Nicotine Patches help you lose weight??

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Margarita211
Margarita211 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
So I saw an article on CNN or something last week with a couple doctors saying that nicotine patches could help dieters when they hit a plateau. Has anyone else heard of this? Supposedly nicotine cuts appetite and (if I'm remembering right) speeds up metabolism. Not sure if the two docs were just quacks looking for some quick publicity, or if it actually had some merit. I would think that even though it's smoke free, just bombarding your body with nicotine randomly can't be that healthy... Or can it?
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Replies

  • Tujitsu56
    Tujitsu56 Posts: 392 Member
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    I'm thinking along the same lines as you are. Also, in that when I think of plateau I mostly think of people who has seen quite a but of progress but it slowed, I think that eating less may not be the best solution. Usually these people are already dieting and eating closer to the minimum requirements anyway. Maybe a bump up in calories can jolt thier metabolism or increase workout routine.
  • Larius
    Larius Posts: 507 Member
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    NO! Terrible idea!

    Nicotine is harder to stop than heroin or cocaine. You have no idea unless you've been there.
  • sculptandtone
    sculptandtone Posts: 300 Member
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    this is a terrible, terrible, terrible idea. Nicotine is VERY addictive. Yes, it does speed your metabolism and it does burn calories. But, trust me, as someone who smoked for 30 years, kicking nicotine is WAY harder than busting a plateau. If any doctor recommended this, they should have their license revoked.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    I don't know if this would work, but I think you are right when you question how healthy it is. There are lots of techniques people can use to break through a plateau and although it may take time before you see what works for you, something will.

    Nicotine is a toxin and it raises blood pressure. Diet and exercise is always the right answer.

    7/10
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Before I get into it, I don't think OP was suggesting actually doing this, so don't take this comment personally as I think you were just questioning the science behind it.


    This has to be one of the dumbest ideas for weight loss I have ever heard.
  • Gigi_licious
    Gigi_licious Posts: 1,185 Member
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    I would imagine that if you aren't used to nicotine then you throw on a patch the nicotine would make you sick to your stomach and you wouldn't want to eat....causing weight loss.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    It definitely can't be healthy. They may as well suggest that you take up smoking to lose weight although at least with a nicotine patch you aren't harming the health of everyone around you, too.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    I would imagine that if you aren't used to nicotine then you throw on a patch the nicotine would make you sick to your stomach and you wouldn't want to eat....causing weight loss.
    This makes the most sense actually. I used them to quit smoking a few years ago and the constant stream of nicotine can make even smokers feel a little jittery. I usually had to take it off before the end of the day because I could almost feel it coursing through my body.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
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    NO! Terrible idea!

    Nicotine is harder to stop than heroin or cocaine. You have no idea unless you've been there.
    Believe this because it's true, not because he's running on water in his profile pic.
  • Dinah22
    Dinah22 Posts: 69 Member
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    I would imagine that if you aren't used to nicotine then you throw on a patch the nicotine would make you sick to your stomach and you wouldn't want to eat....causing weight loss.
    This makes the most sense actually. I used them to quit smoking a few years ago and the constant stream of nicotine can make even smokers feel a little jittery. I usually had to take it off before the end of the day because I could almost feel it coursing through my body.


    Were you successful though - did you kick the habit? I know it's a bit off topic, but thinking along those lines myself. (stopping smoking I mean)
  • MarlaChandlerBarton
    MarlaChandlerBarton Posts: 141 Member
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    I agree with the majority.... bad idea! Take it from an ex-addict
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    I would imagine that if you aren't used to nicotine then you throw on a patch the nicotine would make you sick to your stomach and you wouldn't want to eat....causing weight loss.
    This makes the most sense actually. I used them to quit smoking a few years ago and the constant stream of nicotine can make even smokers feel a little jittery. I usually had to take it off before the end of the day because I could almost feel it coursing through my body.

    Were you successful though - did you kick the habit? I know it's a bit off topic, but thinking along those lines myself. (stopping smoking I mean)
    Well, yes, and no. I did quit for 9 months, and did just fine without smoking through my wedding planning, wedding and honeymoon (in Vegas no less, where people are smoking everywhere!). My husband and I quit together and we were really happy with our results using the patch.
    Unfortunately, shortly after all of that, we had a close friend and neighbor committ suicide (my husband found him hanging in his barn) and a couple of weeks later we had to put our beloved dog down, and we both fell off the wagon and started again during that horrible time. Fast forward another year, we were set to quit last New Years, and my brother-in-law killed himself on New Years Eve...so now we do plan to quit again when we reach our goal weights (8 lbs to go for me..woohoo) and would absolutely use the patch again. I've done cold-turkey in the past and that's just really hard, and Chantix gave me psychotic dreams.
  • H2Ologist
    H2Ologist Posts: 122 Member
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    Well, First as a former smoker. PLEASE DO NOT USE NICOTINE PATCHES TO LOSE WEIGHT. That is seriously as stupid as thinking smoking will help you lose weight. The only reason people GAIN weight when they quit smoking is they are looking for the oral fixation.

    Second, the nicotine in patches is just as addictive as in cigarettes or any other tobacco products. You CAN become addicted to patches or gum or the electronic cigarettes. The problem with these is that they are more socially acceptable and you don't get shamed every time you pop a piece of gum verses get scolded for lighting a smoke.

    Third, if you are trying to quit smoking. There is a great site with TONS of helpful information www.whyquit.com. I quit a year and a half ago cold turkey. It sucked for about three days (that is how long the nicotine is in your bloodstream), but I just took it one minute at a time. Just like losing weight, you were a smoker for many years, it isn't gonna be easy to become an ex and it will take more than one day.

    Sorry, I just had to get that out.
  • wannababyH
    wannababyH Posts: 106
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    Honestly, this sounds like something the tobacco industry would try to push in an attempt to get people hooked in nicotine and buying cigarettes.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    So I saw an article on CNN or something last week with a couple doctors saying that nicotine patches could help dieters when they hit a plateau. Has anyone else heard of this? Supposedly nicotine cuts appetite and (if I'm remembering right) speeds up metabolism. Not sure if the two docs were just quacks looking for some quick publicity, or if it actually had some merit. I would think that even though it's smoke free, just bombarding your body with nicotine randomly can't be that healthy... Or can it?

    I've study nicotine and the nicotinic receptor in the brain (specifically the alpha 7 nicotinic receptor). I don't currently study it (my current project is on androgen (testosterone and DHT) receptors and Alzheimer's disease), but I believe the science. It makes sense based on what I know about nicotine. Like most drugs, nicotine has beneficial effects as well as harmful ones. An objective researcher can see past the fear and the hype and recognize this.

    But I still wouldn't recommend nicotine for weight loss. It's addictive, as so many have pointed out. It's also probably carcinogenic (though it might be nicotine and/or other stuff in tobacco that is carcinogenic... I think there's some debate about it). Most importantly, though, is that you don't need gimmicks for weight loss.
  • susieomega
    susieomega Posts: 6 Member
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    I think if someone is desperate to lose weight and they've tried everything, sometimes wisdom and logic goes out the window. A little patch on someone's backside that helps them drop weight would totally be over looked as an addiction.
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
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    NO! Terrible idea!

    Nicotine is harder to stop than heroin or cocaine. You have no idea unless you've been there.

    Cool, I'll try the heroin and/or coke first since they seem to make you lose weight too. :bigsmile:
  • thelud83
    thelud83 Posts: 2
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    It's not dumb at all.... I have been vaping ( electronic cigarettes just nicotine and water vapor) for one month, and so far I've lost 23 pounds.... Yeah Cocaine would do the same for you, but nicotine itself is not harmful... Its an stimulant....of course I wouldnt reccomend start smoking, try vaping ... Its awesome.
  • thelud83
    thelud83 Posts: 2
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    And btw, I have been normally eating and not dieting at all.... :)
  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I've been vaping for over 18 months and would like to declare your statement to be utter bollocks.

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