A new study looking at the link between weight gain and smoking has revealed that nicotine, rather than cigarettes, is responsible for suppressing appetite. This new study conducted by Yale University suggests that the same drug which causes smoking addiction by triggering certain receptors in the brain is also capable of suppressing appetite. The findings go some way to contradict popular belief that the act of smoking prevents people from putting on weight and that quitting will make you put on weight. The study also supports the use of the farmaco per smettere di fumare Champix in fighting the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Nicotine affects appetite by stimulating the receptors in the brain which are linked to gratification and reward. Nicotine binds itself to the receptors and sends out signals which create the same feeling of fullness you get after eating. When you quit smoking you may find yourself putting on a few pounds of weight due to the need to substitute the effects of nicotine with something else. For most people that something else is often food.
The study therefore suggests that a combination of psychological, physical and habitual factors is to blame for weight gain after quitting. In order to overcome this problem and to avoid falling by the wayside, quitters should be advised to address each of these factors in turn. Psychological and physical risks of weight gain post smoking cessation can best be addressed with a full exercise programme. People who exercise are less likely to smoke as physical activity releases endorphins which make us feel good about ourselves. Exercise is also great for burning calories and building muscle. Habit can be broken by avoiding situations which are associated with smoking, the most common example being avoiding your morning coffee.
Champix can also be used to control nicotine withdrawal symptoms. This is because Champix works on the brain in the same way as nicotine does allowing the smoker to give up smoking very quickly after beginning treatment. Not only does Champix control nicotine addiction by providing a non-addictive substitute designed to wean you off cigarettes without experiencing the awful symptom of smoking cessation, but it also takes away any pleasure you may derive by sneakily smoking any cigarettes during your treatment. In addition to all this in mimicking how nicotine acts on the brain a course of Champix smoking cessation treatment will help to prevent you putting on weight when quitting and provides a minimum 12 week period in which you can aim to address other factors linked to weight gain following smoking cessation.