Yes, nicotine can make you poop because of its stimulating effects. After consuming nicotine in any form, be it tobacco, cigarettes, nicotine pouches, or alternatives, you might feel the urge to attend to a call of nature. The effects vary from person to person, but for some, it's more noticeable compared to others because of nicotine dependence.
On the other hand, people who leave nicotine or tobacco products might experience constipation. This happens because nicotine promotes fecal movements, and withdrawing from nicotine products can have a counter-effect. Why does this happen?
Why Does Nicotine Make You Poop?
Nicotine is a stimulant that affects different parts of your body, including the Parasympathetic Nerve System. The PNS is responsible for the rest and digestion systems in your body. When you consume nicotine, it latches on to the nicotine cholinergic receptors in your brain.
It releases neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline. It also stimulates the PNS, which might make you feel like pooping. The scientific research behind this effect is murky, with some claiming it might only be a placebo effect because of the addictive nature of nicotine.
The effects also vary from person to person and the form of nicotine.
Do Nicotine Pouches Make You Poop?
When you use nicotine pouches, you might feel the urge to poop. Nicotine pouches have a stronger and purer concentration of nicotine, which triggers your PNS and neurochemicals more effectively. It could trigger your rhyming responses for fecal movements.
However, there isn't much research available on this topic, other than outdated models and user experiences. A 2005 research conducted by the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that 2mg nicotine pouches had no impact on rectal tone.
There is no definitive research to support user experiences for stronger options, like 6 mg ZYN nicotine pouches. The best that we can go by is the resting response that takes effect during and after a strong adrenaline release because of oral nicotine pouches.
Accidentally, swallowed nicotine pouches can also cause diarrhea.
Do Cigarettes Make You Poop?
Cigarettes have a stronger effect on your fecal movements because of the extra chemicals. The addictive nature of cigarettes can also mold your senses and bodily functions. Cigarette smoke also has an inflammatory effect on your bowels.
According to research published in Healthline, cigarette smoke encourages some bowel diseases, while deterring others. It also has an effect on gut microbes responsible for digestion and absorption. Because of these effects, cigarettes might affect your fecal movements.
In the long term, these effects snowball into different gut diseases and IBDs. In the short term, you might feel like expunging the contents of your bowels more readily after a smoke.
Does Smokeless Tobacco Make You Poop?
Smokeless tobacco comes in many forms like snus, or chewing tobacco. The effects of smokeless tobacco may vary based on the type of tobacco used. Chewing bags and pouches contain a greater amount of nicotine per pouch, which affects your guts and bowels more easily.
The use of nicotine through tobacco affects your salivatory glands, the first of which is the parotid gland. It leads to thicker saliva in long-time snus users. Your body might have a harder time digesting or functioning because of thick saliva.
The effects of nicotine on human digestion haven't been researched well, so there isn't a definitive way to prove it. However, according to research from the University of Texas El Paso, tobacco leaf teas were used as a laxative.
Does Vaping Make You Poop?
Vapes and other forms of electronic cigarettes can make you poop because they stimulate your PNS more effectively. Compared to cigarettes, some vapes and e-cigs, contain nicotine content above the usual levels. For example, some vaping liquids contain about 50 mg of nicotine.
This nicotine content in combination with the other chemicals in vapes, can cause multiple forms of IBS (Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome), which includes constipation, and diarrhea.
Do Oral Nicotine Alternatives Make You Poop?
People who quit nicotine or smoking often use nicotine replacement therapy, which includes nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, and other products. These products are used to minimize the withdrawal symptoms, which include constipation.
You could say that these nicotine alternatives help you answer your urges better. However, research suggests otherwise. Research conducted in 1995 and published states that chewing nicotine gum had no significant impact on Rectal Sensation in Ex-Smokers.
Although the research is quite outdated, it still serves as a tenet for factual inference. On the same note, modern research states that the use of cigarettes, snus, or other nicotine stimulants for bowel movements could have long-term adverse health effects.
Adverse Effects of Nicotine on Bowel Movements
A 2023 piece from Harvard Health states that excessive use of nicotine stimulant laxatives could mess with the natural FLOW of things. After long-term exposure to nicotine, your bowels may lose their natural functions.
According to research published in WebMD, smoking can cause Crohn's disease relapses and exacerbation. Research published in the NCBI states that smoking can increase the need for steroids in Crohn's disease along with other side effects.
The smoke from these cigarettes can affect gut microbes, and lead to multiple IBD problems, and other harmful effects. Long-term nicotine exposure can also cripple the natural working of your bowels and PNS.
These effects are more pronounced in people who smoke frequently. The least harmful form of nicotine according to research is nicotine gum, which doesn't change your rectal tone significantly.
Conclusion To a Smelly Topic
Nicotine is a stimulant laxative that may have an effect on your bowel movements. However, the effects of nicotine on bowel movements vary from person to person and type of product. Cigarette smoke and tobacco have been linked to laxative effects and other bowel diseases.
There is no definitive proof to link the use of nicotine pouches to defecation. However, because of its stimulating effect on the PNS, one could say that it's linked to bowel movements.
Overall, we wouldn't recommend using nicotine products as a stimulant laxative because of the adverse effects, which include nicotine addiction. If you're using or already addicted to cigarettes or vapes, switch to less harmful alternatives. You can learn more about this through our guide on how to quit smoking.
