The psychiatrist explained the decrease in appetite after smoking

The disappearance of hunger after smoking a cigarette is due to the effect of nicotine on the neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine systems of the body. On Monday, April 14, Ruslan Isaev, a psychiatrist, narcologist, head of the psychiatric and narcological Clinic of Dr. Isaev, president of the Independent Narcological Guild, told Gazeta.Ru».

According to the expert, nicotine primarily affects the brain, or rather, the hypothalamus. This area is responsible for regulating basic needs, including hunger and satiety, the source explained.

"Under the influence of nicotine, special receptors are activated, and the brain begins to produce substances that "suppress" the feeling of hunger," Isaev said.

In addition, as the specialist pointed out, at the same time nicotine stimulates the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with the reward system. As a result, smoking creates a short-term feeling of satisfaction that can temporarily replace the need for food, the narcologist shared.

The expert noted that this effect is especially noticeable in people who are prone to "jamming" stress — for them, a cigarette becomes a false substitute for food.

Another mechanism of action of a cigarette on the body activates the sympathetic nervous system. Nicotine accelerates the heart rate, causes vasoconstriction and partially suppresses the digestive tract, Isaev said.

He explained that this leads to a decrease in the production of gastric juice and slows down the digestion of food, which also helps to reduce appetite.

"Thus, smoking can actually temporarily reduce appetite due to its direct effects on the brain and metabolism. But it's important to understand: this is an interference with the natural mechanisms of the body," Isaev said.

The psychiatrist clarified that many people who quit smoking face weight gain. This is due not only to the normalization of appetite, but also to the fact that food begins to compensate for the pleasure previously obtained from cigarettes, he said. At the same time, the expert stressed that this problem can be solved through a competent approach.

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Prior to that, on March 22, Isaev said that smoking cigarettes has a negative effect on taste and olfactory receptors. In addition, he noted that tobacco smoke can cause burns and micro-damage to the mucous membrane. This can cause the taste buds of the tongue not to perceive the taste of food.