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Nicotine is a well-known substance that can be addictive and affects many organs in the body. Not only that, when using nicotine also affects blood sugar levels through many mechanisms.
1. What is nicotine?
Nicotine is a nitrogenous chemical, chemical formula C10H14N2, found in some plants and also produced synthetically. Nicotine is known to be one of the neurotoxins that causes a feeling of relaxation and pleasure when used. But it also affects the body because of its addictive potential and also affects many other organs in the body such as the liver, blood vessels, digestive system, heart and brain.
Nicotine comes from plants and synthetics, so you can consume nicotine from:
Smoking: The nicotine content in cigarettes can be addictive if you smoke regularly. In addition, you also consume nicotine if inhaling secondhand smoke is passive. Chew or eat tobacco. E-cigarette smoking. Eat nicotine gum. Nicotine is also found in tomatoes, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, in the leaves of the coca plant and is most abundant in tobacco.
2. Is Nicotine Harmful?
Nicotine harms the body gradually over time, although it will not be life-threatening quickly, but will slowly cause damage to body cells over time. When nicotine enters the body and is absorbed by the body, it will not be lost over time but exists in the body in combination with the toxic substances of tobacco causing dangerous diseases.
Therefore, over time when you are exposed to too much Nicotine in cigarettes can cause problems such as:
Affects blood circulation: Because nicotine damages blood vessels, increasing the risk of blood clots blood, causing atherosclerosis, dilating the aorta, causing dizziness, cerebral vascular occlusion. Affects the digestive system: Affects the absorption of food, causing nausea, vomiting, indigestion Heart diseases: Affects the cardiovascular system, making the heart rate erratic, causes high blood pressure, increases the risk of myocardial infarction, coronary artery spasm. Risk of type 2 diabetes: Smokers have a 30% to 40% higher chance of developing the disease. Smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day almost doubles the odds of getting the disease. Other ways you put nicotine into your body can also raise blood sugar. Other harmful effects that this substance can cause such as: Pneumonia, joint pain, premature aging, impaired male physiological function... In addition, when used excessively, with excessive dosages. Large can lead to nicotine poisoning which is very dangerous for the body.
3. How does nicotine affect blood sugar?
When you consume too much nicotine can increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes and make it more difficult for people with diabetes to control. Some effects of nicotine on blood sugar such as:
This substance causes blood sugar levels to be low or high. Insulin resistance: Nicotine changes chemical processes inside your cells, making them unresponsive to insulin and letting it bind to receptors on cells, a condition known as insulin resistance. Your cells need insulin to get glucose from your blood into your cells and use it for energy. When they cannot attach to cells, glucose stays in the blood and blood sugar levels rise. Nicotine can also trigger the body to make more triglycerides, a type of fat that has been linked to insulin resistance. Nicotine then increases levels of the hormone that fights insulin. Smoking can very quickly affect the cells' ability to use insulin. Signs of insulin resistance can appear within an hour of tobacco consumption. Most people with diabetes and smokers need larger doses of insulin to keep their blood sugar levels under control. On the other hand, nicotine causes severely low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people who have diabetes and are taking insulin. Hypoglycemia, if not handled promptly, can seriously affect the body and risk death. Manifestations of hypoglycemia such as extreme hunger, weakness, sweating, severe may faint. As such, smoking causes blood sugar levels to be too high, which in turn can lead to heart disease complications and damage to the kidneys, nerves and eyes.
4. What happens to blood sugar when you quit smoking?
To reduce the effect on blood sugar or other effects on the body, the best way is to quit smoking. Some things about blood sugar you may experience when you quit smoking:
Insulin resistance can become a bit worse if you gain weight in the first few weeks after stopping nicotine use. But stick with quitting, because from the second month, the insulin will start to work better. If you don't already have diabetes, you're most likely to develop type 2 diabetes after you quit smoking, with the highest rate in the first 2 years. But it's usually because you've gained weight, so if you notice a lot of weight gain, talk to your doctor about ways to avoid it. After 2 years, your risk of diabetes starts to drop, and by 12 years your risk is about the same as that of someone who has never smoked. Nicotine can affect many organs in the body and it also puts you at a higher risk of diabetes. But if stopped as soon as possible, the risk of disease will be minimized. Talk to your doctor about the right course of action to help you quit smoking as soon as possible.
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Reference source: webmd.com
