Smoking: Omega-3 can help quit

Taking supplements of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) may help reduce nicotine craving and the number of cigarettes smoked per day. A deficiency of Omega-3, in fact, damages the structure of neurons and interferes with neurotransmitter release in brain areas involved in addiction mechanisms, making it harder for the body to resist the urge to smoke.

This emerges from a new study conducted at the University of Haifa (Israel) aimed at evaluating the effects of DHA and EPA on nicotine addiction in smokers not interested in quitting. The work was published in the journal Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Smoking causes various health damages

Chronic exposure to toxic substances from cigarette smoke is the leading cause of pulmonary, cardiovascular, and immune dysfunctions, as well as some types of cancer.

Moreover, smoking, through the production of oxidative compounds, reduces fatty acid levels in the brain, particularly Omega-3s which are essential components of neuronal membranes.

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

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

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

Omega-3 reduce the urge to smoke

The study involved forty-eight smokers aged between 18 and 45 years, who smoked an average of fourteen cigarettes per day and had smoked at least ten per 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 thirty days. The second group received a placebo.

At no point during the study were participants asked to quit smoking.

Nicotine craving was measured using a series of tests performed 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 to stimulate their nicotine craving.

Results showed no differences between groups at the start of the study, while after thirty days smokers who had taken Omega-3 had reduced their cigarette consumption by an average of two per day (an 11% decrease).

Those who took the supplement also showed a significant decrease in nicotine craving after the month of supplementation. Thirty days after the end, the craving slightly increased but remained significantly below the initial level.

The placebo group showed no change in craving or number of cigarettes smoked.

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