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Nicotine. Advantages and disadvantages.

  • jearungby
  • 3 hours ago
  • 5 min read

By Jeanne Rungby, Specialist. Drawing by Lars Bo Appel

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This blog is based solely on what can be extracted from an article from June 2025 in the Medical Research Archives written by Robyn Cosford (retired biological scientist).



There is a lively debate on social media, with several bloggers recommending nicotine to treat spike protein-related disease. Is it good or bad?


There is a need to clarify what is up and down in this debate about nicotine.


Robyn Cosford has conducted an excellent scientific review of the biological mechanisms of nicotine. The article is based on a high level of biological expertise, which the reader can delve into if necessary.


The article provides a number of tips for everyday use that ordinary people can learn from.


The article examines nicotine mainly in the context of its potential to help with severe inflammation and nervous system imbalance, especially related to COVID-19, long-term COVID, or issues following COVID vaccination.


Simply put, nicotine can act as a “brake” on the body’s overactive immune response through something called the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (a natural system that calms inflammation via nerve signals).

 

Benefits of nicotine:


· Strong anti-inflammatory effects: Nicotine activates special receptors (called α7nACh receptors) that reduce the production of harmful inflammatory chemicals (cytokines). This may help control the dangerous “cytokine storm” seen in severe COVID-19.

· Potential help with dysautonomia: This is when the autonomic nervous system (which controls things like heart rate and digestion) gets out of balance. Nicotine can restore balance by counteracting the effects of the viral spike protein, which, according to the article, can disrupt this calming pathway.

· Neuroprotective and brain benefits: It can protect brain cells from inflammation, suppress certain overactive immune responses in the brain, and even improve cognitive functions like memory under certain circumstances.

· Other possible positive effects: In laboratory studies, it was shown to have a role in reducing allergic reactions or certain types of inflammation.

 

Overall, the article suggests that nicotine could theoretically be a treatment option for these inflammatory and nerve cell-related problems associated with the spike protein.

 

Disadvantages of nicotine:


Despite the potential benefits, the article strongly warns against using nicotine as a therapy, stating that the benefits are limited due to widespread effects throughout the body and significant risks, especially with long-term (chronic) use.


Main disadvantages mentioned:


· Highly addictive: Nicotine binds to the brain's receptors, leading to addiction - which is why it is so difficult to quit smoking.

· Heart and blood vessel problems: It can promote plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis), cause harmful growth of new blood vessels, and trigger inflammation in blood vessels and immune cells, increasing the risk of heart disease.

· May worsen insulin resistance, fatty liver (especially with poor diet), and certain inflammatory conditions like Crohn's disease. It may also contribute to kidney problems or other smoking-related diseases.

· Broad and unpredictable effect: Nicotine affects many parts of the body (brain, immune system, etc.), leading to side effects that outweigh the benefits of continued use.

· Pro-inflammatory in some cases: While it calms some inflammatory conditions, it can actually worsen inflammation in other situations.

 

Conclusion from the article:


The author concludes that nicotine has interesting anti-inflammatory properties that may help with specific conditions related to spike proteins, but that it is not a good long-term solution due to the serious drawbacks and risk of addiction.


Instead, safer alternatives (such as vagus nerve stimulation or other ways to enhance the same calming pathway) are recommended. The view on nicotine is cautious – potential short-term theoretical benefits, but major risks make it unsuitable for routine or chronic use.


The article concludes that there are a wide range of natural anti-inflammatory alternatives to nicotine, alternatives that do not have the disadvantages mentioned.


Below is a list of some of these handles that can provide the same benefits as nicotine.


Lifestyle remedies:

  • Forest bathing

  • Pulsed electromagnetic stimulation

  • Deep diaphragmatic breathing

  • Meditation

  • Massages

  • Tai Chi and Qi Gong

 

Competitive acetylcholine receptor binders as alternatives to nicotine (most are available as dietary supplements):


  • Fruits from the nightshade family: Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants.

  • Choline (and Phosphatidylcholine) is found in eggs, meat, fish, legumes, nuts and cauliflower

  • Citicholine is found in egg yolk, liver, steak, chicken, fish, broccoli and cauliflower

  • EGCG, which is found in matcha green tea

  • Genistein is found in soy products, edamame beans, chickpeas, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, and broccoli

     

Acetylcholine esterase inhibitors:


  • Bacopa monniera/Brahmi is a stem plant with small white flowers (available as a supplement)

  • Huperizia A from the plant Huperiza serrata, a Chinese plant used against Alzheimer's in China, is available as a dietary supplement.

  • Flavonoids such as ginger, lavender, oregano and thyme

  • Moringa oleifera (an antidote to cobra snake venom, α- neurotoxin, which shares homologous sequences with spike protein). Moringa is a tropical tree. Available as a dietary supplement

  • Quercetin is found in capers, red onions, cabbage, apples, blueberries, cranberries, cherries, grapes, broccoli, asparagus and buckwheat.

  • Kaempferol, found in broccoli, tea, beans and cabbage (also has cancer-preventive properties.

  • Nattokinase (Bacillus Subtilis products) from Natto

 


Personally, I enjoy two of the remedies mentioned on a daily basis, namely nattokinase and green matcha tea.


Natto is a traditional Japanese dish made by fermenting whole soybeans with Bacillus subtilis. Natto can easily be fermented on beans other than soybeans. Natto is eaten in many Asian countries, including China.

The fermentation results in the formation of a slimy consistency and a strong flavor.

Natto has been eaten in Japan with boiled rice as a breakfast for about 2000 years. Natto has many health benefits.

Natto has recently gained a lot of attention due to nattokinase, an enzyme produced by Bacillus natto that can dissolve blood clots. Pyrazine, the compound that gives natto its characteristic smell, prevents the formation of blood clots. Natto contains high amounts of vitamin K, which is essential for good bone health.

 

The enzyme nattokinase is the active ingredient in natto. It passes from the intestines into the blood. It has many beneficial properties such as:

 

Cardiovascular benefits:

Nattokinase has fibrinolytic (breaks down blood clots and scar tissue), proteolytic and antithrombotic (prevents blood clots), hypotensive effects (lowers blood pressure) and reduces lipids in the blood.

· Neuroprotective effect. Nattokinase protects nervous tissue.

· Increases libido. Natto is believed to increase sex drive, possibly due to increased blood flow.

· Probiotic properties. Natto has a beneficial effect on the gut microbiome.

· Improves dental health. Natto has been shown to prevent and break down plaque .

· Antiviral effects.

Natto extracts contain proteases (enzymes) that prevent viral infections because the viral proteins are broken down by nattokinase. This applies to both the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 and from Covid-19 "vaccines", as well as other viruses, including certain types of herpes viruses.

See more scientific sources in the link.

 


Green matcha tea is derived from the fresh leaf shoots of Japanese and Chinese tea bushes. In Asia, green tea is consumed daily. It can be purchased in health food stores, online and in a number of supermarkets. It can be used in cooking, smoothies and simply as tea. A rumor, which cannot be documented here, but may be true, is that if green matcha tea is consumed with fresh lemon and a sprinkle of black pepper, the absorption of the active components in the tea in the intestine increases. The taste is slightly earthy and bitter.

Why is matcha green tea healthy?

Green tea contains both phenols and flavonoids, which have a wide range of health-promoting effects.

Green tea extract contains, among other things, EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which has gained a lot of scientific interest in recent times because it has been shown to have extraordinary positive effects on health, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer properties.

 

 

Sources.

 

 
 
 

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