How Does Smoking Affect Your Risk Of Diabetes & Diabetes Treatment?

Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of diabetes and heart diseases in the world. People who smoke are 30-40% more prone to developing type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers. Not only does smoking cause diabetes, but it also worsens your diabetes health. If you have diabetes and you still smoke, your medications and treatment may get severely affected. Smoking is also associated with many other diseases such as heart diseases, kidney diseases, etc. As diabetes patients are already likely to develop these complications, smoking further increases the chances of getting these diseases. Therefore, it is extremely important to quit smoking to prevent diabetes as well as manage it effectively.    

How Does Smoking Increase Your Risk Of Diabetes?

• Smoking may cause inflammation in the body, which can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. The chemicals present in cigarettes can interfere with the proper functioning of the cells and cause inflammation, significantly reducing the effectiveness of insulin in the body.
• The chemicals of the cigarette can also meet oxygen in the body and cause damage to the cells. It will cause oxidative stress in the body, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Smoking also increases the chances of getting abdominal fat. Abdominal or belly fat can increase the production of cortisol, which is known to increase blood sugar levels in the body.       

How Does Smoking Affect Your Diabetes Management?

Smoking can interfere with your treatment and reduce the effectiveness of insulin in the body. Therefore, diabetes patients who smoke usually need larger doses of insulin to control their blood sugar levels. 

People with diabetes are already prone to many health complications. Smoking can increase the risk of getting these diabetes complications, including:

• Heart diseases and strokes
• Respiratory diseases
• Kidney diseases
• Diabetic retinopathy and blindness
• Never and blood vessel damage in the feet and legs, which can result in foot complications such as ulcers and amputations.

Tips To Quit Smoking

• Instead of quitting gradually, try to quit smoking in one go. 
• Don’t keep lighters, matchsticks or ashtrays near you. It will help you avoid the urge to smoke.
• When you crave cigarettes, take deep breaths or eat nuts or fruits.
• Find a new and healthy activity as a substitute for smoking. For example, instead of smoking in the morning, take a short and brisk walk.
• Counselling and psychotherapy are highly effective to help you quit smoking and deal with withdrawal symptoms and emotional challenges that you may suffer later.
• You may also opt for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). However, if you are diabetic, you must consult your doctor before trying it.
• Certain drugs also help in quitting smoking and dealing with emotional side effects. However, if you have diabetes, you must consult your doctor before using these drugs.
• Ask your friends and family members who smoke to quit as well. It will help you get company and support.   

Takeaway

Smoking is one of the leading causes of diabetes and can significantly worsen your diabetes health. It can also increase the risk of many diabetes complications such as heart diseases, retinopathy, nerve damage, foot complications, etc. Therefore, quitting smoking is essential if you want to prevent and manage your diabetes well. However, if you have diabetes, you must consult your doctor before quitting smoking. Your doctor will help you steer a healthy path. Otherwise, you may end up struggling with your appetite and blood sugar levels. 

References:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/50th-anniversary/pdfs/fs_smoking_diabetes_508.pdf
2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317411
3. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/health-effects-tobacco-use/cigarette-smoking-risk-factor-type-2-diabetes
4. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/diabetes.html
5. https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/smoking-diabetes
6. https://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/18/4/202
7. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-smoking.html