GM! This is PoopMates HQ bringing you a fresh edition of the PoopMates newsletter. We’ve got an interesting topic to discuss today after seeing a bold claim made on a social platform - nicotine and it’s potential benefits for gut health. Let’s dive in.

🌬 SMOKE SIGNALS: COULD NICOTINE CALM YOUR GUT? 🤔

We recently came across an interesting tweet suggesting nicotine could be beneficial for gut health, citing possible impacts on gut motility, inflammation, and “leaky gut” syndrome. Here it is:

The claims are intriguing, so we looked into the research and cited studies to decide for ourselves: could there really be any truth here? Here’s what we found.

The Cited Studies 👨🏼‍🔬

Before we give our analysis, here are the studies that the tweet references in case you want to check them out for yourself:

• https://sci-hub.se/10.1007/BF01536795

• https://sci-hub.se/10.1056/NEJM199403243301202

• https://sci-hub.se/10.1002/ibd.20020

• https://sci-hub.se/10.1111/j.1365-2249.2006.03248.x

• https://sci-hub.se/10.1007/BF01536701

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691507000774

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1430829/

🔬 Research Recap: Nicotine and Gut Health

Nicotine’s effects on the gut are multifaceted. Here’s a quick rundown of what those studies claim to show:

1. Reduced Inflammation: Nicotine interacts with the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, potentially reducing inflammation in conditions like ulcerative colitis. Some studies show nicotine can decrease inflammatory markers, such as TNF-α and IL-6, while increasing anti-inflammatory ones like IL-10.

2. Improved Gut Barrier Function: Research suggests nicotine could enhance tight junctions in gut cells, potentially improving the integrity of the gut lining. This effect could theoretically reduce “leaky gut” issues by strengthening the barrier that keeps out inflammatory triggers.

3. Enhanced Motility: Nicotine interacts with cholinergic receptors, which play a key role in stimulating gut motility. This stimulation can, in certain doses, promote digestion and alleviate constipation-like symptoms. (coffee + nicotine = SUPER POOP?? 😤)

4. Symptoms in IBD Patients: In specific cases, like ulcerative colitis, some patients have seen improvement in stool frequency, abdominal pain, and fecal urgency with transdermal nicotine therapy. But these studies highlight a challenge: the high dose needed can cause side effects like nausea, limiting its practical use.

💡 Analyzing the Tweet’s Claims

The tweet makes bold claims about nicotine as a “powerful therapy for the gut.” Here’s a closer look at the claims:

• Claim #1: “Nicotine reduces gut disorder risks.”
  Verdict: Partially true. 😬

  There is indeed a correlation between smoking and lower risk for ulcerative colitis, but the relationship is complex. Smoking increases the risk for Crohn’s disease and brings general health risks, so this point requires nuance.

• Claim #2: “Nicotine improves ‘leaky gut’ by enhancing tight junction proteins.”
  Verdict: Plausible, but under investigation. 🧐

  Some studies do show nicotine may affect gut lining proteins that maintain barrier integrity. However, more evidence is needed to confirm this effect in human patients with “leaky gut.”

• Claim #3: “Nicotine boosts gut motility.”
  Verdict: True. ✅

  Nicotine acts on the cholinergic system, which indeed promotes motility. However, the effects vary by dose, and higher doses could potentially overstimulate and disrupt gut balance.

• Claim #4: “Nicotine activates the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, reducing inflammation.”
  Verdict: True. ✅

  Studies indicate nicotine’s interaction with cholinergic receptors can reduce inflammation. But chronic nicotine use can bring other health risks, so more targeted research is needed to harness these effects safely.

💡 What We’d Like To See From Studies

The studies shared in the tweet covered various aspects of nicotine's effects on inflammation and gut health, but we’d like to see more before drawing strong conclusions about nicotine as a net benefit for gut health:

1. Controlled Comparisons of Pure Nicotine vs. Cigarette Smoke: Most of the studies isolated nicotine in patches or gum, but few compared pure nicotine to cigarette smoke and vaping additives to distinguish effects.

2. Long-Term Studies: Most were short-term, covering only weeks or months. Longer studies are necessary to understand the sustained impacts of nicotine on gut health and potential risks.

3. Alternative Delivery Methods: While some studies used transdermal patches and gum, trials with localized delivery methods (e.g., gut-specific patches or enemas) would reduce systemic exposure and target the gut more directly.

4. Detailed Biomarker Tracking: Some of the studies measured broad inflammatory markers (like IL-10, TNF-α), but few tracked changes in specific gut-related biomarkers or gut microbiome composition before and after nicotine exposure, which would help reveal its exact influence on the gut lining and inflammation.

If any of our readers have interesting studies on the matter that you think we should check out, send them our way!

🚫 Our Takeaway

While nicotine may have some gut-related benefits, these effects are specific, complex, and not without risks. Pure nicotine lacks the harmful additives in cigarettes and vapes, but THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT TO START USING NICOTINE FOR GUT HEALTH. We just found the research interesting and think it’s important to stay curious and informed—but always with a critical eye on safety and context!

💩 SH!TTY MEMEZ 🤣

Lastly, watch out for our mobile app hitting the iOS and Android app stores in the coming weeks!

That’s all for today, folks. We hope you enjoyed it. Now go, fertilize the Earth! The planet needs you.

DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.