Study reveals why many smokers like coffee with their cigarette

By Lilli Humphrey via SWNS

Coffee affects the brain's nicotine receptors - which might explain why many smokers have a brew with their first cigarette of the day, according to a new study.

American researchers have identified two compounds in coffee that directly affect high-sensitivity nicotine receptions in the brain.

The University of Florida team discovered chemical compounds in roasted coffee beans which may help lighten the effects of smokers’ morning nicotine cravings.

The compounds were found to directly affect high-sensitivity nicotine receptors in the brain. For smokers, those receptors can be hyper-sensitive after a night of nicotine withdrawal.

The team said that whilst the effect on nicotine receptors from alcohol in the brain has been thoroughly researched, the receptors’ interaction with coffee has been studied less.

Professor Roger Papke, from the University of Florida College of Medicine, says caffeine is coffee’s "feel-good" ingredient for most people - but smokers may get another kind of boost.

“Many people like caffeine in the morning, but there are other molecules in coffee that may explain why cigarette smokers want their coffee," he said.

Starting by applying a dark roast coffee solution to cells that express a particular human nicotine receptor, the researchers found that an organic chemical compound in coffee may help restore the nicotine receptor dysfunction that leads to nicotine cravings in smokers, the researchers concluded.

Papke said one of the compounds in brewed coffee, known as n-MP, may help to quell morning nicotine cravings.

“Many people look for coffee in the morning because of the caffeine," he said.

“We wanted to know if there were other things in coffee that were affecting the brain’s nicotine receptors."

The findings, published in the journal Neuropharmacology have yet to be tested in humans.

But Papke said the findings provide a good foundation for behavioral scientists who could further study nicotine withdrawal in animal models.