Does Caffeine Make You Crave Nicotine?

Nicotine is an addictive substance. Nicotine or tobacco dependence make it hard to stop smoking even when you have negative health effects from tobacco, such as heart disease or even cancer. The Mayo Clinic says that the most damaging toxins in tobacco smoke come from compounds other than nicotine. Even when you make the decision to stop smoking, cravings for nicotine are common. Caffeine intake can affect nicotine withdrawal.

Caffeine and Nicotine

Caffeine and nicotine are both drugs, and stopping either substance abruptly can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine causes temporary changes in your brain chemistry by increasing the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters. Among these chemicals is dopamine, which makes you feel good. Your body becomes adapted to the positive effects of nicotine on the brain, and the mood-altering effects make you want to smoke again. When you stop smoking, it is the changes in brain chemistry that cause withdrawal symptoms, such as cravings.

Nicotine Withdrawal

Nicotine cravings are one of a number of symptoms that occur when you are in nicotine withdrawal. Other symptoms include anxiety, restlessness, mood changes, increased hunger, insomnia and changes in bowel habits. In addition to the physical symptoms, smoking has behavioral cues that can make withdrawal worse. If your normal morning routine includes a cup of coffee – whether regular or decaf – and a cigarette, you will tend to want a cigarette with your coffee even after you quit smoking.

Caffeine and Nicotine Carvings

Research reported in the January-February 1997 issue of “Addictive Behaviors” noted that when you stop smoking, caffeine levels in your body will increase. Excess caffeine in the system can cause similar symptoms to those of nicotine withdrawal, such as insomnia, anxiety and restlessness. Interestingly, the researchers reported that smokers who normally did not use caffeine had increased withdrawal symptoms when they quit smoking, while smokers who used caffeine had fewer withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms for caffeine abstainers included fatigue and an increase in caffeine craving, but no increase in tobacco craving.

Research on Nicotine Cravings

An article in the March 2010 “Nicotine and Tobacco Research” reported a study of all aspects of nicotine craving. The researchers studied nicotine cessation and cravings in real-world situations rather than the laboratory. They found that cravings increased early in the morning, when other people were present and when eating or drinking. However, the study results showed that despite the high correlation between smoking and drinking coffee, drinking caffeine did not change nicotine cravings.

Considerations and Warnings

Caffeine in and of itself does not seem to make nicotine cravings worse, but the behavioral cues associated with coffee or other sources of caffeine may trigger the urge for a cigarette. Smoking has so many serious negative health consequences that quitting is vital to your health. If you are trying to quit, there are many resources. If you need extra help, consult a health-care professional for smoking cessation counseling or medications.