In the past it has been thought that women have a more difficult time quitting smoking than men. It’s also known that women have a lower success rate quitting smoking when taking bupropion or using nicotine replacement therapies. A study done by researchers at Yale focused on gender and tobacco dependence and found that Chantix was more effective for women during short-term to intermediate treatment times. In fact, after three months of treatment, Chantix was 46% more effective for women than men. After a year of use, men and women had more similar rates of success.
Why the Difference?
In addition to finding that Chantix can be more effective for women, researchers have also found that women are less likely to quit than men when using a placebo drug. Part of the reason for these differences may be due to a difference in nicotine receptors in the brains of men and women. Male smokers tend to develop more nicotine receptors in the brain than male non-smokers, about 13-17% more. Female smokers and non-smokers, however, had similar amounts of nicotine receptors. Women’s addiction to smoking may be more about the habit of smoking and psychological response than about nicotine itself. This may be why women respond differently to Chantix and placebos, but researchers are still learning more. Research for this study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Drug Abuse, not the manufacturer of Chantix.
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About Chantix
Chantix contains the drug varenicline which is a nicotinic receptor partial agonist. Chantix produces less of a dopamine release than nicotine but also blocks nicotine from binding to these receptors so that the pleasurable effects of nicotine from tobacco are stopped. Chantix is not for everyone and may cause depression and even suicidal ideation in rare cases. If you experience any negative mood changes or a negative shift in your thoughts, tell your doctor or therapist as soon as possible. Chantix is not recommended for patients that have mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder and others.
Benefits of Quitting after Mere Weeks
According to the US Surgeon General’s Report, your circulation and lung function improves between two weeks and three months of quitting smoking. After one year of not smoking, the risk of heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s. After 5 years, the risk of stroke can fall to that of a non-smokers. If you are a female smoker that hasn’t tried Chantix and doesn’t have a mental health issue or other pre-existing condition that might prevent you from trying it, talk to your doctor about giving Chantix a try. You can notice the health benefits of quitting after as little as two weeks. Let that be your motivation to stick with it! For a free discount on Chantix, visit our Chantix Drug Page.
