Nicotine gum may help in weight loss but is not prescribed for that purpose.
A side effect of quitting smoking is the inevitable weight gain associated with removing nicotine from the system. One option people have when it comes to smoking cessation is the use of nicotine gum to help stave off cravings, and there is evidence that nicotine gum may help with weight loss for smokers who are quitting and for non-smokers. You should contact your physician before trying any nicotine-based product to discuss whether or not it is appropriate for you.
Nicotine and Weight Gain
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, about 80 percent of smokers have some type of weight gain after they quit smoking. Most people gain about 10 pounds after they stop smoking, and while that may not sound like a large number, it can be drastic for people who do not live a healthy lifestyle of exercise and proper diet.
Nicotine is almost like a weight-loss wonder drug. It naturally suppresses appetite, causing you eat less. It also increases your heart rate, which burns more calories, and acts as a diuretic to remove fluid from your body. When this drug is removed from your system, your body reverts back to normal, and you begin to pack on the pounds. The physical symptoms of withdrawal also can lend themselves to more eating as you fight the fidgetiness, oral fixation and need of a nicotine high.
Nicotine Gum and Weight Loss
Smokers who decide to quit using nicotine gum or some other treatment that introduces nicotine into their system may see a decrease in the amount of weight gained because of the nicotine's natural properties. They are still getting the nicotine, but it may not be in the same amounts as when they were smoking. Those that smoked longer will need larger amounts of nicotine to get the same effect. The end result could be a decrease in weight gain but not a complete stop to weight gain.
People who don't smoke and want to take nicotine gum as a weight-loss treatment should be cautioned that it is an addictive drug, and you may become dependent on the nicotine gum in the same way that smokers are dependent on cigarettes. While its natural properties do lend it well to weight loss, and if used with proper diet and exercise it may increase the amount of weight loss, weight loss is not the prescribed purpose of nicotine gum. There are several appetite suppressants and drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss that can be used instead.
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