Explorer

Smoking is bad for muscles too

Washington D.C. [USA], May 24 (ANI): Fitness freaks, take note! Cigarette smoke is directly damaging the muscles in your body, finds a study.

The research indicates that smoking decreases the number of small blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to muscles in the legs.

We know that smoking limits a person's ability to exercise because it makes their muscles weaker. It was widely believed this muscle weakness is because the lungs become inflamed and eventually destroyed by habitual smoking, therefore limiting activity and exercise.

However, the findings of this study suggest that cigarette smoke directly damages muscles by reducing the number of blood vessels in leg muscles, thereby reducing the amount of oxygen and nutrients they can receive. This can impact metabolism and activity levels, both of which are risk factors for many chronic diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes.

The research conducted by the University of California, San Diego in conjunction with Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and Kochi University, involved exposing mice to smoke from tobacco cigarettes for 8 weeks, either by inhalation or by injecting mice with a solution bubbled with smoke.

The study did not identify which of the approximately 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke are responsible for this muscle damage. Identification of the responsible chemicals is a key avenue of further research, along with understanding the process by which they reduce the number of blood vessels.

Ellen Breen, the lead investigator, said, "It is vitally important that we show people that the use of tobacco cigarettes has harmful consequences throughout the body, including large muscle groups needed for daily living, and develop strategies to stop the damage triggered by the detrimental components of cigarette smoke."

The study appears in the The Journal of Physiology. (ANI)


This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI

View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headlines

Jharkhand Polls: 1.37 Crore Electors Set To Vote In Phase 1; Champai Soren, 6 Ministers Among Candidates
Jharkhand Polls: 1.37 Crore Electors Set To Vote In Phase 1; Champai Soren, 6 Ministers In Fray
Lyricist Arrested For Threatening Salman Khan, Demanding Rs 5 Cr Ransom, Cops Say 'Accused Wanted To Get Famous'
Lyricist Arrested For Threatening Salman Khan, Cops Say 'Accused Wanted To Get Famous'
Now, An Afghan Student To Man Afghanistan Embassy In India
Now, An Afghan Student To Man Afghanistan Embassy In India
Barron Trump: The 'Sleeper Agent' Who Shaped Donald Trump's Victory In US President Election
Barron Trump: The 'Sleeper Agent' Who Shaped Donald Trump's Victory In US President Election
Advertisement
ABP Premium

Videos

Nirmala Sitharaman Announces Game-Changing Collateral-Free Loan Scheme for MSMEsSIP Emerges as a Safe Investment Amidst Market Fluctuations | Paisa LiveTop Banks Offering 8.75% Interest for Senior Citizens: Here’s What You Need to Know!RBI Set to Make a Big Decision on Your EMI: What You Need to Know!
Embed widget