If you think that smoking damages only the lungs, then perhaps you need to read the latest study of BYU researchers. It turns out smoking, especially secondhand smoke, can cause weight gain.
A recent study by Brigham Young University researchers, Benjamin Bikman and Paul Reynolds, suggests that prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke harms not only the lungs but also the metabolism of a person, and this problem becomes more severe with innocent bystanders, or those who inhale side-stream or secondhand smoke.
According to a news release in the BYU website, those who live in a household such as children with smoking family members are the ones that are at the highest risk. U.S. data cites over 15% of the children are already exposed to secondhand smoking.
But how can smoking affect the metabolism? Experimenting with lab mice exposed to secondhand smoking, the researchers discovered that smoking activates ceramide, a kind of lipid, which, in turn, changes the way mitochondria, a cellular component works, thereby altering the way the cells deal with insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that plays a key role in metabolism, including helping glucose (blood sugar) be absorbed by the cells to be used as energy.
The more the person is exposed to secondhand smoke, the more insulin production is disrupted, until the person develops insulin resistance. If this happens, insulin becomes ineffective, and glucose builds up in the bloodstream. Over time, unless this is addressed, insulin resistance leads to type 2 diabetes and a host of other metabolic problems.
In order to reverse the condition, they needed a ceramide blocker. By giving myriocin to mice, they found out that they didn't gain weight despite being exposed to smoking. The researchers are currently working on a ceramide blocker that is safe for human use to help those who are exposed to secondhand smoke. As for firsthand smokers, they strongly advise them to quit, for the sake of their and their loved ones' health.
