Is Nicotine Good For You? Plus Functional Medicine Insights

The truth about nicotine's effects, functional medicine approaches for healing, and practical sleep tips that actually work

April 17, 2025

IS NICOTINE GOOD FOR YOU?

WHAT I LEARNED FROM PETER

Depending on where you turn your head, nicotine has either a good or a bad reputation. Does it give you an edge? Is it harmful? Maybe both? In this week's AMA, Peter went through a few of the questions we ask ourselves (or maybe we should?) on the topic.

Are all nicotine sources equally risky?

Not even close. If your nicotine comes from tobacco, you're playing with fire. Carcinogenic residues often contaminate the final product. Synthetic options are cleaner, safer but still very addictive. 🔗

Could nicotine help my brain function better?

Well, it depends. Nicotine can help. At first. But then comes the price: "As you're increasing your dependency, you may actually end up losing that benefit when you're deprived of nicotine." That morning pouch isn't making you smarter. It might just be fixing the withdrawal symptoms from the previous day when the nicotine wore off.

What exactly happens during nicotine withdrawal?

If you've tried quitting, you know: "Withdrawal symptoms include irritability, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating." Even "just a little" nicotine can lock you into a dependency cycle that might erase any cognitive benefits. 🔗

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WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW

Not everybody responds to nicotine the same way. Why? It has a lot to do with genetics.

"People who are faster nicotine metabolizers are going to have lower levels of circulating nicotine". Some people burn through it faster, crave it sooner, and build stronger dependencies. 🔗

✅ DO

• If you use nicotine, choose synthetic over tobacco-derived sources

• Recognize that even "clean" nicotine forms are highly addictive

⛔ AVOID

• Don't assume nicotine is harmless just because it's separated from smoking

• Using nicotine as a cognitive enhancer without understanding dependency risks

🎧 FULL EPISODE

HEAL YOUR BODY FROM THE INSIDE OUT

WHAT I LEARNED FROM HUBS

"It was like I had dementia, ADD and depression all at once... my whole system broke down."

After mercury poisoning from Chinese air pollution nearly destroyed his health, Dr. Mark Hyman couldn't find answers in traditional medicine. So he turned to functional medicine and healed himself.

He shared this journey with Huberman this week, explaining why conventional approaches often fail. Normal doctors follow a simple path: identify symptoms, diagnose a disease, prescribe pills. They treat symptoms, not causes. Functional medicine instead sees the body as an interconnected system where everything affects everything else.

As Hyman explained, "We need multimodal treatments for multi-causal diseases."

Here are some insights you might find valuable:

PAIR FAT WITH FIBER, NOT SUGAR

Source matters. What you eat them with matters. A mix of processed carbs, sugar and saturated fat creates inflammation in your body. Butter and fish is not the same as butter packaged into a sweet cookie.

GET TESTED

Your friend might need 5x more vitamin D than you do. Your partner might need way more folate. We're all different.

Get real testing for vitamin D, B vitamins, and minerals. Then build a supplement plan that matches your body's needs.

FILTER YOUR HOME ENVIRONMENT

Add HEPA filters where you spend most time (removing 99.97% of particles). Filter your drinking water. Basic carbon filters help, but reverse osmosis ones give you complete protection.

What's a HEPA filter? High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters trap tiny particles through a fine mesh of fibers. When shopping for one, look for "True HEPA" certification (not "HEPA-type" or "HEPA-like").

What's reverse osmosis? Unlike basic water filters that just trap sediment and chlorine, reverse osmosis pushes water through a special membrane to remove almost all harmful substances. When choosing a system (under the sink or countertop), look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification and at least 4 filtration stages.

TAKE GLP-1 MEDICATIONS SAFELY

Ozempic helps you lose weight. But it burns muscle along with fat. And losing muscle tanks your metabolism.

If you take these drugs: lift weights twice weekly. Ask for lower doses. Eat enough protein. Track body composition, not just weight.

Hyman is clear: "It should be illegal to prescribe these drugs without nutrition and exercise support." 🔗

BREAK DOWN MERCURY BEFORE IT BUILDS UP

Avoid high-mercury fish like tuna. Eat broccoli, kale, and cauliflower to help your body detox naturally. Take NAC supplements (600mg daily) to support your liver.

If you eat high-mercury foods often, ask about chelation therapy. 🔗

Real health comes from addressing root causes across all body systems, not quick fixes for isolated symptoms.

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SLEEP TIPS THAT MAKE SENSE

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MATT WALKER

When it comes to sleep, I won't have new, revolutionary insights every week. So I will keep the sleep-dedicated sections brief, and focused on easy tips that can make an impact. Deal?

This week I grabbed 3 from Matt Walker's latest AMA:

✓

If you use any sleep trackers, don't make them an obsession. Scores, hours, ratings. Use them all to monitor weekly trend rather than on a night-to-night basis (negative scores can alter your perception of how you actually feel) 🔗

✓

Don't check the time. Remove clocks from the bedroom. Even just a quick look at the watch when you go to the toilet in the middle of the night can increase your anxiety. Resisting the temptation to look at the time makes it waaay easier to return to sleep. 🔗

✓

Avoid assuming falling asleep quickly is always healthy. I did. And maybe you did. And we might be both chronically sleep deprived. Not ideal. 🔗

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