Nicotine: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Its Risks and Potential Benefits

Based on “The double-edged nature of nicotine: toxicities and therapeutic potentials” (Cao et al., 2024) and other recent evidence.

Quick Take: Nicotine isn’t the same as smoking. While it’s addictive and poses risks—especially for young people, women who are pregnant, and adults with certain health conditions—nicotine also plays a role in helping people quit smoking. It is being studied for other potential benefits, such as anti-inflammatory and cognitive effects. Women should always talk to a healthcare provider before considering any nicotine product.

How Does Nicotine Affect Women’s Bodies?

Nicotine binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) spread through the brain and body. Turning these receptors “on” can sharpen attention and modulate inflammation but also drives dependence and side effects. Think of it as a strong tool that can help in some contexts—and harm in others. PMC

The clearest, proven “benefit”: helping people quit smoking

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)—patches, gum, lozenges, etc.—delivers controlled doses of nicotine without smoke, easing withdrawal so people can quit. U.S. and international guidelines recommend FDA-approved pharmacotherapies (including NRT) with counseling as first-line treatment. Combination NRT (patch + a fast-acting form) improves long-term quit rates versus single-form NRT. USPSTF+2USPSTF+2

Why that matters: quitting smoking dramatically reduces risks for cancer, heart disease, stroke, COPD, and more. Nicotine via NRT is the harm-reduction path to get there. CDC

Promising—but not settled—therapeutic potentials

1) Anti-inflammatory effects (the “cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway”)

Nicotine can activate α7-nAChR on immune cells, dialing down pro-inflammatory cytokines. Reviews suggest net anti-inflammatory effects in conditions like ulcerative colitis, arthritis, and sepsis models, though dosing and context matter. This pathway is real biology—but translating it safely into routine care is ongoing work. PubMed+2PMC+2

Ulcerative colitis: Small trials and reviews indicate transdermal nicotine can improve symptoms in some adults with active disease who previously smoked, yet it doesn’t maintain remission well and side effects are common. It’s occasionally used as a specialist-guided adjunct, not a cure-all. PMC+2New England Journal of Medicine+2

2) Brain & cognition

Acute nicotine can boost attention and certain aspects of working/episodic memory in some settings, which may partly explain why it feels focusing for some people. Effects are dose-sensitive and inconsistent across tasks and populations. Any potential cognitive upside must be weighed against dependence risk. PMC+1

3) Neurologic disease (Parkinson’s)

Epidemiology long hinted at lower Parkinson’s rates among smokers, pointing researchers to nicotine. But the 2023 NIC-PD randomized trial found that a year of nicotine patches did not slow early Parkinson’s progression, and symptoms actually worsened a bit more in the nicotine group. Bottom line: no clinical benefit shown so far. PubMed

What about mental health?

High smoking rates in schizophrenia sparked trials of cessation aids in this group. Evidence supports using NRT/bupropion/varenicline to quit, and some studies explore nicotine’s short-term cognitive effects—but this is about safe quitting, not long-term nicotine therapy. Care must be individualized by a clinician. PMC+1

Risks All Women Should Know

• Addiction: Nicotine is strongly habit-forming. CDC

• Youth & pregnancy: Toxic to developing brains; unsafe in pregnancy. CDC

• Poisoning risk: Concentrated liquids can be hazardous if swallowed or absorbed through skin—especially for children. CDC

• Systemic effects: Nicotine can affect cardiovascular, respiratory, GI, immune, and reproductive systems; harms are context- and dose-dependent. PMC

Important: None of the potential benefits of nicotine are a reason to start using it if you don’t already. For women who use tobacco, FDA-approved ways to quit—including NRT—are proven to help. Always seek medical guidance for the safest approach.

The Bottom Line for Women

• Where nicotine helps today: as NRT for smoking cessation, ideally paired with counseling. Strong evidence, big health payoff. PubMed

• Where it’s intriguing but uncertain: targeted anti-inflammatory uses (e.g., select UC cases) and short-term cognitive effects—areas for specialist care or research, not DIY supplementation. PMC+2Frontiers+2

• Where hopes haven’t panned out: disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson’s (negative RCT). PubMed