Many people fear quitting smoking because they fear gaining weight. We've all seen this happen. But, does smoking cause weight gain? To the surprise of many, smoking does cause weight gain. Quitting smoking also causes weight gain!
A study from BYU published in the November 2014 issue of the American Journal of Physiology documents that smoking, especially second hand smoke, causes weight gain! The mechanism that causes this is that tobacco smoke is loaded with thousands of toxins that lead to insulin resistance, and possibly leptin resistance as well. Both of these problems lead to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and all of its complications, as well as obesity.
These authors also noted that smoking triggers the release of a substance called ceramide, which affects mitochondria (the energy packets in cells) so that our bodies develop insulin resistance. Their suggested solution: develop a drug that inhibits ceramide! Really! How about quitting smoking...smile
