Imagine a cheap, natural compound that has the potential to make you feel better, improve concentration and is showing huge promise with a number of medical conditions including:

Depression, Alzheimer's & Parkinson's disease, Schizophrenia, Obesity, Depression and even some cancers.

The fact this natural compound is potentially so healthy may surprise you as it is:

Nicotine!

Nicotine has had a bad reputation simply because it is consumed is cigarette smoking, yet it is not nicotine that causes disease or death, it is some of the other 4,000 compounds in cigarette smoking that are the killersNOT Nicotine.

Nicotine is safe and non toxic

Nicotine in its natural state is safe, non toxic and is actually part of the natural food chain.

In fact, it is present in numerous common foods we all eat everyday:

As confirmed in the New England Journal of Medicine,

"Nicotine is a naturally occurring compound. Trace elements are found in common foods and vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, eggplant, chili peppers, and some teas."

Nicotine's affect On Moods & Concentration

Nicotine has long been associated with better concentration and is also known to promote feelings of wellbeing.

According to Dr Dan McGhee, of the University of Chicago, nicotine is known to switch on receptors on the surface of cells in certain parts of the brain.

This causes these neurons to release the dopamine, a chemical that is associated with feelings of wellbeing and pleasure.

Smoking and medical conditions

This influence on our moods via it's affect on neurotransmitters in the brain, is leading to intense research in a number of diseases that require chemical balances within the brain to be kept in balance these include:

Depression, Alzheimer's & Parkinson's disease, Attention disorders and Schizophrenia.

By stimulating the release of specific neurotransmitters that include, Serotonin, Dopamine ( mentioned above) and Norepinephrine, Nicotine maybe able to correct imbalances in the brains functions, that make suffers of the above diseases feel better, as well as improving concentration and attention.

While much research is at an early stage, it is clear research so far does indicate that nicotine does have a positive affect on sufferers.

Research is on going and many pharmaceutical companies are looking at producing medication around Nicotine, with the express purpose of treating the above conditions.

Companies have already looked at water as a delivery method. Nicotine in simply water, with no added chemicals is already available and more products look set to come to the market in the near future.

Nicotine is it about to have an image change?

Nicotine health benefits have been under valued and this really is down to public perception of it being bad because it is associated with cigarette smoking.

That is like saying drinking wine can kill you so grapes must be bad!

Of course, we all know grapes do you good it's the delivery method that can kill you.

It's not nicotine that's bad for you its taking it with other harmful chemicals that is, 4,000 odd ones in smoking many of them poisons such as arsenic and carbon monoxide.

Take nicotine out of cigarettes however, and you have a safe, non toxic compound, that's simply part of the natural food chain. As we have seen above many of us take nicotine in everyday foods.

With on going research and as we learn more about the benefits of nicotine, expect this natural compound to get greater public acceptance for its health benefits rather than its connection with smoking.