Even a Single Cigarette has lasting Effects November 12
According to recent research even a single cigarette can harden the arteries of the person smoking, even in the very young and healthy. In fact any amount of smoking can and will do major harm to the lungs, arteries and heart. Once that damage has been done it can’t truly be undone, meaning that the curiosity and peer pressure of the teenage years could end up making that person pay for it in the end.
Those between the ages of 18 and 30 who smoked a single cigarette had a 25% greater stiffness in the arteries after treadmill exercise than those who hadn’t. As arteries harden it puts more stress on the heart making it have to work harder to pump blood through arteries. According to this research even a small and inconsistent smoking habit can cause significant health problems for the smoker. This hardening of the arteries lessens the body’s ability to deal with stresses like running and going up and down stairs.
While researchers know that this change is there they’re not sure if the change will consistently remain over time. Even if the smoking of in the past and was limited it will put you at higher risk of developing diseases that can be potentially life threatening later in life. Next the research group intends to do a study into the effects of smoking cessation, whether or not those who quit smoking might be able to regain some use of their lungs lost while smoking.
Tags: arteries, cigarettes, hardened arteries, smoke, smoking