Can Magnets Help You Stop Smoking?

They may go on your ears, but they’re not exactly jewelry. Two small, gold-plated magnets putting the squeeze on specific pressure points on your upper ear may do more than dress you up. These tiny magnets are alleged to help you stop smoking… but do they really live up to the hype?

Clap a magnet to each side of your upper ear three to four hours a day for a month, and you may be able to clear your medicine cabinet of the plethora of patches, medications, gum, inhalers, and shock sticks you’ve tried in your battle to quit sucking smoke. At least, that’s the claim of the manufacturer of Zerosmoke, a set of magnets attached to the ear that work like acupressure to help smokers break the habit.

Could a few tiny pieces of metal really be the key to smoking cessation? Its maker claims an 80% success rate, explaining that the magnet set – available over the Internet for around $40 – works by applying gentle pressure to the ear, which releases endorphins, or feel-good chemicals that help reduce the urge to smoke.

Wear the magnets for six days, smoking freely. Then go cold turkey, wearing them for another three weeks. By then, according to the maker, your smoking days are over.

A Reality Check

With other smoking cessation aids such as antidepressants and nicotine replacement achieving at best a 30%-35% success rate, skepticism remains regarding Zerosmoke’s assertion that the product is 80% effective. No independent, published studies support the company’s claims, and investigations of acupressure, including acupressure beads attached to the ear, show no effect on withdrawal symptoms. And while Zerosmoke says the application of the magnets stimulate the release of endorphins, it is a different brain chemical that contributes to nicotine addiction.

Nicotine affects brain receptors that release dopamine – a neurotransmitter that affects addiction and pleasure. A reduction in dopamine may be the culprit leading to miserable withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and anger.

Magnets have been touted as a medical therapy for several thousand years. Ancient Hindu teachings from 2000 B.C. tout the therapeutic use of magnets as did the ancient Athenian philosopher Aristotle. Cleopatra may also have worn a magnetic on her forehead to preserve her legendary youth and beauty.

In general, magnet manufacturers say the devices work by increasing blood flow, attracting the iron atoms or water ions in the blood. Others suggest that magnets alter nerve impulses, affect the acidity of body fluids or increase the flow of oxygen. But in fact, the effect of most magnets is only skin deep, and the reality is that blood and water are repelled rather than drawn by magnets.

Several companies sell over-the-counter magnets to treat everything from arthritis to weight loss to muscle aches and pain. But despite plenty of research into the effects of magnets on human cells, scientists have come up with only limited evidence of their effectiveness. The most likely cause of any benefit is the power of suggestion, or placebo effect.

Magnetic Attraction

Still, medical magnets do have important uses. Most commonly, they are used in diagnostic equipment. For example, an MRI scanner uses powerful magnets to generate images of water-containing human tissues.

Medical magnets are also used to guide catheters into the heart for repairs. The use of powerful magnetic fields has no known side effects (unless you have something magnetic on or in you – then watch out; an MRI can heat up and actually move metal inside the human body).

Several research projects have reported encouraging results with transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, the use of powerful magnets to treat depression. Electromagnets are applied to the skull over the front of the brain, an area associated with mood regulation. TMS may have an effect on brain function and chemical activity, perhaps by stimulating the mood-regulating structures. Not yet approved by the FDA for treatment of depression, TMS can only be used as part of an experimental protocol. And while it may soon be a non-drug treatment option for depression, it won’t be marketed for smoking.

Other Smoke-Out Choices

If magnets don’t work for smoking cessation, what other remedies are available?

Over- the-counter nicotine replacement therapies (NRT)

Using the patch, gum, nasal spray, or lozenges – all designed to help you quit smoking – can increase your chances by as much as 50%-100%. However, only 5% of quitters who use nicotine replacement make it a full year without picking the habit back up. Other studies have shown up to a 15% success rate at the one year mark.

Some products replace cigarette nicotine with a controlled release of nicotine into your bloodstream that curbs cravings while slowly weaning you from the nicotine addiction. Some suppress the urge to smoke while others block nicotine’s effect.

Combination therapies

The most effective therapy appears to be the combination of nicotine replacement and an anti-depressant called Zyban that also lessens your physical cravings. Zyban helps your brain release dopamine, a feel-good chemical, reducing your dependence on nicotine.

But Zyban does have some side effects: headaches, nausea, vomiting, constipation, changes in appetite, dizziness, and confusion. And people under age 24 may have suicidal thoughts when they first take it.

Zyban and nicotine inhalers also require a prescription. A recent study examined Zyban and NRT both alone and in combination. For smokers taking only Zyban, the initial success rate was 36%, and 30% stopped smoking after one year. When NRT and Zyban were combined, the initial and one year success rates were 39% and 35.5%, respectively.

A French study found that the use of a nicotine inhaler and a patch may be more effective than either therapy alone. After one year on the combination therapy, 19.5% of the smokers kicked the habit compared to a 14% success rate among the group who used only the inhaler.

Varenicline (Chantix)

Specifically developed to help smokers quit, Varenicline curbs cravings and withdrawal symptoms. This pill also appears to block nicotine from attaching to receptors within the body, which lowers the sense of satisfaction from smoking.

Clinical trials conducted by the manufacturer show that 44% of those taking the medication were smoke-free after 12 weeks, a rate comparable to the inhaler/patch combination. Varenicline has some side effects such as nausea, constipation, gas, vomiting, and changes in dreaming. About 30% of people are nauseated when they first take the drug.

However, after one year, only one in five patients remained smoke-free, a smaller success rate than Zyban alone or Zyban plus NRT and about the same as those using inhalers plus patches.

Before you start any over-the-counter treatment, check with your doctor; he or she may be able to help. And consider signing up for a local support group who can cheer on your efforts.