Science is lying, and nicotine is good for you, according to a wave of new health and wellness influencers, including celebrity fitness coach and former “Biggest Loser” host Jillian Michaels and Andrew Huberman, a tenured professor at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, best known for his wellness podcast, “The Huberman Lab.”
These influencers, along with “biohackers” who trawl online forums for wellness tips, say nicotine is a natural substance that can boost cognitive function, prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and even help you live longer. They promote the use of nicotine pouches, like ZYN, or nicotine patches.
Melissa Little’s research focuses on reducing cancer health disparities. (Photo by Lathan Goumas, University Communications)
Their claims contradict decades of research linking nicotine use with cancer and heart disease. UVA Today talked to Melissa Little, an associate professor of public health science at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and the director of UVA’s Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control Research, to see where the claims come from and whether they hold water.
Q. Is there any truth to what these influencers say about nicotine?
A. Epidemiological and animal studies have found that nicotine can protect dopamine-producing neurons, but randomized controlled trials in people with early Parkinson’s disease have not shown clinical benefit. Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard in research to determine if something is truly causing something else by conducting a tightly controlled experiment. Since clinical trials have not found any direct protective effect of nicotine on Parkinson’s, including disease progression or outcomes, it is not recommended to use nicotine for neurodegenerative protection. However, future therapies will likely target nicotine‑like pathways, just not using nicotine or tobacco products.
Q. What are the side effects of using smokeless nicotine products?
A. While smokeless nicotine products are generally considered safer than burnt tobacco, they still cause mouth irritation, lesions and gum damage, are linked to oral cancer and cardiovascular and metabolic risks and are associated with nicotine dependence, especially with long‑term or high‑dose use. Additionally, the long-term health effects of newer products, like nicotine pouches and snus (smokeless tobacco products), are still largely unknown.
