Ryan DeBell

Nicotine is a profound therapy for the gut. Yes, really. Here's why: 1. Smoking reduces the risk of gut problems Risk of IBS is nearly ONE THIRD among smokers, and about ONE SIXTH specifically for smoking women. Ulcerative colitis, an IBD, has consistently been INVERSELY associated with smoking cigarettes. (NOT ADVICE) 2. Nicotine improves inflammatory bowel disease At ~17 mg / day, nicotine patches were shown to improve: ⋆ Stool frequency ⋆ Abdominal pain ⋆ Fecal urgency ⋆ Physical structure of the gut Multiple studies have shown similar improvements. 3. Nicotine improves "leaky gut" Nicotine significantly enhances the tight junction proteins that hold together the lining of the gut. This lining is impaired in EVERY digestive disorder. This "leaky gut" allows food components and bacteria to be exposed to the immune tissue of the gut, initiating severe inflammation in the gut and systemically, but nicotine prevents this process. 4. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway We have receptors on nervous & immune cells on that probe for the compound acetylcholine. One of these classes of acetylcholine (or cholinergic) receptors is literally called the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (because they are stimulated by nicotine, obviously). Stimulation of one of these receptors (with acetylcholine or nicotine) can promote an anti-inflammatory pathway in the immune system. This is part of the reason why vagus nerve stimulation is so powerful - it creates cholinergic signaling in the gut and thus alleviates inflammation. 5. Nicotine improves gut motility One of the primary roles of the gut's nervous system is to create gut motility. The cholinergic system is the tool it uses to get this done. Cholinergics often have pro gut motility properties. Nicotine is one of them (it makes you poop, this is good). 6. Nicotine decreases inflammation in response to endotoxin Endotoxin is a powerful inflammation promoter that originates from bacteria in the gut. However, administering a nicotine patch (7 mg) was shown to decrease endotoxin associated inflammatory mediators: ⋆ TNFα ⋆ IL-6 & increase the anti-inflammatory IL-10, all of which are critical mediators in inflammatory bowel disease. 7. Conclusions Nicotine, through stimulation of the vagus / cholinergic associated systems in the gut: ⋆ Is a powerful anti-inflammatory ⋆ Enhances gut motility ⋆ Cuts down the risk for certain gut conditions ⋆ Even treats these conditions! I AM NOT SAYING TO START SMOKING, or to pick up any type of nicotine, that decision is yours. It can be addictive of course. However, nicotine in general seems to be unfairly demonized and has massive potential in medicine. Other ways to support the cholinergic system are to focus on (or even supplement) the nutrients that support our body's production of acetylcholine: • Choline • B1 • B2 • B5 • B9 • B12 • Glycine • Methionine • Creatine There are also other cholinergics like alpha GPC, Alpha GPC, CDP-Choline, ALCAR and more. You can also support your parasympathetic ("rest and digest), vagus dominant, cholinergic system with: • Pregnenolone • Grounding, being outside • Humming • Breathing practices (nasal, diaphragmatic breathing) & more.