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Dose effects of nicotine gum
1Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, John Hopkins/Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21224.
Addictive Behaviors
|May 1, 1995
Summary
This study found that while nicotine gum use didn't impact smoking abstinence, higher nicotine levels correlated with less weight gain post-cessation. More research is needed on optimal nicotine gum dosing for smokers.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Pharmacology
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Nicotine gum aids smoking cessation by reducing withdrawal and weight gain.
- The specific dose-response effects of nicotine gum are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if coached quitters use more nicotine gum.
- To determine dose-related effects of nicotine gum on abstinence, withdrawal, and weight gain.
Main Methods:
- 177 volunteers were assigned to chew 0, 7, 15, or 30 pieces/day of 2 mg nicotine gum.
- Smoking abstinence and gum use were biologically verified over 3 months.
- Salivary cotinine levels were measured.
Main Results:
- Gum group assignment did not predict smoking abstinence at 12 weeks.
- Higher gum use correlated with higher salivary cotinine in abstinent subjects.
- Weight gain was dose-dependently related to cotinine levels, not gum group assignment.
Conclusions:
- Nicotine gum dosing may influence post-cessation weight gain.
- Higher nicotine replacement levels are associated with less weight gain.
- Further investigation into high-dose nicotine gum use is warranted.