Nicotine isn’t just a topic for public health debates — it’s showing up in the performance world, from pouches to vapes. But can it really boost focus or endurance? And at what cost?

In this episode, we explore what’s known (and not yet known) about nicotine’s effects on athletic performance. We unpack how it influences reaction time, mood, and cognitive function, compare it to caffeine as a stimulant, and discuss why its addictive potential and cardiovascular effects deserve serious consideration.

Whether you’ve seen athletes using nicotine pouches or you’re curious about the science behind its short-term performance claims, this conversation breaks down the evidence and raises important questions about health trade-offs and risk versus reward.

Do you have experience using nicotine for athletic performance? We'd love to hear from you in our free Patreon Community (@isnpodcast).  

Further reading:

• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0764-5
• https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/1009
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12970-021-00413-9
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5684328/
• https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/2/1009

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