Is Nicotine Actually...Good for You? New Research on Memory, Focus, and Mental Health

The Liz Moody Podcast

Liz Moody

Health & Fitness, Self-improvement, Education, Mental Health

4.8 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 24 September 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For decades, nicotine has been synonymous with smoking and disease but recently people are claiming nicotine patches have been improving their health—so what’s the truth? In this fascinating conversation, Vanderbilt neuroscientist and psychiatrist Dr. Paul Newhouse dives into the science to reveal the surprising ways nicotine impacts the brain, from Alzheimer’s and ADHD to depression and long COVID. In this episode, we unpack: Why nicotine is not the same as tobacco What the groundbreaking MIND Trial shows about nicotine and Alzheimer’s Whether nicotine can improve focus, memory, or ADHD symptoms How nicotine may regulate mood, depression, and anxiety Surprising effects on weight, hormones, and blood pressure The truth about nicotine addiction, delivery methods, and dosage ✨ This episode completely changed how I think about nicotine and its potential role in modern medicine. It’s a powerful reminder to question assumptions and dig into the science behind our health beliefs. ✨ Homework: Write down one “health fact” you’ve always accepted as true—then do a little research to see if the science actually supports it. For more from Dr. Paul Newhouse, visit his Vanderbilt University profile. Ready to uplevel every part of your life? Order Liz’s book 100 Ways to Change Your Life: The Science of Leveling Up Health, Happiness, Relationships & Success now! Connect with Liz on Instagram @lizmoody or online at www.lizmoody.com. Subscribe to the substack by visiting https://lizmoody.substack.com/welcome. Buy our cute sweatshirts, conversation cards, and more at https://shop.lizmoody.com/. Use our discount codes from our highly vetted and tested brand partners by visiting https://www.lizmoody.com/codes. To join The Liz Moody Podcast Club Facebook group, go to www.facebook.com/groups/thelizmoodypodcast. This episode is brought to you completely free thanks to the following podcast sponsor: Seed (DS-01): head to Seed.com/LizMoody and use code LIZMOODY for 25% off your first month. The Liz Moody Podcast cover art by Zack. The Liz Moody Podcast music by Alex Ruimy. Formerly the Healthier Together Podcast. This podcast and website represents the opinions of Liz Moody and her guests to the show. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for information purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. The Liz Moody Podcast Episode 367. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	There are so many things that people online are saying this is like a miracle solution for.
0:04.7	So tell me what the research shows at present.
0:07.6	I have always thought that nicotine was terrible for us.
0:11.8	On its own, is it bad for us at all?
0:14.0	Or is it just when combined with tobacco?
0:16.0	Well, this is a problem and a question that has bedeviled us for 150 years.
0:22.6	Nicotine comes from the tobacco plant primarily, but it can be found in many different plants,
0:27.6	including tomatoes.
0:29.6	It has clear effects on the brain, and that's presumably why people find smoking to be reinforcing
0:36.6	and habit-forming. But nicotine by itself is a
0:40.3	complicated chemical that has a whole range of effects. Many of us have been interested in,
0:46.3	can we use nicotine medicinally? Can we separate the effects of nicotine from the effects of
0:53.3	smoking? And can we learn something about how
0:56.0	the brain functions? I think there's evidence that nicotine can produce improvements in attention
1:02.0	and memory for some patients with memory loss. I'm Paul Newhouse. I'm a physician and neuroscientist.
1:09.0	I studied the brain for the last 40 plus years. I'm a professor
1:13.2	of psychiatry and neuroscience and pharmacology at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical
1:20.3	Center. And my focus is on chemical systems in the brain important for learning and memory
1:25.4	and in the risks of Alzheimer's disease, particularly
1:28.5	for older women. That's so interesting that it's in tomatoes and things like that, because
1:33.1	our brain has nicotine receptors, right? And I've always been like, why does it have nicotine
1:37.8	receptors? Like, for what purpose? So nicotine is an analog at a certain brain receptor or brain a signaling mechanism that involves
	...

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