title: Nutritional support of central catecholaminergic tone may aid smoking withdrawal.
abstract: Nicotine increases the release and turnover of catecholamines in the brain, and many features of the tobacco withdrawal syndrome--such as drug craving, poor concentration, impaired motor performance, drowsiness, fatigue, increased appetite with hyperphagia--may reflect diminished central catecholaminergic tone. Support of central catecholamine synthesis with the nutrients tyrosine and glucose tolerance factor (which enhance brain tyrosine levels) may lessen tobacco withdrawal symptoms and may increase the chance of success in smoking cessation programs. Nutritional measures of this type would probably be safer and more appropriate for long-term use than central-stimulant drugs.
mesh_terms: D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012907:Smoking; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D009538:Nicotine