Smoking cigarettes is addictive because tobacco contains a rich concoction of substances that affect the biochemistry of the brain. Feeling attracted to a cigarette, we simply feel the urge to improve our mood. One strategy for quitting cigarettes dictates the use of a milder and healthier substitute that will improve mood and thus alleviate the urge to light up a cigarette. Kanna is one of the most interesting natural supplements for improving mood. So let's see if Kanna can help you quit smoking?

• How does Kanna work?
• Will Kanna help in quitting smoking habit?

How does Kanna work?

To begin with, let's outline the silhouette of this plant. Kanna, or Sceletium tortuosum, is a plant from Southern Africa that has been used for millennia by the tribes there to strengthen the body and increase resistance to stress.

From both traditional reports and modern scientific research, we know that Kanna has properties:

• anti-anxiety,
• antidepressant,
• anti-stress,
• analgesic.

Kanna's mechanisms of action are advanced. There are many, but two are predominant:

• serotonin reuptake inhibition (SSRI);
• phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibition.

Both mechanisms are distinctive and important for brain biochemistry, clearly improving mental well-being and mental performance. Numerous scientific studies on humans confirm the effects of Kanna, and most of them were conducted in the last decade, so they are very fresh and up-to-date.

Will Kanna help in quitting smoking habit?

At this point, unfortunately, there are no studies available that specifically analyze this aspect. However, we do know that cigarettes are easier to quit when the brain is happy. The components of tobacco have a psychostimulatory effect and trigger a number of biochemical reactions that improve mood. When we provide the brain with alternative stimulation that is a bit milder and safer, it won't push us as intensely to reach for another cigarette. It simply won't have as much need.

And it is in this way that one can see hope in Kanna. It has a mood-enhancing effect, and at the same time it does not stupefy and even improves mental clarity. In addition, it appears to be very safe (in studies it was well tolerated) and not addictive. There's a good chance that it will improve many people's daily moods enough that, with a minimum of extra desire, quitting smoking will be much easier.

Sources:

• Olatunji TL, Siebert F, Adetunji AE, et al. Sceletium tortuosum: A review on its phytochemistry, pharmacokinetics, biological and clinical activities [published correction appears in J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Apr 6;287:114711]. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021;280:114