For some smokers, the first cigarette of the day isn’t as satisfying without a cup of coffee. Researchers have discovered that it is not just a simple habit. Explanations.
- Coffee is safe for an adult below the 400 mg threshold.
- Each year, 79,000 French people die prematurely because of tobacco.
For many people, waking up should be accompanied immediately by a coffee and a cigarette. A very important combination to start the day serenely. But for scientists at the University of Florida, these choices are not made by chance. According to a study published in the journal Neuropharmacologycertain chemical ingredients present in roasted coffee could help alleviate the effects of nicotine cravings in the morning.
Coffee affects nicotinic receptors in the brain
Thanks to a cellular approach, in other words a therapeutic act allowing the manipulation of cells, the researchers were able to observe that two coffee compounds influence highly sensitive nicotinic receptors in the brain, that is to say a membrane protein that found in all compartments of a neuron. For a regular smoker, these receptors are sensitive as soon as you wake up.
To verify this finding, the research teams conducted an experiment in a laboratory. They used a solution of roasted coffee on cells, which express a nicotinic receptor similar to a human neuron. After this test, the researchers concluded that one of the components of coffee, called “n-MP”, could regulate the dysfunction of the nicotine receptors. According to researcher Robert L Papke, this compound in coffee can help calm cravings in the morning.
The association between coffee and alcohol
Although this discovery has not been tested on humans, it is nevertheless an important advance in understanding the association between caffeine and nicotine. “Many people like to ingest caffeine after waking up, but there are other molecules in coffee that may explain why smokers want their coffee in the morning,” says Dr. Papke.
In the future, the researcher wants to investigate the idea that regular smokers combine drinking coffee in the morning and drinking alcohol in the evening. While the effects of alcohol on receptors have been the subject of much research, evidence for coffee is lacking.
