Smoking And Diabetics: 5 Risk Factors And Dangerous Effects Of This Deadly Combination

Smoking And Diabetics: Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases if you smoke. As a matter of fact, compared to a nonsmoker, your odds increase by 30% to 40%. Smoking can make it tougher to control your blood sugar if you already have diabetes. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the chemicals in cigarettes harm the body’s cells and impair their ability to function normally, leading to inflammation throughout the body (FDA). Smoking increases your risk of developing significant health issues apart from diabetes, such as heart disease and kidney damage. Nutritionist Anjali Mukerjee says, “Smoking has a long list of adverse effects on us but for diabetics that list is even longer.”

5 DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF SMOKING ON DIABETICS:

1. Research has shown that smoking cigarettes and consuming tobacco doubles the damage in diabetics by causing the hardening of the arteries.
2. Diabetics who smoke have a drastically higher risk for heart problems, kidney disease, eye complaints, etc and their existing complications also worsen.
3. Research published in the American Journal of Medicine and Diabetes has connected smoking to a high risk for glucose abnormalities such as glucose intolerance and impaired fasting glucose.
4. It also results in increased albuminuria (protein in urine), an increased risk of damage to the nerves and delayed wound healing in diabetic patients.
5. Smoking appeared to have a 44% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-smokers.

Despite the hazards listed above, diabetic patients continue to have a high and generally stable smoking majority.