Cigars can make you need to have a bowel movement; this is a common physiological effect. This urge, often observed shortly after beginning to smoke, is caused by the chemical compounds in the cigar interacting with the body’s nervous system. The primary driver of this digestive response is nicotine, which increases the rate of movement of contents through the digestive tract.
Nicotine as the Active Agent
The physical effect of stimulating a bowel movement is primarily attributed to nicotine, the naturally occurring alkaloid found in tobacco plants. Nicotine is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, where it exerts its systemic effects on various organs, including the digestive system. The mechanism of action is consistent across all forms of nicotine use, meaning the effect is not exclusive to cigars, but rather a characteristic of the substance itself.
Mechanism of Increased Digestive Motility
Nicotine functions as a parasympathomimetic agent, meaning it mimics the action of acetylcholine, a primary neurotransmitter in the parasympathetic nervous system. This nervous system branch is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” functions, which govern digestion. By binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) throughout the gastrointestinal tract, nicotine accelerates digestive processes.
This binding action causes an increase in smooth muscle contraction along the walls of the intestines. The wave-like motions of these contractions are known as peristalsis, which is the mechanism that pushes food and waste materials through the digestive tract. By intensifying the frequency and strength of peristaltic waves, nicotine dramatically speeds up the transit time of waste. This accelerated movement through the large intestine is what triggers the sudden and frequent urge for defecation.
Specific Absorption Routes of Cigar Nicotine
The cigar’s unique chemical makeup allows for a distinct and rapid absorption of nicotine, which contributes to the immediacy of the digestive effect. Cigar tobacco is generally cured and fermented in a way that results in smoke with a higher, more alkaline pH. This alkaline environment converts nicotine into its non-ionized, or freebase, form.
Freebase nicotine is highly lipid-soluble, allowing it to easily penetrate the membranes lining the mouth. Significant nicotine absorption occurs through the oral mucosa, or the lining of the cheeks and under the tongue, even if the smoke is not inhaled into the lungs. This buccal absorption provides a direct and fast route for a large dose of nicotine to enter the systemic circulation, quickly reaching the gut and initiating the parasympathetic response.
Long-Term Gastrointestinal Health Concerns
While the acute effect on motility is noticeable, regular cigar use presents a spectrum of chronic health issues for the digestive system. The non-inhaled smoke exposes the upper digestive tract to numerous carcinogens, significantly increasing the risk of cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, and esophagus. These risks persist even for users who do not inhale the smoke.
Chronic exposure to nicotine can also weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscular ring separating the esophagus and stomach, leading to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and chronic heartburn. Cigar smoking is associated with an increased incidence of peptic ulcers. This is partly due to nicotine’s ability to stimulate gastric acid secretion while simultaneously reducing the protective mucus lining and blood flow in the stomach, impairing the tissue’s ability to heal.