Nicotine’s Image Shift at the Beyond Biohacking Conference

“Are you over 21?” the enthusiastic representative asked while handing over two tins of ALP nicotine pouches.

This interaction took place at Dave Asprey’s Beyond Biohacking Conference, where attendees eagerly lined up to try the brand’s fruity and minty products.

Historically, nicotine has been regarded as a vice rather than a potential enhancer of health and performance. However, that perspective is changing, influenced by biohackers, wellness advocates, and ambitious individuals searching for a cognitive boost.

Once tied solely to cigarettes and addiction, nicotine is now being explored for its potential to sharpen mental performance and support brain health, with Asprey as one of its most prominent supporters.

“Nicotine is among the most misunderstood substances in the biohacking community,” Asprey told The Post.

He pointed out a significant issue: when people hear “nicotine,” they often automatically associate it with cigarettes.

“Tobacco smoke is loaded with over 7,000 harmful chemicals. And then there’s vaping, which may be even worse,” Asprey noted. “But pharmaceutical-grade nicotine is a different story altogether.”

He explained that when nicotine is isolated from tobacco and combustion, it can serve as a powerful nootropic—interacting with brain receptors associated with memory, attention, and neuroprotection.

“I’ve used non-combustible nicotine for years, without hesitation,” Asprey said. “I usually stick to a low dose—between 2 to 5 milligrams—and I’m intentional about when I take it. Typically, it’s before I dive into deep work or a high-pressure discussion.”

Asprey is not alone in his endorsement of nicotine as a performance enhancer. In Silicon Valley, startups are distributing free nicotine pouches to staff, filling office vending machines with flavored options that users claim help them concentrate and increase productivity.

Fitness expert and host of “The Biggest Loser,” Jillian Michaels has also shared her experience using nicotine gum to manage her ADHD and safeguard her cognitive function.

Joe Rogan is another supporter, along with Tucker Carlson, co-founder of ALP, who has praised nicotine as a “life-enhancing chemical.”

Meanwhile, Stanford’s Andrew Huberman, known for his wellness podcast “The Huberman Lab,” remarked that it “sharpens the mind.”

Nicotine pouches—small, tobacco-free packets filled with powdered nicotine—are often promoted as an alternative to cigarettes and vapes, assisting adult smokers in moving away from combustible forms of tobacco.

However, some brands are pushing the idea further, marketing nicotine not just as a substitute for smoking but also as a tool for enhanced focus and performance.

One brand, Athletic Nicotine, invites customers to “join the movement of winners balancing mind and body while tackling daily challenges.”

Lucy, another nicotine pouch brand backed by Asprey, promotes its products as aids for improved focus, deeper thinking, relaxation, and creativity.

On social media, manufacturers like Zone illustrate users working at their computers alongside motivational graphics captioned “No need to step away.”

That said, the science surrounding nicotine’s cognitive effects is not as definitive as its marketing might imply.

Research indicates that nicotine can enhance attention, working memory, and synaptic signaling, as well as boost motor control and reaction time in cognitive tasks.

Still, experts caution that these short-term enhancements don’t necessarily translate into long-lasting brain benefits.

“Nicotine can make a person feel sharper, more awake, and focused in the moment. That’s factual,” noted Dr. Fawad Mian, a board-certified neurologist.

However, he expressed concern that those same neural pathways that create that focused state might also foster dependence. Over time, users may require nicotine just to feel normal.

Proponents argue that nicotine could potentially guard against cognitive decline as one ages.

“There’s compelling evidence pointing to lower rates of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease among regular users,” Asprey stated.

In one study, nicotine was seen to slow cognitive decline related to aging and enhance natural chemicals that protect the brain. Another study found it might improve performance in individuals with initially lower scores—something Asprey suggests indicates it could restore cognitive efficiency rather than overstimulating those who already excel.

Whether nicotine can genuinely provide protection against neurodegenerative diseases remains open to question.

“I take these studies seriously,” Mian remarked. “Conversely, smokers tend to experience Parkinson’s less frequently. Yet when nicotine patches were used for patients, they didn’t yield the anticipated outcomes.”

“In the early stages of Parkinson’s, there wasn’t a significant gain aside from temporary cognitive improvement,” he explained. “Their daily functioning didn’t change.”

Other experts find the preliminary research intriguing but insufficient to endorse widespread nicotine use as a preventative measure.

“While associations exist, and mechanisms seem plausible based on animal studies, clinical trials typically examine effects in diagnosed individuals and don’t provide consistent evidence of effectiveness,” commented Dr. Nehal Vadhan, director of Northwell Health’s Feinstein Family Human Neuropsychopharmacology Lab.

“Therefore, expanding the use of a potentially dependence-inducing substance for preventive measures in healthy people—despite good intentions—is not advisable,” he added.

Mian concurred. “Currently, we lack robust human evidence supporting claims that it slows brain aging, safeguards long-term memory, or significantly enhances mitochondrial health over time,” he said.

“There may be short-term protective effects on mitochondrial health, but further studies are needed to ascertain the long-term implications.”

Experts remain concerned about the long-term use of nicotine—not whether it can provide a quick boost, but rather the consequences of repeated use.

Vadhan noted that the primary risk recognized so far is nicotine dependency.

“Everyone agrees that tobacco use is far more harmful, but comprehensive long-term studies demonstrating the complete safety of pouches, especially considering potential additives, are currently lacking,” he stated.

Asprey acknowledged variations in pouches, advising that it’s “important to be selective” when purchasing.

“Look for pharmaceutical-grade nicotine from reputable companies, and it’s wise to research the pouch material itself,” he suggested. “Some pouches could expose you to microplastics, which is definitely undesirable for prolonged use.”

Ultimately, Mian suggests concentrating on other avenues for enhancing performance until more research confirms nicotine’s long-term effects.

“To boost your memory, prioritize quality sleep, a balanced diet, regular exercise, maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, learning new skills, and staying socially engaged. These options tend to be safer and don’t carry addiction risks or other potential long-term health consequences,” he recommended.

“Nicotine might provide a short-term cognitive boost,” Mian concluded, “but it hasn’t yet proven itself as a brain-health supplement.”