Can people with high blood sugar smoke?
Disease description:
A family member has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, but has a strong smoking habit. I would like to ask, is it okay to smoke if blood sugar levels are high?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
People with high blood sugar should not smoke. Harmful substances in tobacco, such as nicotine and tar, can exacerbate the dangers of high blood sugar in multiple ways.
From a metabolic perspective, nicotine stimulates the secretion of adrenaline, promoting the breakdown of liver glycogen, which leads to elevated blood sugar levels. At the same time, it also inhibits insulin secretion and reduces insulin sensitivity, interfering with blood sugar regulation. Long-term smoking weakens the body's response to insulin and worsens diabetes.
In terms of vascular health, high blood sugar itself can damage vascular endothelial cells, and the harmful substances produced by smoking further accelerate vascular damage, increasing the risk of complications such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke. This causes cardiovascular diseases to develop earlier and progress more severely. In addition, smoking can impair blood circulation, leading to peripheral vascular disease and nerve damage, which may result in serious complications such as diabetic foot.
To control blood sugar and prevent complications, individuals with high blood sugar must quit smoking. They should also adopt healthy eating habits, engage in regular physical activity, and follow medical treatment plans to effectively reduce health risks and improve quality of life.
