Acute hormonal response to cigarette smoking.

Preliminary smoking studies using non-smokers were unsatisfactory because the subjects became obviously "ill" with nausea, pallor, sweating, etc. The rise in adrenocorticotropic hormone and growth hormone in these individuals could not be attributed to a cigarette effect as opposed to a nonspecific stress. A small number of female smokers seemed less consistent in their responses than did male subjects. The final study employing male, habitual smokers showed the following results: (1) A sharp rise in circulating cortisol occurred after two cigarettes which was maintained through the 2nd hour and fell slowly after the smoking period. (2) Circulating growth hormones also began to rise after two cigarettes, peaked at 1 hour, and then fell back to control levels while smoking continued. (3) Urinary catecholamines tended to be higher on smoking days than on nonsmoking days, but results were variable and of questionable significance. (4) Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone did not show any significant variations with smoking as compared to non-smoking.