dopamine

Understanding the war between nicotine and dopamine helps smokers quit

Friday, July 27, 2012 by: S. D. Wells
Tags: nicotine, dopamine, smoking addiction

Pin It
(NaturalNews) Every smoker and ex-smoker knows that nicotine is the major culprit of the smoking addiction. In addition, they may even know that cigarette manufacturers use ammonia to free-base nicotine in order to boost it's addictive hook up to 35 times. Yet, scarce is the man or woman who understands how nicotine functions like a dopamine imposter, raising levels of this "feel good" chemical in the body artificially.

Nicotine also acts as an enabler, widening capillaries, allowing for the rush of the 4,000 plus chemicals in a commercial cigarette to penetrate cells and foster anxiety, nervousness, and sickness. Dopamine can also raise levels of awareness and general pleasure, but the problem is that as dopamine levels increase from the use of cigarettes, natural chemical reactions in the body like dopamine and serotonin decrease their natural production. When a smoker tries to quit cold turkey, they experience days, weeks, and sometimes months of depression and anxiety, mainly because their dopamine production levels cannot recover quickly enough. Ever hear of people getting very "cranky" after they quit? The central nervous system is so accustomed to being nurtured with nicotine, it's almost like a border-line diabetic's body, which barely produces insulin because it's so accustomed to a high sugar diet (http://whyquit.com/whyquit/linksaaddiction.html).

Replenish with a natural supplement which boosts dopamine levels and ends the cravings

Put simply, nicotine damages dopamine production for smokers, so to supplement the production of dopamine is the ultimate way to help a smoker quit, and quit for good. Even though the smoking habit is also a behavior addiction, the "feel good" drug aspect is stronger and is the driving force for smokers to return to the habit when something stressful comes along, unless they know how and how much to supplement (http://www.raysahelian.com/dopamine.html).

The highly under-estimated issue for smokers is that commercial tobacco is "free-based" with ammonia and has been for about 50 years. Marlboro got busted in the 1990's and admitted to it, and then paid off Blue Cross and Blue Shield over 4 billion dollars to "let it rest," basically so they could keep doing it. Then all the other major brands learned the news of the "hook trick" and starting doing it as well (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Master_Settlement_Agreement).

Ammonia cooked with tobacco makes the nicotine up to 35 times as strong

The function of ammonia in commercial cigarette manufacturing is to turn the nicotine into a vapor ready form by converting bound molecules into free molecules. If you are smoking commercial cigarettes, you're getting up to 100mg of potency in one cigarette. This alone wrecks the body's ability to properly regulate dopamine and serotonin levels, balancing the entire process on three fulcrums: the potency of the brand being smoked, how many cigarettes are smoked per day, and when the cigarettes are being smoked. This is why so many smokers grab a cigarette and light it up before or after something stressful, or a situation which requires energy and motivation (http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/nicotine/a/nicotineeffects.htm).

Why do most nicotine related cessation programs fail? Nicotine gum delivers between 2 and 4 milligrams per piece. Nothing close to the amount received from smoking an ammonia-treated "cig." The nicotine patches deliver less than 1 mg (between .5 and .9 mg) each hour, and that's on a slow, fairly constant release into the blood. Again, nothing like the nicotine vapors in a commercial cigarette, which reach the heart and brain within 3 seconds. Medications like Chantix and Zyban do not contain nicotine at all, but block the brain's receptors to it, creating a very dangerous "wall" which can also disrupt dopamine and serotonin from reaching proper regions in the brain. This is exactly why suicide is a side effect of these two prescription medicines (http://abcnews.go.com).

Visualize the war that's going on inside a smoker's brain: Nicotine versus Dopamine. Natural fight or flight reactions are now becoming nervous disorders. Organic feelings and emotions about life in general become exaggerated problems which seem insurmountable at times. After long term use of high-potency cigarettes (about 15 to 20 years), a person can permanently cripple the dopamine system, and ruin the ability to feel pleasure at all without first smoking a cigarette.

Understanding and addressing the chemistry of it all is the cure. Dopamine functions in your brain to help you deal with stress, anxiety, and relaxation, and should occur naturally, instead of being chemically induced. This is what cigarette manufacturers realized 50 years ago and this is the hook which keeps smokers addicted and pulls them "back in" when they quit.

The current scare tactics in smoking advertisements do not offer sensible options for quitting the habit, if any of them even offer an option at all. If you smoke and want to quit using a natural method, one which addresses this insight directly, look into a program which not only addresses nicotine, but offers solutions to the actual body chemistry and balance needed to stay smoke free for life. 14AndOut, "How to stop smoking in 14 days or less," teaches this method and is recommended by the Health Ranger (http://premium.naturalnews.tv/14AndOut__TV.htm).

Sources for this article include:

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f02/web2/sfrayne.html

http://www.macalester.edu

http://abcnews.go.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ciresi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Master_Settlement_Agreement

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5575149_dopamine-vs-serotonin.html

http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/nicotine/a/nicotineeffects.htm

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/linksaaddiction.html

http://premium.naturalnews.tv/14AndOut__TV.htm

Get breaking news alerts on GMOs, fluoride, superfoods, natural cures and more...
Join over four million monthly readers. Email privacy 100% protected. Unsubscribe at any time.

Articles Related to This Article:

Supercharge your brain with foods that stimulate dopamine production

Lose weight, increase energy and relieve depression by boosting brain chemical dopamine - Here's how to do it!

Psychiatric Drugs: Chemical Warfare on Humans - interview with Robert Whitaker

Addicted to coffee? You may be dopamine deficient

Dealing with Parkinson's Disease

Mucuna Pruriens Shows Promise with Parkinson's Disease

Related video from NaturalNews.TV


Your NaturalNews.TV video could be here.
Upload your own videos at NaturalNews.TV (FREE)

Have comments on this article? Post them here:

comments powered by Disqus

Related Articles:

Supercharge your brain with foods that stimulate dopamine production

Lose weight, increase energy and relieve depression by boosting brain chemical dopamine - Here's how to do it!

Psychiatric Drugs: Chemical Warfare on Humans - interview with Robert Whitaker

Addicted to coffee? You may be dopamine deficient

Dealing with Parkinson's Disease

Mucuna Pruriens Shows Promise with Parkinson's Disease

Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com

Email this article to a friend

Permalink to this article:

Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.

Embed article link: (copy HTML code below):
Most Popular
Today | Week | Month | Year

See all Top Headlines...




GET YOUR FREE GIFT + SHOW DETAILS.


Now Available from NaturalNews.TV

Also on NaturalNews:

Health Ranger Videos
Activist music
CounterThink Cartoons
Food documentaries
FREE Special Reports
Podcasts
Colloidal Silver
Advertise with NaturalNews...

Support NaturalNews Sponsors:
Advertise with NaturalNews...

Most Popular Stories

U.S. dairy industry petitions FDA to approve aspartame as hidden, unlabeled additive in milk, yogurt, eggnog and cream
EXPOSED: Angelina Jolie part of a clever corporate scheme to protect billions in BRCA gene patents, influence Supreme Court decision (opinion)
Prominent rifle manufacturer killed in mysterious car crash days after posting psych drug link to school shooters
How Angelina Jolie was duped by cancer doctors into self mutilation for breast cancer she never had
Angelina Jolie inspires women to maim themselves by celebrating medically perverted double mastectomies
Facebook bans Gandhi quote as part of revisionist history purge
McDonald's closing all restaurants in Bolivia as nation rejects fast food
BREAKING: European Commission to criminalize nearly all seeds and plants not registered with government
Obama betrays America yet again by signing the 'Monsanto Protection Act' into law
It's on! Farmers begin suing Monsanto over genetic pollution of wheat crops
GMO feed turns pig stomachs to mush! Shocking photos reveal severe damage caused by GM soy and corn
Monsanto hires infamous mercenary firm Blackwater to track activists around the world

25 Amazing Facts About Food

This FREE downloadable report unveils a collection of astonishing and little-known facts about the food we eat very day. Click here to read it now...

 

Resveratrol and its Effects on Human Health and Longevity - Myth or Miracle.

Unlock the secrets of cellular health with the "miracle" nutrient Resveratrol Click here to read it now...

 

Nutrition Can Save America

FREE online report shows how we can save America through a nutrition health care revolution. "Eating healthy is patriotic!" Click here to read it now...

The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Michael Holick reveals fascinating facts on how vitamin D is created and used in the human body to ward off chronic diseases like cancer, osteoporosis, mental disorders and more. Click here to read it now...

Vaccines: Get the Full Story

The International Medical Council on Vaccination has released, exclusively through NaturalNews.com, a groundbreaking document containing the signatures of physicians, brain surgeons and professors, all of which have signed on to a document stating that vaccines pose a significant risk of harm to the health of children. Click here to read it now...

Health Ranger Storable Organics

GMO-free, chemical-free foods and superfoods for long-term storage and preparedness. See selection at www.StorableOrganics.com



Recommended Resources On:

Natural News trends
Health Ranger news
Natural News GMOs
Mike Adams tracker
Natural News photos
Natural News Global
Natural News in focus
Natural News connect
Natural News shocking stories
Natural News radar
GMOs
Quackwatch
Vaccines
Health freedom
Dr. Paul Offit

This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2013 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.