Why Does Nicotine Make You Poop?

Nicotine is a stimulant, which means it speeds up many of the body’s functions. Nicotine is found in tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco. It’s also found in vapes and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). 

Nicotine can affect almost every part of your body, including your gut. One result of this is that you may feel the urge to poop after using nicotine. 

Why does nicotine make you poop?

Nicotine can activate receptors along the intestine. These activated receptors encourage the gut to move faster. This can trigger a bowel movement. 

This action also means the gut has less time to absorb fluid during digestion. So poop is more likely to be watery and look like diarrhea. 

Not everyone who smokes, vapes, or takes NRT experiences this phenomenon. Some people feel the urge to go to the bathroom shortly after using nicotine. Others don’t experience any changes in their stool patterns. We don’t know the reason why.

Researchers haven’t studied how much nicotine people need to take in order to have a bowel movement. And there’s no evidence that any level of nicotine is safe to use. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Trying to quit smoking? Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help.

• Does smoking affect your hair? Yes, nicotine has been linked to hair loss.

• Is vaping safer than smoking? Not exactly, but vaping may help some people quit smoking cigarettes.

Nicotine isn’t a safe treatment for constipation or irregular bowel movements. And it’s not considered a laxative. Over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives and natural constipation remedies are safer ways to keep yourself regular.

How does nicotine affect the digestive system?

Nicotine has both short-term and long-term effects on the digestive system. 

Nicotine’s short-term effects on the gut

In the short term, nicotine can cause temporary gut symptoms. That’s because nicotine speeds up the gut’s natural activity. The symptoms you experience are directly tied to how much nicotine reaches your digestive system. 

When you smoke, vape, or take NRT, a typical amount of nicotine will reach your digestive system. That can cause symptoms like: 

• Gassiness

• Bloating

• Stomach pain

• Nausea

People may experience an urge to poop after vaping or smoking. But more people report constipation than the urge to poop. 

Some people notice these symptoms every time they use a product with nicotine. But other people only experience symptoms occasionally. 

Nicotine’s long-term effects on the gut

Over time, nicotine damages gut health in many ways. Long-term smoking, vaping, and nicotine use increase the risk of developing:

• Peptic ulcer disease

• Stomach cancer

• Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD)

• Polyps, which can increase the risk of developing colon cancer

• Crohn’s disease

Quitting smoking can help you avoid these conditions. When you quit smoking, your body has a chance to heal the inflammation and damage caused by toxic substances in cigarettes and vaping products. 

What should you do if you have too much nicotine in your system?

Nicotine poisoning can happen when people accidentally take too much nicotine. People may not realize that their vaping cartridges contain higher levels of nicotine, which can lead to accidental poisoning. Or they may mistakenly take too much of their NRT. 

Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include:

• Loose stools or diarrhea

• Severe stomach pain 

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Fast heart rate

• Vomiting

• Sweating

• Tremors

• Paleness

Nicotine poisoning is an emergency. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 if you think you or a loved one has nicotine poisoning or has been accidentally exposed to nicotine.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Caroline Amin, MD

Dr. Amin started her post-education career as a general pediatrician in an urban setting, and an assistant professor of pediatrics at University of Connecticut. In addition to managing care of  pediatric patients, she precepted residents and educated rotating medical students.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts