Smoking: omega-3s can help you quit

Taking EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) supplements can help reduce nicotine cravings and the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Omega three deficiency, in fact, damages the structure of neurons and interferes with the release of neurotransmitters in areas of the brain involved in the addiction mechanism, making it harder for the body to fight the urge to smoke.

This is the finding of a new study conducted at the University of Haifa (Israel) with the aim of assessing the effects on nicotine dependence of DHA and EPA, in smokers not interested in quitting smoking. The work was published in the journal Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Tobacco smoking causes several health harms

Chronic exposure to toxic substances derived from cigarette smoking is the leading cause of pulmonary, cardiovascular and immune dysfunction, in addition to causing some cancers.

Smoking also, through the production of oxidative compounds, reduces the levels of fatty acids in the brain, particularly those of Omega-3, which are essential components of neuronal membranes.

Omega-3 deficiency, by damaging the structure of nerve cells, disrupts communication between neurons in areas of the brain involved in feelings of satisfaction and pleasure. 

Previous studies have shown that an imbalance of Omega-3 is linked to mental health, depression, and ability to cope with pressure and stress.

Although the relationship between stress and the desire to smoke is known, the connection between all these factors had not been studied until now.

Omega-3s reduce cigarette cravings

The study involved forty-eight smokers between the ages of 18 and 45, who smoked an average of fourteen cigarettes in a day, and who had smoked at least ten cigarettes a day in the previous year.

Participants were divided into two groups: one group received five capsules per day, for a total of 2710 mg of EPA and 2040 mg of DHA, for 30 days. The second group a placebo.

At no stage of the study were participants asked to stop smoking.

Nicotine craving was monitored with a series of tests conducted at the beginning of the study, after one month of treatment and thirty days after the end.

Before the tests, subjects abstained from smoking for two hours and were then exposed to smoking-related stimuli and images in order to stimulate their craving for nicotine.

The results showed that there were no differences between the groups at the beginning of the study, while after thirty days the smokers who had taken Omega-3s had reduced, on average, cigarette consumption by two per day (a decrease of 11 percent).

Subjects who had taken the supplement among others demonstrated a significant decrease in nicotine craving after the month of supplementation. Thirty days after the end, craving for smoking had slightly increased, although it remained significantly lower than the initial level.

The group that had received the placebo showed no change in the desire to smoke or the number of cigarettes consumed.

Omega-3 an effective method to quit smoking?

The results of this study indicate that Omega-3s, significantly reduce cigarettes smoked. As Dr. Shenkar, who conducted the study, points out, the fact that they were observed in people not interested in quitting reinforces the hypothesis that Omega-3 intake may help tobacco users regulate their addiction.

A very significant finding when you consider that the substances and drugs currently used to help people quit smoking are not very effective and cause side effects, while EPA and DHA supplements are inexpensive, readily available, and safe.

Further research will be needed to confirm the finding; the study should be replicated with a larger number of people and should attempt to elucidate the neural mechanisms that may play a role in decreasing the desire to smoke.

Source: Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on tobacco craving in cigarette smokers: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study. J Psychopharmacol, August 2014;vol. 28 no. 8, 804-809.