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An Ohio University professor is researching nicotine’s effect on heart health as smoking alternatives rise in popularity
By: David Forster
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — The health hazards surrounding nicotine are commonly associated with smoking cigarettes. But as more people turn to smoking alternatives like vaping and pouches, researchers are diving into how nicotine itself can damage the body.
Kevin Lee, an associate professor of biomedical sciences at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, was recently awarded a grant by the American Heart Association to study how nicotine use can lead to heart damage.
He sat down to speak with WOUB’s David Forster for “Modern Science.”
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
On the rise of nicotine alternatives
“Nicotine use is associated with cigarettes, combustible cigarettes. However, the use of combustible cigarettes is actually decreasing right now. There are other forms of nicotine available now, including vaping or e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. These are really growing in popularity, especially amongst college-age and high school-aged kids. About 15% of all college kids regularly use a nicotine product, either a vape or a nicotine pouch at this time, which is a really high percentage.
“I think we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg, too. If you actually look at the projected sales of nicotine pouches, they’re expected to increase about tenfold over the next nine years.”
How nicotine alternatives compare to cigarettes in dosage
On the health concerns surrounding nicotine use for young people
“Nicotine has long been known to be associated with heart disease in human beings. I think the problem is now we’re having these very, very young people starting these nicotine products. They’re going to use them for decades because nicotine is very addictive.”
Lee’s study will look at nicotine’s effect on the breakdown of fatty tissue
“It breaks down the lipids in the fat tissue into free fatty acids. Those circulate through your body. We actually don’t really know the molecular mechanisms of how nicotine does this even after all this time.
“What my lab has found is a subpopulation of fat cells that really seem to regulate this process. We’re really working on understanding the molecular underpinnings behind that process.
“Those extra free fatty acids in the bloodstream then go to the heart among other tissues and lead to DNA damage and reduced heart function.
“The nicotine does lead to an excess of free fatty acids over normal physiology. Normally those free fatty acids are utilized because we normally break down fat cells when we need to utilize energy. However, when people are standing around smoking, they don’t actually utilize that energy. So the free fatty acids remain in circulation.”
On the goals of the study
“I think one of the main problems that we have right now is that people think that nicotine use, as far as vapes and nicotine pouches, are a much safer alternative to smoking. I think they are better than smoking, but they’re not without really notable risks. I don’t think a lot of people quite recognize the risks of these products yet.”
The first draft of the transcript used for this story was created in Adobe Podcast, which includes an AI transcription tool. A WOUB news editor then reviewed, corrected and reformatted the transcript before publication.