Microdosing nicotine: Could it actually be good for your brain? Here's what experts say about the surprising trend.

As the psychoactive ingredient in tobacco products — not to mention increasingly popular e-cigarettes for vaping — nicotine has long been associated with risk and danger.

But now the addictive stimulant is getting a rebrand, thanks to its presence in mints, gums and smokeless pouches from companies like Lucy (which calls itself "nicotine for normal people"), Nic Nac and Zyn, which offer products that deliver nicotine without the other chemicals associated with smoking and vaping.

Taking small doses of nicotine on its own is known as microdosing, and the practice has even gotten the thumbs-up from health and wellness writer and podcaster Max Lugavere, author of the bestselling Genius Foods, who recently chatted with actor Josh Peck on Peck and Ben Soffer’s podcast, Good Guys, about how they've found it beneficial.

"I feel subjectively that it … boosts my verbal fluency," said Lugavere, who added that he takes 3mg of nicotine through the brand Nic Nac. “I take a little bit of it, and it helps me more easily translate my thoughts into cogent sentences. … It does have a cognitive enhancing effect for me." Peck, meanwhile, said he is a "Zyn guy" and that he benefits from 3mg as well.

But is there any merit to their claims?

The treatment

Nicotine products like gum and mints — which some people use to help curb their addition and eventually quit smoking and vaping — are the “least harmful” way to consume nicotine, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which notes that “nicotine is what keeps people using tobacco products.”

That's because it’s not nicotine itself that makes tobacco and tobacco smoke deadly but the “thousands of chemicals” found inside cigarettes and vape pens.

Now, instead of using smokeless nicotine products as a way to quit, people are using them for what they say are nicotine's own merits. It's done through microdosing — as these products typically contain 3 mg of nicotine as compared with the 10 to 13 of an average cigarette (though not all of that gets absorbed by the smoker), according to VeryWell Health, and up to 20mg of nicotine of an e-cigarette.

People like Lugavere are claiming that nicotine, much like caffeine, gives them a brain boost — and his statement is in line with what nicotine companies claim about their products. Lucy, for example, proclaims its nicotine helps people “focus better, think deeper, chill out smoother, and inspire creativity.”

What science says

According to Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar, professor of medicine at the University of Louisville, who works with the American Heart Association Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center, there is no robust data on the brain-health effects of microdosing nicotine. But nicotine does have an effect on one’s brain.

“At low concentrations, nicotine does decrease anxiety, whereas at high doses it increases anxiety,” Bhatnagar tells Yahoo. “It can also improve attention and information processing. However, the effects of repeated microdosing are unclear. Previous work has shown that the effects of microdosing other drugs are difficult to distinguish from placebo.”

Dr. Anant Vinjamoori, chief medical officer at the New York City health clinic Modern Age, tells Yahoo that while nicotine "has been observed to provide short-term improvements in certain cognitive functions such as attention and memory," it should not be confused with long-term enhancement.

On the contrary, "Prolonged use of nicotine has been associated with deteriorating impacts on brain health, including neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive impairment," she explains. "While microdosing nicotine may provide a short-lived cognitive boost, the long-term impacts of nicotine use can potentially compromise overall brain health. It is important to note that nicotine should not be viewed as a viable strategy for maintaining brain health in the context of longevity."

Then there’s the fact that "nicotine, even in small doses, has a high potential for addiction" and that "nicotine's stimulating effects can be habit-forming," says Vinjamoori.

"Regular exposure, even at low doses, can lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms if one chooses to stop using nicotine," she says.

Nicotine may be safer than nicotine plus the other chemicals found in cigarettes and vapes, but on its own, nicotine has been associated with detrimental health effects as well, says Bhatnagar.

"Nicotine use can increase the risk of both cancer and cardiovascular disease," he says. "Even low levels of nicotine can alter blood pressure and heart rate, which in the long run have adverse consequences. The effects saturate with low levels of exposure, so that the effects of low-dose exposure are similar to high-dose effects. Continued use of nicotine could also lead to DNA damage and thereby increase the risk of cancer. The risk is higher at higher doses."

As Vinjamoori notes, "Rather than relying on substances like nicotine, there are several healthier and more sustainable ways to boost cognitive function and concentration." Among them, she says: regular physical exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced diet rich in nutrients essential for brain health.

Plus, she adds: "Cognitive training exercises, such as meditation and mindfulness, can help improve attention and focus. Continuing to engage in intellectually stimulating activities throughout life can foster cognitive resilience."