Scientists reveal reason why women find it difficult to quit smoking

In a recent study, researchers revealed the reason why women may find it difficult to quit smoking than men. The research suggests that estrogen, female reproductive hormone play a major role here.

The research conducted by University of Kentucky found a link between estrogen and nicotine addiction. While smoking cessation is linked with several health benefits, women may suffer higher than male when trying to quit.

The study, published in the journal of American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, found that women depend and gets addicted on nicotine faster than men and experience more difficulty quitting. Nicotine is among the major ingredient in cigarettes. The substance has been associated with several health ailments including accelerated coronary and peripheral vascular disease, acute cardiac ischemic events, delayed wound healing, reproductive disturbances, peptic ulcer disease, and esophageal reflux.

Smoking cessation: Why women find it difficult to quit?

Nicotine appears to suppress the production of olfactomedin, a protein involved in the brain’s reward system. The study explained that estrogen increases this protein level. Hence, the interplay between these three elements might be the reason why women struggle more with nicotine addiction.

These findings is a new hope for new smoking cessation treatments specifically tailored to women. the researchers here can focus on the interplay of olfactomedin, estrogen and nicotine to help women quit smoking. The researchers also hope these advancements will empower women to overcome smoking addiction.

The author of the study, Sally Pauss elaborated that previous studies show that women have a higher propensity to develop addiction to nicotine than men and are less successful at quitting. “Our work aims to understand what makes women more susceptible to nicotine use disorder to reduce the gender disparity in treating nicotine addiction,” she said.

“Our research has the potential to better the lives and health of women struggling with substance use,” she said. “If we can confirm that estrogen drives nicotine seeking and consumption through olfactomedins, we can design drugs that might block that effect by targeting the altered pathways. These drugs would hopefully make it easier for women to quit nicotine.”