Nicotine And Appetite Suppression

[scotrob]

Nicotine is supposedly an appetite suppressant, so we are told (and thus is the reason why so many cig smokers pile on the pounds after they quit)- do any pipe smokers here find pipe smoking to suppress appetite? Do you eat more if, for any reason, you are unable to smoke for a day or two?
Here in the UK we have a problem with obesity which in extent is not far short of the problem which the USA faces, yet in mainland Europe, where people often smoke more (e.g. France) no such problem exists. Since obesity arguably causes more damage to health than tobacco, maybe we should advocate smoking for all?
Anyone want to comment?

 

[jvandy77]

Often times, I find myself quite hungry after finishing a bowl--especially if it was one of those blends you feel like you could literally take a bite out of.

 

[keith929]

Count me as one who believes in the appetite suppressing quality of vitamin N. I find that I have no desire to eat after finishing a bowl. If I am in a situation where I cannot light up I have a craving for a piece of gum or candy.

 

[mluyckx]

I'm usually hungry after smoking. Be it nails or a pipe.
Having lived on both sides of the pond, I think the obesity issue is more related to the quality of the food and the amount (or lack thereof) of physical excercise. I've been smoking for 30+ years and up until a couple of years ago, I could keep up with teenagers here that just don't have enough physical excercise in their lives.

 

[spartan]

If you go in with the mindset, "I don't need to be snacking on potato chips... so instead I'll smoke a satisfying bowl of FVF." then Yes I do believe it will help you curb momentary bad food decisions.
But, I'm 24 and hungry ALL THE TIME. So my current low nic blends aren't offering much support in keeping me away from the fridge.

 

[topd]

Very good observation scotrob... I never thought about it before but I'm never ready to just jump into dinner when my wife is. I'm usually having a smoke and drink when she gets home. You got me to thinkin' about European's and their wine. I wonder if that has any 'affects on weight'. I didn't take much notice on what people were smoking in Germany or France when I was visiting, but in the U.K. it was pipes or cigars. Not many cigarette smokers where I hung out anyway. One thing I definitely remember about the U.K. was learning to drink Guinness! That has to be the perfect diet drink possible! I get it here at the drive in liquor store, and have to let it warn-up as they keep it in a cooler. Not the way I learned to drink it.

But, I do think you have something there.........

 

[brian64]

I have yet to discover anything that suppresses my appetite : ).
Regarding the obesity epidemic, I firmly believe that it is primarily a result of the complete lack of nutrition in the food most people eat these days. They get lots of calories but are always hungry because they're getting very little nutrition. I'll freely admit that I am a bit overweight, but all I have to do to feel thin is go to the grocery store...9 out of 10 people walking around there at any given time look like dirigibles.

 

[bailey331]

Very interesting indeed. I normally dont eat after a pipe as I enjoy the tast the pipe leaves behind for a while.

 

[wonky]

Nicotine makes me hungry. Plain and simple. I go out to smoke a cigar or pipe, and 90% of the time I come back inside and raid the fridge when I am finished.

 

[ohin3]

I also get hungry after smoking a pipe. I'm not sayinn that dispells the myth or anything, but I always want to eat after a smoke.

 

[stogie37]

I tend to replace snacking with a pipe or cigar. Normally, I am not looking to eat directly afterward. That said, the opposite is nearly always true! Once I've downed a great meal, it just doesn't feel complete without a nice slow smoke afterward. I also like that pipe smoking doesn't really have an effect on my daily (sometimes twice daily) workouts.

 

[kyletheaviator]

I quit smoking in December and instantly noticed the amount of food I ate near doubled. Many tried to tell me that nicotine was an appetite suppressant and that I had a habit of bringing things to my mouth and eating fulfilled that. What I realized was that, no matter the context, we all associate smoking with food (especially cigarette smokers).

I tend to replace snacking with a pipe or cigar. Normally, I am not looking to eat directly afterward.

This was a perfect example of me! I had a 5 minute break at work so instead of going to the vending machine and grabbing a candy bar or some chips, I would smoke a cigarette. Since I was always smoking when i was hungry, I associated hunger with a craving for food AND cigarettes. I no longer had cigarettes as an option, so it was 100% food instead of 50/50. I would actually eat until the point where I thought I was going to puke and still felt starved, simply because my cravings for cigarettes and hunger felt the same. Thats my take on it anyhow
I personally don't notice it with pipes, but that could be because I don't smoke my pipe as often as I did cigarettes and I haven't tried quitting yet

 

[jchaplick]

This is a true statement among the most people, nicotine and tobacco usually is an appetite suppressant.
The biggest example of this in use is WWII; tobacco products (cigarettes, pipe tobacco, snuff, and chewing tobacco) were much easier to transport and distribute among soldiers than actual food rations were, when it was difficult to get food to soldiers (battle of the bulge) tobacco was substituted. This kept the soldiers from starving to death, at least stopped them from the pains of starving.
Just a little tidbit

 

[martiniman]

I don't feel it suppresses so much as replaces, something different to do.

 

[lazydog]

On the otherhand, after a great dinner, I want to smoke a pipe. I remember seeing adds in magazines in the 50s that smoking is a great aid to digestion, Of course it showed people smokin their lucky strikes or Tarreyton cigs around the dinner table.

 

[ejames]

Nicotine,even when I smoked cigarettes never affected my appetite in any way. After eating though I want a smoke!