How long does nicotine stay in the body?

When smoking, snorting, chewing tobacco, or using an e-cigarette, nicotine enters the human body. For some time, this neurotropic poison lingers in the body. Medical tests can detect traces of it in the body. In the article, the reader will find out how long it takes for the alkaloid to be completely eliminated from the body.

Metabolism of nicotine in the human body

When smoking cigarettes, approximately 10 percent of the toxic substance enters the body. In addition, this toxin easily enters the bloodstream through the skin, mucous membranes or digestive organs. Therefore, you can be poisoned by nicotine if, say, you spill vaping liquid on your skin. For the same reason, snuff and chewing tobacco are dangerous.

During passive smoking, a person also receives nicotine. Some of it remains in the blood for some time.

The amount of nicotine that enters the body when smoking depends on many different factors. First of all, this is the presence or absence of a filter in the cigarette. Also, the amount of poison entering the body is noticeably greater if a person sniffs or chews tobacco.

The half-life of nicotine is 2 hours. This means that 2 hours after smoking a cigarette, half of the toxic alkaloid is removed from the body. After the same time, the effect of nicotine completely disappears. This forces a person to smoke another cigarette.

Nicotine is processed in the liver. In hepatocytes, this substance is converted into metabolites, including anabasine, cotinine and others. Cotinine stays in the body the longest. A cotinine test is used to determine whether a person has a craving for smoking. Cotinine is completely removed from the blood 2 weeks after smoking the last cigarette. If a person smokes from time to time, then cotinine is not detected in the urine after 4 days. The breakdown products of this substance last the longest in the hair and nail tissue.

By analyzing hair and nail plates, you can determine whether a person has smoked. However, doctors rarely use such methods due to their high cost.

Having a half-life of 2 hours, nicotine completely disappears from the blood 8 hours after smoking. After the same amount of time, the alkaloid is found in the urine as the kidneys begin to excrete it. This process lasts on average a day. After this, only decay products of the neurotropic poison are found in urine.

It should be borne in mind that nicotine is excreted from the body in small doses. Even if there is no this alkaloid in the blood, the tissues and cells contain other substances that came with tobacco smoke. Some of them are carcinogenic.

The effect of cigarettes on humans

Obviously, it can hardly be called positive. The first to be hit is the respiratory system, on which the main harmful micro- and macroelements settle. The gastrointestinal tract is also affected.

Let us note that the tobacco of ordinary cigarettes from the mass market includes more than 3,000 different chemical compounds and individual elements, which cover almost the entire periodic table. These include some of the most powerful poisons, such as cyanide, hydrocyanic acid and arsenic. In small concentrations they have no lethal effect, but with prolonged use they cause irreversible changes in the human body.

Carcinogens, such as benzopyrene or chrysene, are found in combustion products of tobacco products. They provoke uncontrolled tissue division, which significantly increases the risk of developing not only lung cancer, but also the throat, lips, tongue and even the stomach.

Radioactive elements are also found in low-quality products: for example, polonium and lead, which are practically not excreted naturally and accumulate in various organs and systems.

However, nicotine remains one of the main causes of cigarette abuse. 20 pieces (the approximate daily intake of a heavy smoker) contain 130 mg of this substance. If you think in terms of the well-known saying about a horse, a person receives about 2,600 drops of outright poison per day.

The compound acts directly on the nervous system, attacking nicotinic receptors. This provokes a hormonal release, due to which the brain receives positive reinforcement. A gradual increase in dose leads not only to the formation of tolerance, but also to the suppression of the endogenous production of the natural analogue. This pattern is typical for the formation of addiction at the mental and physiological level.

How can you measure the concentration of nicotine in the body?

There are several ways to measure the level of alkaloid in the blood.

Blood analysis

This is an accurate test that detects both nicotine and cotinine. A blood test to determine these substances is also the most expensive, so it is rarely used in clinical practice.

Saliva studies

Such tests are the most sensitive of all survey methods. They are also the most accessible. Saliva contains levels of nicotine or cotinine that are one third higher than those in blood serum. In addition, saliva testing is one of the most accessible.

The material is collected by performing a swab of the oral cavity. The cotton swab is placed in a sealable container.

Urine tests

Higher concentrations of cotinine can be found in urine, 6 times higher than those in blood. This analysis is relatively simple. To carry it out, you just need to soak the test paper for a few minutes. Then she shows the result.

Hair research

This is the most reliable, but at the same time the most complex method for determining the presence of nicotine or its metabolic products in the human body. This is also the most expensive and slowest method. Hair may be tested in cases where the results of the main analysis are questionable. The advantage of this analysis is that hair can retain residues of nicotine, cotinine and other breakdown products for three months.

Smoking or wiping?

Research on inhalation levels of nicotine from vape juice is currently inconclusive. Nicotine tests can also detect nicotine in the body when people use an e-cigarette or vape device.

Viping is a relatively recent invention, and therefore little research has examined its short- and long-term effects. Researchers don't yet know whether the body reacts to nicotine differently than when consuming nicotine through cigarettes.

Current research has produced mixed results. Some studies say that vaping delivers less nicotine to the body than cigarettes, while others say cotinine and nicotine levels may be higher in people who vape.

Additionally, it is difficult to tell how much nicotine is inhaled from a vape device. This is due to the fact that vaping solutions contain varying amounts of nicotine.

Researchers continue to study the following factors that may determine how much nicotine is consumed when vaping or using an e-cigarette.

Factors affecting the rate of nicotine elimination

Medical research suggests that nicotine is completely removed from the body in about 3 days, and its breakdown products in about 2 weeks. The speed of this process depends on the following factors:

• the number of cigarettes consumed by a smoker;
• smoking frequency;
• nicotine concentrations in cigarettes;
• method of consumption of tobacco products (smoking, chewing, snorting or vaping);
• simultaneous use of alcohol and drugs (in this case, the liver is overloaded, and the breakdown of the alkaloid occurs more slowly);
• age (the older a person is, the longer toxins stay in his body);
• gender (the female body gets rid of poison faster, especially if the woman is taking hormonal medications);
• heredity;
• race (representatives of the Caucasian race metabolize nicotine faster than Asians and residents of the African continent);
• filtration capacity of the kidneys.

Nicotine and its metabolic products are also excreted through sweat, lungs and saliva. During lactation in women, cotinine and other metabolites are found in milk.

Some medications also affect the rate of nicotine elimination. Antibiotics and barbituric acid preparations accelerate the breakdown and elimination of the alkaloid and its breakdown products. This process is slowed down by some antifungal agents and drugs for the treatment of arterial hypertension.

Literature:

1. Tobacco smoking: harm, ways to quit [Electronic resource] / Ovchinnikov B.V., Dyakonov I.F., Zobnev V.M., Dyakonova T.I.; under general ed. V. K. Shamrey. – St. Petersburg: SpetsLit, 2012. – 45 p.
2. Chemistry of tobacco and shag / A. A. Shmuk, full member of the All. acad. agricultural Sciences named after V.I. Lenin. - Moscow ; Leningrad: Pishchepromizdat, 1938 (M.: 11 type. MOOMP). – 544 p.
3. Organic chemistry: textbook. aid for students of education. institutions prof. education / L. M. Pustovalova. - Rostov n/d: Phoenix, 2005 (JSC Book). – 317 p.

Ways to speed up the removal of nicotine from the body

There are effective methods that allow you to speed up the removal of nicotine and its breakdown products from the body. Experts recommend such measures to cleanse blood and tissues.

1. Drinking large amounts of liquid. It is best to drink water, fruit and vegetable juices. To speed up the process, it is recommended to take diuretic decoctions.
2. Visiting a sauna or steam bath. Along with sweat, not only harmful metabolites are released, but also products of basal metabolism. The sauna helps to recover from any type of intoxication.
3. Exercise, running, walking in the fresh air.
4. Treat liver and kidney pathologies in a timely manner. Damage to hepatocytes leads to the fact that nicotine takes longer to be eliminated from the body.

When trying to break a bad habit, a person may experience breakdowns. To prevent this from happening, you need to find a hobby. An interesting activity will both distract from thoughts about a cigarette and bring pleasure, which is important in the process of acquiring the habit of a healthy lifestyle.

If you have a strong desire to smoke, it is recommended to temporarily use nicotine replacement medications. These can be tablets, patches, chewing gum. Nicotine-containing medications will make the process of quitting smoking less painful. In this case, the concentration of the alkaloid in the blood will decrease gradually.

When consuming tobacco products, nicotine enters the human body. It lingers in the blood and tissues for some time. The alkaloid and its breakdown products are still present in the blood and urine for several days after smoking the last cigarette. Simple and effective methods allow you to speed up the elimination of toxic substances.

What can be detected in the analysis of alcohol intoxication?

The measurement and interpretation of alcohol concentrations in blood and other biological samples are routine procedures in forensic medicine and toxicology.

After drinking alcoholic beverages, the alcohol (ethanol) contained in beer, wine or spirit is diluted with the contents of the stomach before it is absorbed and transported by the blood to all organs and tissues of the body.

A blood alcohol test measures the amount of ethanol (CH3CH2OH) in the body. Alcohol absorption into the blood can be measured within minutes of drinking an alcoholic drink.

The amount of ethanol in the blood reaches its highest level an hour after drinking. Food in the stomach increases the time for alcohol levels to reach their highest levels.

About 90% of alcohol is destroyed in the liver. The rest of the booze leaves the body in urine and breath.

A person is intoxicated if the blood alcohol concentration exceeds 80 mg/dL or higher.

An alcohol test only measures the amount of alcohol in the blood at the time the sample is taken. It does not show how long a person has been drinking or whether he has problems drinking alcohol.

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.

Other toxic substances

So, after two or three days, nicotine completely disappears from the body, and after a week, cotinine, which is a breakdown product of nicotine, “goes away.” Just seven days and no traces of nicotine remain in your body. Wonderful, isn't it?

But, unfortunately, nicotine is only one, and by no means the most dangerous, of more than 4,000 toxins that enter the body with cigarette smoke. And it would be naive to believe that a week after quitting smoking, a person who has been poisoning himself with tobacco smoke for years will get rid of all poisons, as if by magic.

Do not confuse the concepts of “rate of nicotine elimination” and “getting rid of the consequences of smoking.” And if nicotine is eliminated in a matter of days, then when cleansing the body of the effects of smoking, the count goes on for months and years.

• It will take up to three years to completely clear your lungs of tar, and the likelihood of lung cancer will decrease only after 10 years of quitting smoking. However, within six months you may notice a significant improvement in your breathing.
• Recovery of the digestive system can take several months, and sometimes a year or longer.
• Blood circulation normalizes within 3-4 months.
• It can take up to 15 years to completely restore the body to the level of a non-smoker!

The conclusion suggests itself: the sooner you give up smoking, the sooner your body will start the self-healing process, the faster you will cleanse yourself of accumulated toxins. But that is not all! You don’t have to just sit and wait for waste and toxic substances to leave your body. It is in your power to “spur” this process:

Drink enough water

Most toxins are eliminated through the urinary system, and drinking enough fluid will speed up the cleansing process.

Saturate your body with oxygen

A sufficient amount of oxygen helps accelerate metabolic processes and break down toxins. Regular ventilation of the home, walks in the fresh air, in the forest, will have a beneficial effect on health and well-being.

If you have no contraindications, go to the bathhouse! The Russian bath is a wonderful help for cleansing the body.

Vitamins

Take enough vitamins - your body really needs them.

Lead an active lifestyle

Do yoga, take long walks, do morning exercises, the main thing is not to overdo it, allow yourself to adapt to the new rhythm of life.

Milk

Dairy products have the ability to bind toxins, so increase them in your diet.

Read more about how to cleanse yourself from the effects of smoking here...

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Then come to us for a marathon on quitting cigarettes. Don't just quit smoking, don't quit.

Biochemistry of a smoker

According to the World Health Organization, smoking is still one of the main threats to human health, and nicotine addiction is considered very severe. On cigarette packs, frightening illustrations of the possible consequences of smoking “scream” about the danger. However, what actually happens at the molecular level in the body after inhaling cigarette smoke? N + 1 talks about what is contained in cigarettes and tobacco smoke besides nicotine, as well as ways to identify a smoker

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With this article N+1
continues the project “When the smoke clears.” It focuses on smokers, nicotine, the ethical, biochemical and anthropological aspects of smoking practices, as well as the basic science associated with this phenomenon - toxicology, issues of data openness and much more. The project was prepared with support from Russia. The opinions of the authors of the articles may not coincide with the position of the company.

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Anagram game - nicotine, cotinine...

During smoking, smoke particles deliver nicotine to the lungs, where it is quickly absorbed, that is, absorbed into the blood, and enters the pulmonary circulation. Nicotine then enters the systemic circulation and ends up in the brain, where it binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, which usually bind the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Stimulation of these receptors leads to the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Dopamine is an integral part of our brain's reward system and is released in large quantities during pleasurable events - even when eating delicious food. As a result, a person again and again feels the desire to repeat an action that in the past led to the release of dopamine. And thus, the binding of nicotine to the receptors of dopaminergic neurons (that release dopamine) is an important step in the formation of smoking addiction, described in more detail earlier in another article as part of the When the Smoke Clears project.

Most of the nicotine that enters the smoker's body is metabolized in the liver to cotinine, which is structurally very similar to nicotine. Despite its similarities to nicotine, cotinine has a number of features that make it useful as a biomarker of smoking exposure—a substance whose concentration in human tissue can indicate whether a person smokes or not. An important characteristic of a biomarker is its half-life - the time during which the substance loses approximately half of its pharmacological effect. Nicotine has a relatively short half-life (about 10-11 hours), while cotinine has a longer half-life (about 17-20 hours) and can be detected for several days after nicotine enters the body.

Structural formulas of nicotine and cotinine

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Levels of nicotine and its metabolite, cotinine, can be assessed in blood, urine, saliva, as well as in hair and nails. Urine testing is one of the most convenient methods because it is a non-invasive test, but measurements of nicotine and cotinine in hair and saliva can provide a more accurate identification of smoker (including second-hand smoker). Despite their relative accuracy, tests for nicotine and cotinine are still based on only one component of cigarettes, and their results can vary greatly depending on the individual characteristics of the person. In addition, such biomarkers do not provide insight into biochemical changes within the body in response to cigarette smoke.

11 friends of nicotine

Analysis of the transcriptome, a collection of mRNA (ribonucleic acid) molecules formed as a result of gene transcription, can help more accurately determine smoking status. It is important that such markers be highly specific and sensitive, regardless of individual characteristics, differences between laboratories in which research is carried out, and methods for isolating nucleic acids.

Scientists at the Philip Morris International Research Center, using analysis of large data sets, identified 11 markers based on the level of gene expression: LRRN3, SASH1, PALLD, RGL1, TNFRSF17, CDKN1C, IGJ, RRM2, ID3, SERPING1, FUCA1. It turned out that with their help it is possible to determine with high accuracy not only whether a person smokes, but even to distinguish a person who has never smoked from a former smoker.

Prior to research involving volunteers, most testing is carried out on laboratory animals, as trials involving humans involve more stringent regulation of the ethical and legal aspects of the research. In addition, laboratory model organisms have a relatively fast life cycle and development of pathologies, making them more convenient to work with.

The study was carried out on laboratory mice, some of which were exposed to cigarette smoke for seven months, some simulated quitting smoking (after two months of exposure to cigarette smoke, the mice again breathed filtered air), and the rest of the mice were healthy lifestylers - they were protected from tobacco smoke. It turned out that six of the 11 genes are universal for both humans and mice, and with their help it was possible to form a fairly accurate profile of the expression of smoker genes.

Toxic comrades

Determining the profile of a smoker based on the expression of his genes is not yet a widespread analysis, but research in this area is underway, and perhaps such a test will be available to everyone relatively soon. But studies related to the study of the effects of smoking on the body are not limited to assessing the level of nicotine and cotinine - some other components of cigarette smoke are also measured along with the study of a number of biochemical indicators of the body.

First of all, a smoker inhales carbon monoxide along with tobacco smoke. Carbon monoxide is toxic to humans - because of it, most often people get seriously poisoned or even die during fires. Normally, hemoglobin binds with oxygen and carbon dioxide and, transporting them in the blood throughout the body, thus ensures the respiration process. In the presence of high concentrations of carbon monoxide, a complex between hemoglobin and oxygen (oxyhemoglobin) cannot form, since the bond between carbon monoxide and hemoglobin is irreversible, and their complex, carboxyhemoglobin, is much stronger. As a result, oxygen transport and cellular respiration are disrupted. Smokers have increased levels of carboxyhemoglobin. Even with a ten percent level of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood, a person may experience severe headaches and nausea.

Structural formulas of hemoglobin complexes with oxygen (oxyhemoglobin) and carbon monoxide (carboxyhemoglobin)

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Nicotine is the main alkaloid in tobacco, but in addition to it, some other alkaloids are present in tobacco. The most common of them are nornicotine, anatabine and anabasine. It is believed that most of these alkaloids are formed either by bacterial activity or during the processing of tobacco. These compounds are responsible for the formation of tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines - chemically stable compounds that have carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. The most common N-nitrosamines in tobacco are 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), N'-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), N'-nitrosoanabasine ( NAB), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and some others. Nitrosamines can be found in some cosmetics and even foods, but their levels in cigarettes and tobacco smoke are much higher. Being carcinogens, nitrosamines in the human body can contribute to the development of cancer.

Structural formulas of some characteristic tobacco N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) N'-nitrosoanabasine (NAB), N'-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and N-nitrosamines – 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)

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In addition to N-nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) - organic compounds consisting of two or more aromatic rings of carbon atoms - also have carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. PAHs are formed from the incomplete combustion of many natural organic substances, such as petroleum, wood or tobacco, and are found throughout the environment. Several hundred different PAHs are found in tobacco smoke. These compounds are usually found in the air as part of complex mixtures. Taking this into account, benzopyrene is most often used as a single indicator to assess the degree of PAH pollution in the air or in the body . This PAH is the most well studied and is one of the most powerful carcinogens among other compounds in its series.

Benzopyrene
is one of the most potent carcinogens among polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in tobacco smoke.

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The negative consequences of smoking are often considered not only in the context of the potential threat of developing cancer, but also in the case of the development of cardiovascular diseases. This is often due to a violation of lipid metabolism in the body. The development of atherosclerosis can be significantly enhanced by abnormal lipid and lipoprotein profiles in the blood plasma. Cholesterol is involved in many processes - it is a precursor for the synthesis of certain hormones, and a component of cell membranes, and it also produces bile acids, which enable the breakdown and absorption of fats in the intestines. However, when there is an excess of cholesterol in the blood, it can be deposited in the walls of the arteries, which leads to the formation of plaques that impede normal blood flow. Normally, this does not happen due to lipoproteins. Cholesterol itself is insoluble in water, so for transport throughout the body it binds to special proteins - apolipoproteins.

This complex between cholesterol and apolipoprotein is a lipoprotein. Depending on the proportions of the components included in the complex, several types of lipoproteins are distinguished - high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). It is thanks to HDL that the processing and removal of excess fats from the body is ensured. At low HDL concentrations, excess cholesterol is not cleared from the body in time and can accumulate in the form of plaques, which we mentioned earlier. LDL, on the contrary, are the main carriers of cholesterol in the body and their high concentrations can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.

Studies aimed at studying the effect of smoking on the development of cardiovascular diseases are often conducted in ApoE -/- mice. Such mice are unable to express the ApoE gene, the product of which is apolipoprotein E, a glycoprotein necessary for lipid transport and metabolism. ApoE -/- mice have congenital hypercholesterolemia (increased cholesterol levels in the blood) and, as a result, are particularly prone to the development of atherosclerosis.

Long-term exposure of ApoE −/− mice to cigarette smoke resulted in an increase in most blood lipids and the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Also, interaction with cigarette smoke caused an inflammatory response in mouse lung cells, characterized by higher levels of expression of markers of alveolar macrophage activation - CD54 (ICAM1), CD86 and CD11b. When exposure to cigarette smoke was stopped, the inflammatory response was attenuated and the progression of atherosclerosis was reduced.

In addition to a wide range of different organic compounds, tobacco smoke also contains many heavy metals. In cigarettes, the combustion temperature of tobacco can reach values ​​of the order of 900 degrees Celsius. At such high temperatures, many metals and their compounds can enter the body in the form of an aerosol along with tobacco smoke. Cations of metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium are able to covalently bind to the thiol group of cysteine, an amino acid that is part of the active sites of many enzymes. Such a connection with the enzyme most likely interferes with the normal implementation of its biological functions, which, as a rule, leads to serious metabolic disorders.

About the alternative

It is important to note that the content of the above substances greatly depends on the nature of the smoke. For example, in preparation for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo (eventually postponed due to coronavirus), a study was conducted on the differences between smoke from conventional cigarettes and aerosol from an electric heating tobacco system (HETS). The content of the main N-nitrosamines characteristic of tobacco – NNN, NAT, NAB and NNK – in the ESNT aerosol was analyzed. It turned out that both the tobacco section of the stick used in ESNT and the aerosol contain significantly less nitrosamines than in conventional cigarettes. The ESNT aerosol contained only one fifth of the nitrosamines compared to the smoke of classic cigarettes.

In the previous section, we mentioned that the combustion temperature of tobacco in a regular cigarette can reach 900 degrees Celsius. In ESNT, the heating mechanism provides for temperatures no higher than 350 degrees Celsius. It was shown that due to this, the carbon monoxide content in the aerosol from ESNT was reduced by 100 times compared to smoke from a regular cigarette.

Numerous studies, including those conducted by laboratories of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), confirm the reduction in concentrations in the ESNT aerosol of many harmful and potentially harmful smoke components in addition to carbon monoxide, for example, acrolein, formaldehyde, benzopyrene and several dozen more substances. The average reduction in concentrations for this list of substances was more than 90 percent compared to smoke from a regular cigarette.

Total particulate matter content in cigarette smoke and ESNT aerosol. Also in the photographs below are fiberglass filters through which cigarette smoke (left) and ESNT aerosol (right) were passed.

Jean-Pierre Schaller et al. / Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2016

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Despite the fact that there are significantly fewer compounds in the ESNT aerosol that are toxic to humans, tobacco heating systems are not harmless and do not eliminate risks.

Participants in randomized trials around the world note that they do not feel much difference between the use of ESNT and conventional cigarettes in terms of pleasure from the process and its “rituality”. This is explained by the fact that in both cases, comparable amounts of nicotine enter the human body. And its pharmacokinetic profile (i.e., peak concentration and rate of peak concentration) is comparable to that obtained from smoking a traditional cigarette.

However, it is also important that in addition to subjective sensations, a number of biochemical indicators in smokers significantly improved when switching to the use of a tobacco heating system. Randomized studies assessed such indicators as the level of leukocytes in the blood (an indicator of inflammatory processes), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), levels of carboxyhemoglobin, HDL and carcinogenic N-nitrosamines, and the degree of oxidative stress.

When switching from cigarettes to ESNT, statistically significant decreases in the levels of carboxyhemoglobin and leukocytes in the blood, an increase in HDL levels, a decrease in all tobacco N-nitrosamines, a decrease in oxidative stress were observed, and higher FEV1 values ​​were obtained compared with those smoking regular cigarettes.

Cigarette smoke accelerates the adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium - the cells lining the inner surface of blood vessels. Adhesion and transmigration of leukocytes through the vascular endothelium is an important step in the development of some cardiovascular diseases, including the atherosclerosis mentioned earlier. ESNT aerosol does not cause such strong changes in the adhesive properties of the endothelium compared to cigarette smoke. Thus, switching from conventional cigarettes to ESNTs could potentially reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Preliminary findings from the study, which was conducted on 18 adult volunteers with no previous experience of using electric tobacco heating systems, may even help reduce withdrawal symptoms in smokers. In some countries, regulators are closely examining opportunities to reduce the harm from tobacco smoking through the use of alternative smoke-free products. For example, in early July, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the marketing of Philip Morris International's electric tobacco heating system as a modified risk tobacco product, stating that the approval was consistent with the goal of improving public health. health.

Chiara Makievskaya

Other materials from the When the Smoke Clears project:

1. "The Anthropology of Smoking." We answer the question whether it is possible to study human interaction with tobacco as a social phenomenon.
2. "A needle in a stack of data." Let's look at what systemic toxicology is and why it is needed.
3. “Stop smoking or keep quiet.” We explain what the concept of “harm reduction” is and how it (doesn’t) work;
4. "Long-lasting happiness." Quitting smoking is very difficult - in this material we explain why.
5. “Government Approved.” We tell you how the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protected consumers from harmful products;
6. "No smoking". Tobacco is good for more than just making cigarettes. We tell you how scientists use this plant.
7. “Scientists (have not) proven.” We remember when high-profile studies were retracted from reputable scientific journals and why.
8. "In its purest form." Nicotine is the main factor that causes tobacco addiction, but it also has beneficial properties. We talk about them in this material.
9. "A secret to the whole world." We tell you how scientists share research results with each other and with the whole world and what difficulties they have to overcome.
10. "A useful routine." We explain how automatisms are born from conscious actions and why being under the control of a habit is not always bad.
11. "Ancient Nature" Let's continue talking about habits. Now we look at animals: do they have habits and are they harmful?
12. "Woe from the collective mind." Seemingly obvious harm reduction solutions sometimes simply don’t work. In this material we examine several such examples.

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How to speed up the process

Using certain methods, you can influence the rate at which nicotine and other harmful substances resulting from its breakdown are eliminated from the body, accelerating this process. One way is to use special medications that promote the release of toxic substances.

These include:

• Detoxify instant cleanse. Promotes the flushing of nicotine metabolites from the blood through the urinary tract.
• Nocotine Cleanse. Provides rapid detoxification. After 3 days of use, toxins are removed from the body.
• Acetylcysteine. Used as a solution for inhalation, cleanses the respiratory tract.
• Antussin. The plant-based drug has coughing properties.

Playing sports, visiting a bathhouse and sauna, and performing breathing exercises will help speed up the process of cleansing the body of nicotine. When visiting a steam room, the pores of the skin open, and waste and toxins are actively released through them. Intense physical training helps saturate the lungs with oxygen, which improves blood circulation and metabolism.

The effect will be more pronounced if classes are carried out in the fresh air. In addition, increased sweating, which is observed during intense sports exercises, helps remove harmful microelements. By slightly adjusting your diet, you can speed up the removal of nicotine from the body.

How can you tell if a person is using snus?

What kind of substance is this? Snus is a tobacco product that consists of moistened tobacco containing more than 30 different chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic. In our country, deaths from snus have already been recorded, but this is not advertised, which attracts more and more young people to the legal drug. Carcinogens, which are contained in large quantities in tobacco products, can cause malignant tumors.

The package with sachets is called a puck because it has a round shape. There is also a loose version, when a person independently doses the amount of substance consumed. Most often, snus is flavored. This only encourages young people to buy, they do not see anything harmful in nicotine, and if it also smells like mint or sweets, then this completely makes them lose their vigilance.

Today, snus is used to replace cigarettes, or people simply throw in snus to get an invigorating effect. Since 2015, snus has been banned in our country, as it was most often used by schoolchildren. One packet of snus can contain up to 22 mg of nicotine. For comparison, one cigarette contains about 1.5 mg. Naturally, such doses are harmful to the entire body of the addicted person; regular use can cause a number of dangerous diseases (cancer of internal organs), including death. Addicted minors experienced deterioration in memory, cognitive processes, decreased concentration, decreased immunity, and delayed growth and development.

Signs of snus use

• secrecy;
• aggressive behavior;
• nervousness;
• problems with studies;
• irritability;
• change of social circle;
• sloppiness;
• decreased appetite;
• frequent colds;
• slang;
• loss of interest in hobbies;
• increased costs;
• gastrointestinal disorder.

Snus after eating can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Even after one-time use of chewing tobacco, a person may experience spasms, convulsions, arrhythmia, pressure surges, and muscle paralysis. With regular use, snus causes tooth decay, gum disease, and diseases of the cardiovascular system, which leads to hypertension, tachycardia, as well as heart attacks and strokes.

An overdose of snus is also possible. In this case, it is necessary to cleanse the body of toxins using activated carbon and other sorbents. Lay the person on his side, give plenty of water, ventilate the room and be sure to call emergency drug treatment specialists!

How often can you “throw” snus?

How many times a day can you use snus? How many times can 1 snus bag be used? How long does 1 bag of snus last? When calculating how many times you can “throw” snus, you need to understand that the bags are designed for one-time use. Naturally, the question: how long a can of snus lasts can be easily answered by counting the number of bags in the “puck”. As already mentioned, snus is kept under the lip for up to 30 minutes. The longer the substance remains in the oral cavity, the more nicotine is absorbed into the mucous membrane and enters the body. Therefore, how long to keep chewing tobacco in the mouth depends on the person’s need for nicotine.

Using tobacco products is harmful to your health. The article is for informational purposes only. Our center deals with the treatment of alcoholism, drug addiction and nicotine addiction, so if you find a person using it and he cannot quit, call our specialists, we will help!

How long does it take for a woman to eliminate a harmful substance?

Nicotine affects blood flow to the genital area in both men and women. Men's sexual activity decreases, women's sexual dissatisfaction appears. Smoking cigarettes reduces the level of sex hormones in women - this leads to a decrease in sexual desire.

Nicotine is removed from the female body faster due to higher estrogen levels. It enhances the activation of the CYP2A6 enzyme, increasing the stimulation of estrogen receptors, which leads to faster metabolism and clearance.

During pregnancy, estrogen levels increase significantly. The activity of the CYP2A6 enzyme further increases. This results in superior nicotine metabolism and cleansing. Pregnant women are able to eliminate harmful substances 60% faster. FMO3 enzymatic activity is enhanced and accelerates cleanup.

Oral contraceptives improve clearance of nicotine and cotinine, due to estrogen stimulation. Women taking oral contraceptives are able to increase clearance by 30%. In non-pregnant women who do not use contraceptives, cleansing occurs 13% higher than in men.

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.

What medications will help?

The body requires 6-8 hours to get rid of the nicotine content obtained from smoking a cigarette.

But it is not able to completely remove nicotine as traces remain for about thirty days. You will have to look for natural products that clean the entire system.

Natural products work better than expected:

1. The best way to cleanse your blood of nicotine is to drink carrot juice. It cleanses the blood and makes it get rid of harmful substances. Every day, after waking up, drink as much water as possible.
2. Chilli. Peppers have capsaicin, which speeds up metabolic processes and releases more nicotine during sweating. Capsaicin helps the kidneys work better and cleanse the blood. Another advantage of the substance is the expansion of arterial walls for better blood circulation. It reduces high blood pressure after smoking.
3. Grapefruit juice. It has been clinically proven to increase the rate at which the kidneys remove nicotine from the blood. Study participants drank grapefruit juice and their kidneys eliminated nicotine 88% faster. Diluted grapefruit juice increased nicotine removal rates by 78%.
4. Kiwi. The fruit will relieve nicotine. Kiwi is a rich supply of vitamins A, C and E. When smoking, these vitamins disappear.