[h=1]50 Hits of Nicotine[/h] by Chris Shugart – 4/21/2011 Next Page | Pages 1 2
[h=2]The 2:00 PM Resurrection[/h]At 2:00 PM my brain felt like a puddle of goo. I couldn't concentrate. I had a serious case of afternoon slump. Physically, I was tired. I wanted a nap but had work to do. My mood? That of a rabid Pomeranian.
At 2:10 PM my brain was firing on all cylinders. Ideas flowed. I felt energized, positive, and happy.
What had happened between 2:00 and 2:10?
Answer: I'd taken a hit of nicotine.
[h=2]Good Drug, Bad Delivery System[/h]
Yes, nicotine, the addictive substance found in cigarettes.
Listen, I would never smoke, and I do my best to avoid cancer-causing substances. I certainly hadn't smoked a cigarette to get my afternoon dose of nicotine. That particular delivery system is dirty and dumb. Instead, I'd simply chewed a piece of nicotine gum.
Think I'm crazy? Well, maybe. But here are the facts:
Now, nicotine does have its drawbacks, but so does caffeine. If nicotine came in the form of an icy-cold beverage or a rich frappachino, it would be as widely accepted – and as wildly popular – as caffeine. Since it usually comes in the form of a cigarette or chewing tobacco, it's feared, maligned, and misunderstood.
After Shelby Starnes planted the idea of "clean" nicotine usage in my head, I asked Christian Thibaudeau his thoughts.
[h=2]Thibaudeau Weighs In[/h]Christian said, "I first tried nicotine as a pre-workout stimulant in 1999, prior to the Eastern Canadian Olympic lifting championships. Since ECA wasn't allowed in tested events, I looked for a legal stimulant. I stumbled upon an article about nicotine (I think it was by Dan Duchaine.) It really helped give me an extra boost in my training.
I used it again in 2004 when I prepared for a bodybuilding contest. I dieted 24 weeks for that contest and after week 16 I wanted to eat the drywall! A combo of nicotine and Power Drive® helped me get through it."
[h=2]The 50 Hit Experiment[/h]Both Starnes and Thibaudeau recommend chewing 1 mg pieces of nicotine gum to avoid addiction. These products are typically sold in 1 mg, 2 mg, and 4 mg varieties, the latter being for very heavy smokers. I couldn't find any 1 mg gum so I settled for 2 mg – a generic form of Nicorette I picked up at CVS.
I bought the smallest box I could find: 50 pieces for about twelve bucks. My plan was to go through all 50 pieces over a few weeks, trying different protocols, dosages, and stacks.
[h=2]My First Hit[/h]
I waited until the dreaded afternoon slump. Although I get plenty of sleep and avoid heavy, carby lunches, I still get mentally and physically sucker-punched around 2 PM.
The directions say to chew the gum for a moment or two, then park it between the cheek and gums until the "tingle" subsides. Chewing rapidly releases the nicotine too quickly, which could cause stomach irritation. Chew it for a while, park it, then chew it some more. The gum will be "empty" of nicotine in about 30 minutes.
I popped the first piece. The store-brand "original" flavor was mildly minty, not bad, but not exactly Stride sweet peppermint either. I felt the tingle in my mouth immediately and a slight burn in my throat. I parked the gum and waited it out. After a few minutes I was able to chew it normally.
Because the nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth, the effects come quickly. There was a definite physical boost, but the mood and cognitive affects were really noticeable. My brain felt re-energized, my mood improved, and I found I was able to progress quickly through my writing project. (I'd been feeling mentally stalled-out just minutes before.)
I concluded immediately that cigarettes may be for idiots, but nicotine was my new favorite smart drug.
At 2:10 PM my brain was firing on all cylinders. Ideas flowed. I felt energized, positive, and happy.
What had happened between 2:00 and 2:10?
Answer: I'd taken a hit of nicotine.
[h=2]Good Drug, Bad Delivery System[/h]
Yes, nicotine, the addictive substance found in cigarettes.
Listen, I would never smoke, and I do my best to avoid cancer-causing substances. I certainly hadn't smoked a cigarette to get my afternoon dose of nicotine. That particular delivery system is dirty and dumb. Instead, I'd simply chewed a piece of nicotine gum.
Think I'm crazy? Well, maybe. But here are the facts:
- Nicotine does not cause cancer. The other stuff in tobacco does.
- Nicotine has been used in energy drinks in Japan for years. Arnold used to do commercials for them.
- Nicotine has cognitive-enhancing effects, much like caffeine. It achieves these effects by heightening the activity in the brain's cholinergic pathways. This leads to an improved ability to concentrate, among other benefits.
- Nicotine has been part of the competitive bodybuilder's arsenal for years. It's used there for its appetite-suppressing effects during strict pre-contest diets. Contest-prep guru Shelby Starnes calls nicotine an "awesome appetite suppressant."
- Nicotine may help with fat loss. "Systemically administered nicotine induces lipolysis," one study says. (1) In laymen's terms, nicotine is a mild metabolism booster, which may partially explain why people who quit smoking often gain weight.
- Nicotine noticeably enhances mood. It raises dopamine levels in the brain and causes it to produce more endorphins. Nicotine also stimulates the release of acetylcholine, providing a sense of increased energy.
- Nicotine can improve reaction time.
- Nicotine can be addictive, much like caffeine. But addiction to nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches is rare, if not unheard of.
Now, nicotine does have its drawbacks, but so does caffeine. If nicotine came in the form of an icy-cold beverage or a rich frappachino, it would be as widely accepted – and as wildly popular – as caffeine. Since it usually comes in the form of a cigarette or chewing tobacco, it's feared, maligned, and misunderstood.
After Shelby Starnes planted the idea of "clean" nicotine usage in my head, I asked Christian Thibaudeau his thoughts.
[h=2]Thibaudeau Weighs In[/h]Christian said, "I first tried nicotine as a pre-workout stimulant in 1999, prior to the Eastern Canadian Olympic lifting championships. Since ECA wasn't allowed in tested events, I looked for a legal stimulant. I stumbled upon an article about nicotine (I think it was by Dan Duchaine.) It really helped give me an extra boost in my training.
I used it again in 2004 when I prepared for a bodybuilding contest. I dieted 24 weeks for that contest and after week 16 I wanted to eat the drywall! A combo of nicotine and Power Drive® helped me get through it."
[h=2]The 50 Hit Experiment[/h]Both Starnes and Thibaudeau recommend chewing 1 mg pieces of nicotine gum to avoid addiction. These products are typically sold in 1 mg, 2 mg, and 4 mg varieties, the latter being for very heavy smokers. I couldn't find any 1 mg gum so I settled for 2 mg – a generic form of Nicorette I picked up at CVS.
I bought the smallest box I could find: 50 pieces for about twelve bucks. My plan was to go through all 50 pieces over a few weeks, trying different protocols, dosages, and stacks.
[h=2]My First Hit[/h]
The directions say to chew the gum for a moment or two, then park it between the cheek and gums until the "tingle" subsides. Chewing rapidly releases the nicotine too quickly, which could cause stomach irritation. Chew it for a while, park it, then chew it some more. The gum will be "empty" of nicotine in about 30 minutes.
I popped the first piece. The store-brand "original" flavor was mildly minty, not bad, but not exactly Stride sweet peppermint either. I felt the tingle in my mouth immediately and a slight burn in my throat. I parked the gum and waited it out. After a few minutes I was able to chew it normally.
Because the nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth, the effects come quickly. There was a definite physical boost, but the mood and cognitive affects were really noticeable. My brain felt re-energized, my mood improved, and I found I was able to progress quickly through my writing project. (I'd been feeling mentally stalled-out just minutes before.)
I concluded immediately that cigarettes may be for idiots, but nicotine was my new favorite smart drug.
