Aside from nicotine cravings, weight gain may be the most difficult parts of giving up smoking. Former smokers typically gain five pounds after they put down the cigs, a side effect that deters many smokers from giving up the habit. However, researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine may have pinpointed the reason former smokers gain weight as well as a way to nip this unfortunate side effect in the bud.

Working with a team of mice, Yale researchers discovered that nicotine binds to receptors on appetite-regulating neurons. These neurons reduce a smoker’s appetite, explaining why smokers are full when they puff but gain weight when they try to quit.

So what does this new discovery mean? Understanding the link between nicotine and feeling full is important because it can help scientists develop drugs that will help smokers kick the habit without gaining weight. Plant-based quit-smoking drugs already exist in Eastern Europe, but scientists wish to conduct more research regarding the effectiveness of these meds.

"If we had a medicine targeted at these receptors, then people who are not quitting smoking because they are afraid of gaining weight now might make the attempt," said Medicine psychiatrist Marina Picciotto, leader of the Yale study. "That's a really exciting area of drug development."

Of course, plant-based quit-smoking drugs may contain their own disadvantages. Activating the nicotine receptors that monitor appetite and feelings of fullness may also trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, leading to high blood pressure and an increased heart rate.

Until a plant-based quit-smoking drug is developed (if ever), doctors urge smokers to use nicotine-based quit aids to kick the habit once and for all.

TIME

Tags: smoking, quit smoking, smoking and weight gain, stop smoking, marina picciotto, weight gain smoking study
Categories: Men's health