Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 12th May 2023

If you're a smoker looking to quit smoking, chances are you'll be seeking out to find a Nicotine Replacement Therapy option. This is to ensure that your nicotine cravings are still satisfied, and you don't end up suffering from withdrawals from the Nicotine. People have been using traditional methods of Nicotine Replacement Therapy such as Nicotine Patches, Gum, Lozenges and Sprays but in recent times people have started turning to using alternative forms of NRT such as E-Cigarettes or Nicotine Pouches. Nicotine Pouches are still a relatively new product to the market, and people are still dubious on using them due to not knowing much about them. In this article, I'm going to take a look at the possible side effects that could happen if you use Nicotine Pouches and explain them in depth and clear up any questions or queries that you may have on this subject.

What Are Nicotine Pouches? 

Nicotine Pouches have been on the UK market since 2019, and the popularity in usage of these white pouches has grown from year to year, with the Global Nicotine Pouch Market being valued at an estimated $1.5 Billion. But what exactly are they? Nicotine Pouches are small white pouches that are filled with a Nicotine Powder mix, which contains nicotine itself, flavourings, and other essential ingredients needed to make the solution. This powder is housed in a soft white pouch, normally made of natural fibres and they are placed in the mouth, normally rest between the upper lip and upper gum, and the nicotine is then absorbed through the gum and into the blood stream. Absorption normally lasts for around 45-60 minutes per pouch and delivers a slow release of Nicotine over this period. Nicotine Pouches come in various nicotine strengths as well as flavours, which caters for everyone's needs and preferences. It's recommended to use a Nicotine strength within your nicotine pouches that relates to how many cigarettes you smoked, as you will be used to this amount of Nicotine and it won't be too overwhelming for you. Nicotine Pouches do give a "tingling" sensation when being used, which is the Nicotine being absorbed into the gum and is perfectly normal. Some people do not like this, whilst some really do, so just be aware of this before using them. Some brands do offer a "no tingling" Nicotine Pouch which are available on the market today.

What Side Effects Are There When Using Nicotine Pouches? 

When using Nicotine in any form, there are always some common side effects that you may encounter, but they are relatively short lasting and reversible should they start happening to you. Whether you're getting Nicotine from cigarettes, E-Cigarettes or Nicotine Pouches, side effects could happen and these nicotine pouch side effects are something I'll explain in detail. 

Nausea 

Probably the most common side effect that people can suffer from when ingesting Nicotine, and that is some mild nausea or as it's affectionally nicknamed "Nic-Sick" This can occur from ingesting a volume of Nicotine in a short space of time, or having more Nicotine than your body has previously been used to, for example using an X-Strong Nicotine Pouch when you've only previously been a light smoker could make you feel nauseous. This happens because when Nicotine is absorbed into the blood stream at a fast rate, it stimulates the production of stomach acid which can in turn lead to the feeling of nausea occurring. Ensure that you are sensible when using Nicotine Pouches and only use a nicotine strength that is suited to your needs and tolerance for Nicotine. If you do start feeling nauseous, stop using Nicotine Pouches for a little bit of time and give yourself a break and the "Nic Sick" feeling will soon disappear. 

Dry Mouth 

Another relatively common side effect when using Nicotine is you'll likely get a dry mouth from it. Which again, isn't life altering and is soon reversed by keeping regularly hydrated in between using Nicotine Pouches. You can also drink whilst having a Nicotine Pouch in place too. Dry Mouth from Nicotine occurs from the production of saliva being reduced as Nicotine affects the salivary glands and therefore not enough saliva is produced to keep your mouth from becoming dry. 

Dizziness 

You can also become a little bit dizzy when taking Nicotine into your system, this can especially happen in the mornings after you've not had Nicotine whilst sleeping, or if you have Nicotine after not having it for a period of time. This happens because Nicotine has an effect on the body's blood vessels which can cause a change in blood flow and in turn can affect the blood pressure which is what can make you feel a bit dizzy. If this happens to you, stop using Nicotine Pouches immediately, have a sit down and a glass of water, and leave it for a little while before having another Nicotine Pouch. 

Headaches 

Keeping on the subject of blood vessels being affected by Nicotine, another side effect that can happen relating to this is Headaches. This is because if taken in excess, the blood vessels in your body can be restricted and this could cause you to have a headache/migraine. You can probably guess what I'm about to say...if this happens, stop using Nicotine Pouches for a period of time, have plenty of water to rehydrate yourself and wait until the headache has cleared before considering using another Nicotine Pouch.

All of these listed above are relatively short-term side effects, but if they do happen to you and don't seem to go away, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible, and I would suggest not continuing to use Nicotine Pouches during this time. 

How To Minimise These Side Effects from Happening 

There are a few things that you can do to try and limit and minimise these things happening to you; 

- If you find the Nicotine strength of your Nicotine Pouches is too strong and causing you some unwanted side effects, simply drop down the strength you're using. So if you're using a 12mg for example, drop it down to 8mg. 

- As I've mentioned plenty of times in this article, keep regularly hydrated as this will drastically reduce the risk of at least three of the above listed side effects from happening to you. 

- Ensure you're using a reputable brand of Nicotine Pouches. This will mean that you're getting a high-quality product using high quality ingredients and nothing cheap or nasty will be hidden inside. 

We hope this article has helped answer any questions or queries that you may have had overusing Nicotine Pouches. If you're wanting to give Nicotine Pouches a try, then check out Snusmail.co.uk where they have a fantastic range of Nicotine Pouches on offer in a variety of Nicotine strengths and flavours!

What Are Nicotine Pouches, What Side Effects Are There When Using Nicotine Pouches, and How To Minimise These Side Effects from Happening.