During her appearance on the Mayim Bialik podcast, Dr. Rhonda Patrick briefly addressed the growing trend of pouch use for cognitive enhancement. Her comments came during a broader discussion about caffeine and coffee consumption with Mayim Bialik.
Dr. Patrick noted that nicotine has become increasingly popular as a nootropic, with people using products like mints and pouches specifically for cognitive benefits.
“People are like using these little mints or the Zyn Pouches like the Zyn bags and stuff.”
She added that she has never personally tried it.
She acknowledged the appeal, stating that nicotine is
“used as a neutropic”
because
“it improves their cognitive performance. You focus. You’re like in the zone. You’re productive.”
When podcast host Mayim Bialik joked that she was
“terrified that I’ll love it,”
Dr. Patrick confirmed the concern was valid, calling it
“a great dr-g.”
Drawing a parallel to caffeine, Dr. Patrick noted some structural similarities between the two compounds. She mentioned that
“there are a few studies looking at nicotine”
and referenced claims about potential anti-Alzheimer’s effects. Both nicotine and caffeine appear to offer some protective effects against neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease.
However, Dr. Patrick was clear about the serious health risks.
“It does it causes cardiovascular disease hypertension.”
Unlike the vascular constriction effects of caffeine, nicotine’s impact on blood vessels poses more significant dangers.
“It’s constricting your blood so that’s just a that’s not a mechanism of the smoke that’s nicotine.”
She emphasized that the cardiovascular risks come from the nicotine itself, not from smoking delivery methods.
When discussing why people use it, Dr. Patrick explained that users are seeking productivity and cognitive enhancement. However, she expressed concern about the dosing patterns she has observed after giving talks.
“I’ve had people come up to me and they’re like, ‘Oh, I take I take, you know, I go through like six of these a day’ and I’m like, ‘Six of these?'”
While Dr. Patrick acknowledged the cognitive benefits that make nicotine appealing, her overall message was one of caution, particularly regarding the cardiovascular risks that accompany its use and the casual framing of nicotine as a dr-g-like performance aid.
