this post was submitted on 08 Feb 2025
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https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/does-nicotine-affect-muscle-growth
There is data to show nicotine might have a performance increasing effects on people. However, the idea is more that you ingest a safe amount via methods that are not smoking/chewing.
Nicotine itself is hardly worse than say caffeine. But obviously the negative effects of burning and inhaling a cigarette (with all that it contains), especially the carcinogenic agents, is absolutely stupid to think it's an even trade to pump your workout
Oh, nicotine is way worse. It may not harm your health directly, but addictiveness is exponentially worse.
Wikipedia: Caffeine - Dependence and Withdrawal: Moderately physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms may occur upon abstinence, with greater than 100 mg caffeine per day, although these symptoms last no longer than a day
Wikipedia: Nicotine withdrawal: Symptoms are usually strongest for the first few days and then dissipate over 2–4 weeks (...) In a minority of smokers, cravings may persist for years.
Edit: Left out the "Caffeine" in "Caffeine - Dependance and Withdrawal"
Edit to add: Caffeine withdrawal causes you to be annoyed for a day. Nicotine causes real, actual cravings (you know you need nicotine, whereas for caffeine you're just generally "moody" - most people don't feel "i need caffeine, now", and even if you do, chances are, if you run out of coffee and can't get it within less than a day, the "craving" just stops).
For some, many of whom I know, quitting nicotine is downright impossible due to the cravings. For quitting, toning down is key. Those that quit either relapse momentarily in times of stress (usually for about a week or so), or complain of very strong cravings every few weeks/months.
Additionally, nicotine isn't the only addictive compound in cigarettes, and from what I've heard, vaping, gum, etc. just isn't it for some - people also get addicted to cigatettes themselves.
Not to mention, vaping causes pneumothorax and all the other alternatives cause some harm as well, although much less than cigarettes proper.
I've smoked cigars occasionally, maybe as many as 2-3 per week for 2 weeks in a row and then just stopped with no signs of addiction. Nicotine is often described as one of the most addictive drugs and I sometimes wonder if I just never took enough to get addicted in the first place or my experience is a result of lower than average susceptibility to nicotine addiction.
Probably both. They're not mutually exclusive