SNUS and blood circulation?

[bijo]

Anyone else have some knowledge on this subject?

[JMo]

Contrary to popular opinion nicotine is basically harmless in small amounts. In large amounts (and we're talking large amounts:roughly 90-200 cigarettes smokes simultaneously) it is deadly toxic because it can stop your respiratory system. But many studies have shown that nicotine is actually good for you in a lot of ways. Obviously the dependence is the worst part of it.

Nicotine is found in small amounts in many vegetables you eat on a daily basis and you have naturally occuring nicotinergic receptor sites in your brain.

It is a vasculosconstrictor meaning it constricts the blood vessels in your circulatory system in the short term but it has not shown of it's own accord to have long term adverse affects. It has a half life of about 90 minutes.

The reason smoking is so bad for your circulation is because of the tar and carbon monoxide (among other chemicals) you inhale that enter your bloodstream. Over time the tar and CO build up, and can clog your circulatory system, causing your heart to work harder. This is the major reason why smoking causes heart disease and stroke.

Smokeless tobacco have not been shown to cause significant circulatory damage. Oral tobacco products like chew and dip cause mouth and stomach cancer, largely because they are fermented and contain a high number or microorganisms. Snus however, is steam pasteurized which means that all the microorganisms are killed in the process. Also, chew and dip contain very high amounts of sugar and have a very acidic pH, which can cause gum disease and tooth loss. Snus has no added sugar and is basic (meaning pH higher than 7).

[BradenL]

Contrary to popular opinion nicotine is basically harmless in small amounts. In large amounts (and we're talking large amounts:roughly 90-200 cigarettes smokes simultaneously) it is deadly toxic because it can stop your respiratory system. But many studies have shown that nicotine is actually good for you in a lot of ways. Obviously the dependence is the worst part of it.

Biologically speaking, nicotine is an alkaloid insecticide. The tobacco plant evolved to fight herbivores and insects by producing nicotine. Nicotine is poisonous to a human being. The reason we do not die from nicotine poisoning is the difference between pronated and unpronated nicotine and its quick half life. 40-60mg of pure nicotine (ld50 1mg/kg) will kill a human being, which is approximately the equivalence of 4 unfiltered cigarrettes. Your body cannot absorb unpronated nicotine whilst it can absorb pronated nicotine. The if your body absorbed all of the nicotine you would die..

[JMo]

Well it's definitely toxic in high amounts, if that's what you mean by 'poison' but then again, so is Vitamin E.

Here's some resources for you if you're interested:

Nicotine

is therapeutic in patients with ulcerative colitis:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...847.x/abstract

Cuts risk of HIV patients developing Kaposi's Sarcoma:
http://www.data-yard.net/10b/kaposi.htm

May prevent atopic disorders:
http://www.data-yard.net/30/asthma.htm

Slows the onset of Parkinson's disease:
http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-dise...insons-disease

is an anti-epileptic:
http://www.cnsforum.com/commentedite...c/default.aspx

Alleviates the symptoms of Schizophrenia:
http://www.schres-journal.com/articl...192-X/abstract

May be a treatment in obsessive compulsive disorder:
http://www.biologicalpsychiatryjourn...207-0/abstract

Appears to improve ADHD symptoms:
http://adam.about.net/reports/000030_1.htm

Reduces the risk of breast cancer in certain women:
http://www.forces.org/evidence/files/brea.htm