Smoking Effects You Didn’t Know About

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is that one habit that has a negative effect on all of the organs within your body. The respiratory and the circulatory systems are the first ones to be affected by it. Tobacco smoke contains carcinogenic agents, which explains why this habit has the ability to trigger cancer in any part of the body.

Although these facts sound quite severe, there are also some other effects brought by smoking, but which are not so known among people. Eager to see what we are talking about? Here you go!

• Weakened bones – The nicotine in combination with other toxic substances from the cigarette smoke have the ability to contribute to the installation of osteoporosis, the condition that weakens the bones and makes them soft. Smoking slows down the process of building new bone cells, so that explains it.
• Gum disease – Not only that it turns your teeth from white to yellow, but it can also cause periodontal disease, a severe infection at the level of your gums. This can lead to teeth loss and bone damage.
• Confused taste buds – If you are a smoker, you might have noticed that some of your favorite foods do not have the same taste they used to, before starting this habit. Smoking puts a restraint on your taste buds and inhibits their activity.
• Old looking skin – Since cigarette smoke will restrain blood circulation, your skin will receive less and less nutrients and oxygen. This affects the elasticity of your skin, making any fine lines or wrinkles appear more prominent than they normally would.
• Thin hair – Many nutrients stop reaching your body the moment you start smoking. Your body will get less of the B complex vitamins, along with calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which are all mandatory for a healthy hair. Add to this the improper circulation of the blood and you have the explanation for your hair loss.
• Impaired vision – There are some chemical substances in the cigarette smoke which can cause something doctors call macular degeneration. The macula is the small part of the retina located in the center, and it’s characterized by a layer of cells sensitive to light. The macula starts to degenerate and if it is left untreated and unsupervised, it can ultimately lead to the loss of vision.
• Sexual difficulties – The experts say that women who smoke have a greater chance of developing and producing eggs with some abnormalities. It is no surprise that smoking is one of the main causes that stands in a woman’s way to get pregnant. Even if they manage to get pregnant, the chances of them having a full-term pregnancy are really low. When it comes to men, smoking can cause erectile dysfunctions. Once again, the problem is associated with the impaired circulation of blood through the blood vessels.

If you are a smoker, you should think about quitting this habit right away. After all, as you can see, the consequences are greater than the pleasure it brings.