicotine due to a drop in dopamine levels below baseline.

Nicotine's Effect on Cognitive Performance

Nicotine is a potent cognitive enhancer that can improve cognitive performance in certain circumstances where complex motor skills are required.

A study found that nicotine delivered through gum was able to increase cognitive performance and motor output in baseball players hitting a ball off a tee with precise targeting requirements.

However, in most cases, nicotine does not improve physical output if delivered through smoking or other methods.

Quitting Smoking, Vaping, Snuffing, or Dipping

In this section, the speaker talks about the negative impacts of nicotine delivery approaches on our health and highlights that there are excellent ways to quit smoking. The speaker also mentions that nicotine is not the cause of cancer.

Nicotine Delivery Approaches

Nicotine delivery approaches such as smoking, vaping, snuffing or dipping are terrible for our health.

As many as 70% of people who smoke would like to quit but feel they can't because they've tried and failed repeatedly often or because it's just too scary.

Nicotine is not the cause of cancer. It's the other things in tobacco or associated with the nicotine delivery device that are causing cancer.

Quitting Smoking

There are excellent ways to quit smoking. Some of them are single event treatments.

People may find it difficult to quit smoking because the reinforcing properties of nicotine are too strong and therefore they can't imagine living without them or the withdrawal effects are too strong and they can't imagine living with those.

Vaping

Vaping pens include some liquid, involve heat, and do not involve burning off tobacco. They can be very low heat and use non-heating approaches to vaporize nicotine and allow it to enter the bloodstream very quickly.

Vaping resembles crack cocaine due to the speed of entry of nicotine into the bloodstream. Cocaine has a similar impact on dopamine system as nicotine does which makes both drugs addictive in nature.

Cocaine Addiction

Cocaine is one of the most debilitating drugs that humans can use because of the way that it impacts the dopamine system.

The only thing that can really trigger dopamine release is cocaine, which creates a loop and leads to addiction. Cocaine falls into the category of addictive drugs, strongly addictive drugs.

After using cocaine for some period of time, the amount of dopamine that's released becomes progressively lower so that people can never get back to a state in which dopamine release is ever as great as it was the first time they did cocaine or prior to doing cocaine.

Cocaine and Nicotine Delivery Mechanisms

This section discusses the delivery mechanisms for cocaine and nicotine, including snorting, injecting, and vaping.

Cocaine Delivery Mechanisms

People snort cocaine to bring it into contact with the mucosal lining of the nasal passages, allowing psychoactive substances to permeate into the bloodstream.

Injection is a direct application of cocaine to the bloodstream, resulting in a very rapid entry.

Crack cocaine is vaporized from a rock and resembles vaping of nicotine.

Nicotine Delivery Mechanisms

Vaping causes very rapid increases in blood concentrations of nicotine much faster than cigarette smoking or other modes of nicotine delivery.

The speed of onset determines how reinforcing, habit-forming, and addictive a particular substance is.

The onset of dopamine release from vaping is faster than cigarette smoking.

Concerning Practice of Vaping in Young People

This section discusses how young people are increasingly using vape pens at alarming rates due to their powerful reward properties.

Increase in Vaping Among Young People

Young people's brains are getting wired to expect dramatic and quick increases in dopamine under their control due to vaping's powerful reward properties.

Many college students are bringing vape pens into classrooms, which is concerning as it has become sport-like behavior among young people.

An entire generation of young people may be seeking out patterns or feelings due to the rapid increase in focus, alertness, mood, and wellbeing that comes with vaping.

The Dopamine Reward Pathway and Vaping

In this section, the speaker discusses how vaping affects the dopamine reward pathway in the brain and why it can lead to increased levels of depression.

The Dopamine Reward Pathway

Vaping causes a rapid increase in dopamine levels, which initially leads to a sense of satisfaction.

With repeated use, even at similar or higher levels of ingestion, dopamine activation decreases over time.

During periods of abstinence from nicotine consumption, people experience withdrawal symptoms that are associated with trying to get back to the same levels of dopamine release experienced when they first started vaping.

People who are abstaining from nicotine and vaping do not feel good and can experience psychological and physiological symptoms.

Negative Health Effects of Vaping

Vaping powerfully modulates the dopamine system with kinetics similar to those seen with crack cocaine ingestion in young people.

Over a brief period of time, vaping can lead to impairment of the entire dopamine reward system that can become permanently impaired unless one intervenes in a very deliberate way.

People directly control the rate and frequency of dopamine release by adjusting their inhalation schedule off the vape pen.

Vaping is harder to quit than cigarette smoking for most people.

Methods for Quitting Nicotine Ingestion

Most people who try to quit smoking cigarettes simply cannot.

There are behavioral and pharmacologic methods that have been shown to help people quit nicotine ingestion.

A powerful method for quitting nicotine ingestion by way of cigarette smoking, which also carries over to vaping, has been developed.

Clinical Hypnosis for Smoking Cessation

In this section, Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses the difference between clinical hypnosis and stage hypnosis. She explains how clinical hypnosis can be used to help people quit smoking and vaping.

Clinical Hypnosis vs Stage Hypnosis

Stage hypnosis is where a hypnotist dictates what the person thinks, says, and does.

Clinical hypnosis is where the patient directs their own brain changes towards a specific emotional or behavioral goal.

Using Hypnosis to Quit Smoking

Studies have shown that using a specific form of hypnosis, people can achieve complete cessation of cigarette smoking.

The success rate with this particular hypnosis developed at Stanford School of Medicine by Dr. David Spiegel is 23% of people who do this hypnosis one time succeed in quitting smoking.

Nowadays, you can access this hypnosis through an app called Reveri which has scripts for enhancing sleep, focus and smoking cessation.

Other Methods for Quitting Smoking

There are other methods that people have used to successfully quit smoking or vaping such as pharmacology approaches like nicotine replacement therapy or antidepressants.

According to a review article published in 2020 titled "Pharmacologic Approach to Smoking Cessation: An Updated Review for Daily Clinical Practice", estimates are as high as 75% of people who try to quit smoking relapse within the first week.

Overall, clinical hypnotherapy has been shown to be effective in helping individuals quit smoking. While there are other methods available such as pharmacological approaches, it's important to find what works best for each individual.

Addiction and Nicotine Replacement Therapy

In this section, the speaker discusses addiction and nicotine replacement therapy. They explain how sensory receptors in the lips create a reinforcement pathway related to addiction, and how dopamine released from nicotine contributes to positive reinforcement. The speaker also covers pharmacologic approaches to quitting smoking or vaping, including Bupropion.

Sensory Receptors in Lips

There is a density of sensory receptors in the lips that creates a reinforcement pathway related to addiction.

People bring things like food, cigarettes, or other lips to their mouth due to this habit.

Reinforcement Pathway and Positive Reinforcement

A reinforcement pathway exists for bringing things to the lips due to adaptive reasons.

Dopamine released from nicotine contributes to positive reinforcement that comes from increased focus.

Money earned through work or attentional ability funnels back into positive behavioral reinforcement and addiction.

Pharmacologic Approaches: Bupropion

Only 5% of people who try quitting with no support succeed; Bupropion increases success rate by tapping on mesolimbic reward pathway increasing dopamine levels.

Bupropion is an antidepressant used for depression treatment and smoking cessation; it increases release of dopamine and epinephrine as well as other neurochemicals.

Dosages vary depending on person but typically taken in 300mg per day doses divided into two dosages of 150mg each or slow-release formula; caution must be taken with patients who have liver disease or renal disease as there is an increased seizure risk with Bupropion.

Bupropion moves the success rate of quitting smoking or vaping from 5% to about 20%.

Smoking Cessation Approaches

In this section, the speaker discusses different approaches to quitting smoking or vaping. The speaker compares the success rates of Wellbutrin and clinical hypnosis approach with nicotine-based approaches such as nicotine patches, gum, and nasal sprays.

Nicotine-Based Approaches

People use nicotine patches or gum to maintain levels of nicotine in their bloodstream.

Gradually reducing the total amount of nicotine in the brain and body by reducing the number or size of nicotine gum pieces that they ingest each day is a successful approach.

Using lower dose patches that release less nicotine total or over time is also effective.

A combination of approaches such as using patches for some period of time, then switching to gum and perhaps switching to a nasal spray is most effective.

Pharmacologic Approaches

Bupropion is an effective pharmacologic approach for smoking cessation.

Other pharmacologic approaches generally circle back to increasing dopamine and/or norepinephrine in order to offset some withdrawal symptoms.

Success Rates

Combining different approaches has been shown to be reasonably successful in allowing people to quit smoking or vaping.

There hasn't been an extremely detailed study on how different methods work, but there's a logical structure based on absorption rates into the bloodstream.

Transdermal patches provide a fairly steady state dopamine release across the day which makes them very effective for about a week.

Different methods have different downstream consequences on dopamine, acetylcholine, epinephrine, and other systems of the brain and body.

Vaping Addiction

The speaker believes that very soon there will be a need for an all-out campaign for how to counter vaping addiction.

People wake up in nicotine withdrawal and then immediately go into the behavior of ingesting nicotine, or very soon after waking for most people.

The Power of Random Intermittent Reward

In this section, the speaker discusses how a random intermittent reward schedule is a powerful way to keep the system intentionally off balance and prevent it from expecting one single pattern or amplitude of dopamine release. This method can be used in casinos to take people's money and is also used in nicotine replacement therapy to help people quit smoking.

Random Intermittent Reward Schedule

The most powerful schedule of dopamine is a random intermittent reward.

Casinos use this schedule to take people's money by elevating their dopamine levels every once in a while.

Nicotine replacement therapy uses this schedule in a benevolent way to help people quit smoking by keeping the total amounts of dopamine variable around the clock and changing the amount that's released.

This helps people behaviorally and psychologically because they don't come to expect having a particular amount of dopamine in their brain and blood at any given time.

Homeostasis

Homeostasis is the tendency for biological systems to try and reach equilibrium.

When nicotine is ingested, there's an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, mood, alertness, etc.

Over time, after days or weeks of ingesting nicotine, the body adjusts so that the baseline upon which that nicotine-induced increase in arousal would occur is actually reduced.

The body seeks homeostasis so if there's a big increase in all those things like blood pressure and mood, typically your baseline will drop a little bit to compensate for those peaks so that they aren't quite as high as they were before.

Typical Contour of Autonomic Arousal Across the Day

In this section, the speaker talks about how autonomic arousal changes throughout the day and how nicotine affects it.

Autonomic Arousal

Autonomic arousal, mood, etc. typically follows a squiggly line across the day.

It increases in the morning because that's when body temperature and autonomic arousal increase.

Towards the afternoon, it comes sloping down.

Right before sleep, there'll be an increase again.

Nicotine superimposes on this contour so that there's an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, mood, alertness, etc. after ingesting nicotine.

Baseline Adjustment to Compensate for Nicotine Peaks

In this section, the speaker talks about how the body adjusts to compensate for nicotine peaks over time.

Baseline Adjustment

After ingesting nicotine at certain times of day regularly, your system gets used to a certain level of mood and alertness for those times of day.

Your baseline will drop to compensate for those peaks so that they aren't quite as high as they were before.

This is why people who quit smoking may feel like their mood and energy levels are lower than usual because their baseline has dropped to compensate for the nicotine-induced peaks.

Approaches for Getting Through Withdrawal

In this section, Dr. Huberman discusses the different approaches for getting through nicotine withdrawal and how they affect the brain's homeostatic mechanism.

Nicotine Withdrawal

Nicotine withdrawal affects the brain's homeostatic mechanism that sets mood and arousal levels.

The baseline level of arousal is lower than it normally would be because it has been adjusted down to offset the increases in mood and alertness when smoking or vaping.

People who quit smoking or vaping will feel much worse than they would have had they never started due to a reduction in dopamine.

Other healthy methods such as cold showers, exercise, and positive social interactions can help increase dopamine levels during withdrawal.

Getting Through Withdrawal

Understanding how the homeostasis process works and the time course of nicotine can help develop a protocol to get through withdrawal.

Knowing when you typically ingested nicotine can help prepare for particularly hard times during withdrawal.

Specific actions are needed to offset the decrease in overall autonomic arousal and dopamine during particularly hard times of withdrawal.

Hypnosis and Enhancing Neural Circuits

In this section, Dr. Huberman discusses the benefits of hypnosis in enhancing neural circuits that help individuals stay away from nicotine.

Routine Hypnosis

A routine hypnosis approach, maybe once a month or even once a week, can enhance neural circuits that allow individuals to stay away from nicotine.

This purely behavioral intervention is highly recommended as it helps reinforce circuitry that allows individuals to not feel the impulse to smoke or vape.

Alcohol and Nicotine Interaction

There is a vast literature on the fact that when people have quit smoking or vaping, consuming alcohol increases the probability of relapse.

There are interactions between alcohol and nicotine which will be covered in future episodes.

Quitting Smoking and Vaping

In this section, Dr. Huberman talks about quitting smoking and vaping with appropriate tools and understanding of underlying biology and psychology.

Quitting Smoking/Vaping

Despite 95% of people failing to quit smoking/vaping, with appropriate tools such as reinforcing your system with more dopamine through different protocols and tools offered by Dr. Huberman Lab Podcast, one can quit smoking/vaping.

The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding underlying biology and psychology while quitting smoking/vaping.

Nicotine - An Immensely Powerful Substance

In this section, Dr. Huberman talks about how nicotine is an immensely powerful substance commonly ingested by humans for a very long time.

Power of Nicotine

Nicotine is an immensely powerful substance and one of the most commonly ingested substances on the face of the earth.

Understanding the underlying biology and how nicotine changes psychology and physiology is important.

Supporting Huberman Lab Podcast

In this section, Dr. Huberman talks about ways to support the Huberman Lab Podcast.

Subscribing to YouTube Channel and Podcast

Subscribing to their YouTube channel is a zero-cost way to support them.

Subscribing to their podcast on Apple and Spotify, leaving up to a five-star review, and putting questions or comments in the comment section on YouTube are other ways to support them.

Sponsors Mentioned

Checking out sponsors mentioned at the beginning of today's episode is another way to support this podcast.

Momentous Supplements

The Huberman Lab Podcast is partnered with Momentous Supplements for enhancing sleep, hormone function, focus, etc. You can find those supplements at livemomentus.com/huberman.

Neural Network Newsletter

The monthly newsletter provides summaries of different podcasts and specific tools that you can use for cognitive enhancement or physical performance enhancement. It's completely zero cost.

Science and Nicotine

In this section, the speaker talks about science-related tools and their overlap with the content of the Huberman Lab Podcast. The speaker also discusses the biology and psychological effects of nicotine.

Science-Related Tools

The speaker describes science-related tools at various locations.

Some of these tools overlap with the content covered on the Huberman Lab Podcast.

Much of the content covered is distinct from that covered on the podcast.

Biology and Psychological Effects of Nicotine

The speaker discusses nicotine as an incredibly powerful substance.

The biological and psychological effects of nicotine are explored in detail.

Conclusion

The transcript ends with a thank you message to listeners for their interest in science.