Key takeaways
- Smoking harms those with diabetes due to chemicals
- Smoking spikes blood sugar, endangering diabetics.
- Smoking hinders collagen formation, delaying recovery.
- Family history of diabetes? Quit smoking.
- Smoking affects insulin, quit for better health.
Let’s make it clear from the start, smoking can cause harm to anyone with diabetes with its dangerous chemicals.
Smoking and insulin resistance have a poor relationship with each other. Smoking can cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which can endanger any smoker diagnosed with diabetes.
So, if your family has a history of diabetes or you’re concerned about the effects of smoking on insulin resistance, it’s best to stop smoking for good.
In today’s post, let’s take a look at how smoking and insulin resistance affect each other, and why it’s another reason to quit smoking for good.
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The Impact of Cigarette Smoke on Insulin Levels
Given the many dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke, it’s no surprise that they can affect your insulin levels and endanger your life.
Smoking and nicotine intake for anyone who currently has type 2 diabetes – a condition characterised by high blood sugar levels in the body due to high insulin resistance – is extremely dangerous.
One reason for this is how nicotine can cause blood cells to respond differently to the insulin produced by the pancreas to control your body’s blood sugar levels.
Another cause of insulin resistance is how the other chemicals in cigarette smoke can harm your blood cells and cause inflammation, enough to reduce insulin’s effectiveness.
Lastly, a diabetic who still consumes cigarettes might find their insulin treatments less effective due to the effects of nicotine and cigarette smoke chemicals. So, it’s best for anyone, especially diabetics, to stop smoking for good to let insulin regulate their blood sugar levels as intended.
What Does It Mean for Non-Diabetic Smokers?
But, what if you’re not a diabetic?
Anybody can benefit from stopping smoking for good, regardless of their diabetic status. But, in the context of smoking and insulin resistance, non-smokers might experience the following:
Secondhand Smokers Can Have Higher Insulin Resistance
Aside from enduring the dangers of cigarette smoke to their heart, lungs, stomach, and other parts of the body, secondhand smokers may also experience higher insulin resistance.
If someone smokes in shared enclosed spaces every day, you may develop insulin resistance as remnants of nicotine and chemicals in cigarette smoke cause the same effects as it would to any smoker.
It would be best if anyone smoking in your household consumes tobacco outdoors or in open areas for everyone’s safety, or better yet, stop smoking for good.
Smoking Cessation Can Lead to Better Insulin Sensitivity
Tobacco smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in Australia, so it’s no surprise that many studies suggest that stopping smoking can minimise the risks of diseases in the future – even avoiding it in most cases.
In the context of insulin sensitivity and diabetes, studies have shown that insulin sensitivity in former smokers has significantly increased after they’ve finally kicked the ciggies out of their lives.
One explanation for this is that their blood cells have corrected their response to insulin, plus the fact that they have fewer inflamed cells and blood vessels, allowing insulin to improve its effectiveness.
Healthy Lifestyle and Diets Improve Insulin Levels
If you’re non-diabetic but you’re smoking, there’s still a strong chance you could have high insulin resistance as you age.
Even by consuming less processed and sugary food, your blood cells will respond differently to insulin, and your blood vessels can constrict due to the inflammatory effects of chemicals in cigarette smoke.
Furthermore, even if you’re making wise choices about your diet but still smoke, you may retain more fat than others who have the same diet due to your higher insulin resistance.
How Smoking Impacts Your Diet
Now that we know how smoking directly impacts your insulin resistance, let’s take a look at how smoking indirectly increases your risk of diabetes and weight gain.
Craving for More Flavour
One of the ways smoking influences dietary habits is by altering taste perceptions. Chemicals in cigarette smoke can dull taste buds, making you crave intensely flavoured or high-calorie foods to compensate.
This often results in the consumption of unhealthy, calorie-dense foods, such as processed snacks, sugary treats, and fatty meals, primary contributors to insulin resistance and diabetes.
Unrestricted Eating
Research suggests that smokers are more likely to engage in mindless eating and have less control over portion sizes compared to non-smokers.
This lack of dietary restraint can lead to overeating and the consumption of excessive calories, further exacerbating the risk of weight gain and metabolic disturbances like insulin resistance—a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Higher Alcoholic Consumption
Many smokers report an increased desire to drink alcohol, either due to social influences or as a means to enhance the pleasurable effects of smoking.
Excessive alcohol intake not only adds empty calories but also disrupts blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Furthermore, alcohol can impair judgement, leading to poor dietary choices and decreased adherence to dietary guidelines, compounding the adverse effects on metabolic health.
Increases Comorbidity Levels
Smoking increases the risk of developing comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases and respiratory disorders, which can further impact your metabolism.
Anyone with these conditions may face dietary restrictions or alterations due to their health status, causing significant dietary imbalances and increasing the risk of diabetes.
Summary
There’s no doubt that nothing good ever comes from your smoking and insulin resistance. However, stopping smoking (even if you don’t have diabetes) brings not only great help to your blood sugar levels and a significant reduction to your risk of developing diabetes, but also the host of other health problems you can prevent after kicking the ciggies.
We know that stopping smoking can be hard. We understand that, and that’s why we’re always here to help.
Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around!
If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to friendly Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.