Signs of Too Much Nicotine

Nicotine is a substance commonly found in cigarettes. Other sources of nicotine are potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers and eggplant. However, the nicotine in these vegetables are minimal compared to cigarettes and nicotine patches, gum, drops and other cigarette substitutes. Too much nicotine or nicotine overdose causes dire side effects that can cause temporary or permanent damage to your body 2. Abrupt abstinence from nicotine might cause withdrawal symptoms, while increased intake causes adverse effects 2.

Vomiting

One of the signs of too much nicotine—or nicotine overdose—is vomiting 23. One of the human body’s defense mechanisms against an overload of toxins is vomiting, as it tries to expel the large amount of toxins in the body. Vomiting will not eliminate the large amount of nicotine in the body if the nicotine ingestion is through inhalation or the bloodstream—as is the case of nicotine patches—but this does not stop the body’s defense mechanism for getting rid of the nicotine in the body.

Tachycardia

Tachycardia is an increased heart rate that occurs for a number of reasons. In the case of ingesting too much nicotine or nicotine overdose, the heart rate increases because of the body’s attempt to maintain its homeostasis in the event of toxicity 23. Tachycardia causes flushing, chest pain, headache and increased respiratory rate.

Elevated blood pressure

Nicotine toxicity—or too much nicotine—can cause high blood pressure that might need medical attention. Those suffering from high blood pressure need medical attention because of the alarming elevation that nicotine toxicity causes.

Dizziness

Nicotine overdose may cause dizziness that results from the increased blood flow to the brain due to tachycardia 2. Elevated blood pressure and tachycardia, both adverse effects of nicotine toxicity, may also cause nausea as a result of labored and elevated blood flow.

Cold sweats

Too much nicotine may cause cold sweats that are both uncomfortable and alarming. Characterizations of a cold sweat are cold, clammy skin and increased sweating.

Seizures

Nicotine increases your body’s excretion of acetylcholine—a neurotransmitter that sends signals to the muscles and the brain—making a person feel as if he works faster and thinks better. Too much nicotine causes over-excretion of acetylcholine, overloading the human body with neurotransmitters that cannot process properly, leading to seizure.

Stomach Pains

Too much nicotine can cause stomach pains, since overdose of anything in the human body causes gastric irritation and the elevation and accumulation of gastric juices in the stomach 23. Stomach pain may also lead to vomiting.