Chai-sutta habit: What happens to your body when tea meets cigarette

Doctors explain how the caffeine-nicotine mix overstimulates your brain, heart, and gut, making the chai-sutta combo more addictive and harmful than it may appear

Many people like to drink tea and smoke at the same time, especially during work breaks. But this common habit can harm your body in ways you may not notice at first. Here’s what doctors want you to know.

 

“Nicotine and caffeine together boost alertness in the brain, but that double stimulation also makes the combo more addictive,” says Dr Vishal Khurana, director of gastroenterology at Metro Hospital, Faridabad. According to him, nicotine triggers a dopamine rush, which is the brain’s ‘feel-good’ chemical, while caffeine blocks adenosine, the sleep chemical.

 

“When these two work together, they heighten stimulation more than either would on its own,” he explains. “You may feel more alert, but you’re also training your brain to crave them together.”

 

Does tea change how the body absorbs nicotine?

Tea itself contains tiny amounts of nicotine, but nothing compared to smoking. What matters more is the kind of tea you’re pairing with your cigarette. “Green tea has more antioxidants than black tea, which may help counter some nicotine damage,” says Dr Khurana. “But let’s be clear: tea cannot cancel the effects of cigarette smoke,” he stresses.

 

According to Dr Khurana, it is harder to quit smoking if you drink tea with it. “Your brain starts to associate the pleasure of tea with the hit from nicotine. One becomes a trigger for the other,” Dr Khurana says. That’s why you may crave a cigarette every time you sip tea, and vice versa. 

What happens inside your body when caffeine meets nicotine?

Both caffeine and nicotine raise heart rate and blood pressure. “Together, they put extra stress on your blood vessels,” Dr Khurana notes, cautioning that people with heart conditions should avoid combining the two.

 

The gut takes a hit too. “Tea increases stomach acid, and nicotine slows digestion. Combined, they can cause bloating, acidity, and even long-term digestive issues, especially on an empty stomach,” he adds.

 

Talking about the impact on the throat, he says, “Smoking already irritates the throat lining. Add hot tea to that, and the heat can worsen inflammation.” Over time, this increases the risk of chronic throat problems, and even oesophageal cancer.

 

Dr Khurana highlights that tea and cigarettes together form a harmful duo that overstimulates your nervous system, strains your heart, and upsets your gut, all while reinforcing addiction. 

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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.