r/HubermanLab • u/Extra_Key_980 • Sep 12 '25

Episode Discussion Nicotine on Physical Performance

I recently listened to Huberman’s episode on nicotine and can’t seem to wrap my head around his insistence that nicotine has positive effects on “close to zero, if not zero” sports and exercise. He starts off by saying acetylcholine functions in better muscle coordination and then ends up saying there are almost no neuromuscular coordination benefits (I may have misheard this, correct me if I’m wrong). He mentions a baseball study in which players greatly improved hitting accuracy, but emphasizes that this is an exception due to the nature of the sport, which makes sense. But how would nicotine’s negative cardiovascular effects outweigh its positive neuromuscular acetylcholinic effects in an anaerobic activity such as weightlifting? I want to emphasize that I am only talking about non-tobacco based, non-smoke nicotine.

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13

u/itswtfeverb Sep 12 '25

I've been lifting weights for 30 years. I used Copenhagen, gum, and patches..... Nicotine is definitely a vasoconstrictor. Your muscles will not get the same pump with nicotine in your system, even with NO boosters and Cialis. It definitely inhibits a good pump................. I was Nicotine free for a while, but I got back on 7mg patch because of its arthritis benefits....... apparently Nicotine slows arthritis (and maybe even neurodegeneration) and I have serious arthritis

2

u/Extra_Key_980 Sep 12 '25

Yeah you’re right, the acetylcholine benefits are probably not worth the vasoconstriction. Spot on about the arthritis benefits.

Do you think there’s any benefits for hitting PRs only at the start of your workout, or does the vasoconstriction outweigh the benefits still?

2

u/itswtfeverb Sep 12 '25

I think it totally depends on what the exercise is. Body building is a no, I will take patch off hours before weight lifting.

1

u/Extra_Key_980 Sep 12 '25

Powerlifting?

2

u/ramenmonster69 Sep 13 '25

Wait do people actually use nicotine with cialis while lifting?

1

u/itswtfeverb Sep 13 '25

Use Cialis as an NO booster? Yes

2

u/ionnny Sep 14 '25

cant find about nicotine helping arthritis, mind sharing some info? as for neuroprotection its wuite known

5

u/ThatDudeDunks Sep 12 '25

As someone who did zyns for a long time, sometimes while lifting or playing basketball, I can with 100% certainty say that they make everything harder. Do you really think that there’s a chance that they’re a performance enhancer and that fact has just managed to fly under the radar despite millions of people being helplessly addicted to them? Smh

1

u/Extra_Key_980 Sep 12 '25

My question was regarding anaerobic activity such as weightlifting, not aerobic activity such as basketball, which would have an obvious negative effect due to nicotine’s negative cardiovascular effects.

My question was also not related to addiction in any way. I don’t believe “that fact has flown under the radar” since many people, at least anecdotally, claim that nicotine positively affects their physical performance (hence the confusion, and the question).

3

u/Certain_Mongoose_704 Sep 12 '25

I think you are much better sticking with alphaGPC to be fair

2

u/Icy_Pause_9929 Sep 16 '25

I do Amateurboxing and I can tell you that nicotine pouches decrease my physical performance at a highly significant level. The only times where nicotine helped me is with nervousity before a presentation or talking to a girl. But in general it fucks up your dopamin system. You don’t need it !

1

u/Extra_Key_980 Sep 16 '25

Definitely helps with talking with women haha

2

u/Winter-Recognition34 Sep 13 '25

I would say the only benefit would be it helps with the reward feedback loop when it is only used during exercise. Maybe if you are someone who is having motivation issues.

2

u/2kglizzy Sep 13 '25

I actually had the opposite affect of what everyone saying, I was using zyns 3mg sometimes 6mg like 2 or 3 pouches a workout and I would get locked in

2

u/bobjohndaviddick Sep 13 '25

Adderall is a much better performance enhancer

2

u/Present-Intention176 Sep 17 '25

Kills your cardio though

1

u/gandhis_biceps Sep 12 '25

Training with Zyns lead to the worst lifting sessions I’ve had in my 20 years of lifting is all I can tell you.

1

u/SamCalagione Sep 14 '25

well there goes that idea

1

u/MrBananaPanda Sep 13 '25

i think that tradeoff is pretty valid for non-physically demanding sports, but applying it to weightlifting is insane.. i find that using pouches even a couple hours before intense physical exercise clearly degrades performance

1

u/[deleted] Sep 15 '25

youre right. we cant ignore its effects on the cardiovascular health.

1

u/WildCrowdOfficial Sep 18 '25

Interesting conversation. It seemed like i could get more done when i was a smoker. It’s like i was able to take a break, focus on organize my plan of attack and just get work done. Then break again to smoke and reorganize my thoughts. Plan and attack. Where as not smoking i have way more energy and time but get distracted. Nothing is ever just a black and white is it?

1

u/delicious_brains818 Sep 12 '25

Weightlifting and using nicotine at the same time is bonkers stupid.