Are you taking part in Stoptober? Or do you – or someone you know – need a little extra motivation? This article aims to help give you (or them) that extra nudge.
It’s no secret that smoking is bad for us – even passive smoking can have a terrible effect on our health. But while most campaigns discuss the impact on heart and lung health, I wanted to consider the impact of smoking on more general health. For example, did you know that smokers are more prone to disease linked to the digestive system? It is estimated that smokers are two to five times more likely to develop Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, and those who smoke have more frequent flares.
But, the problems of smoking aren’t just about disease, there is also a nutritional impact, which can affect your mood, immunity and digestive health.
Smoking undermines your health by:
- Affecting your nutrient intake.
- Reducing your nutrient absorption.
- Depleting your nutrient levels by increasing the rate at which you use nutrients.
And, the nutrients affected are ones that support your brain, immune system and digestive system.
You Only Benefit From The Nutrients You Absorb
While studies have found that smokers have a lower nutrient intake than non-smokers, even a well-balanced diet is only beneficial if you are able to absorb the many nutrients within it. Smoking is believed to reduce that ability by damaging the gut.
Vitamin D
Smokers have been found to have lower levels of circulating vitamin D than non-smokers. There are several theories for this including:
- Smoking ages the skin, reducing its ability to absorb UV light and make vitamin D
- Reduced ability to convert vitamin D to an active form in the airways
- Blocking the receptors that allow us to absorb vitamin D
- Interference with the processing of vitamin D in the kidneys due to a build-up of cadmium.
Vitamin D is important for bone growth and remodelling, neuromuscular and immune functions, and insulin secretion. It helps us absorb calcium. Low levels have also been linked to low mood.
To boost your vitamin D levels try: exposing your skin to the sun (especially in summer), salmon, sardines, eggs and full-fat dairy.
Calcium
Smoking may reduce our ability to absorb calcium in the gut. Nicotine and other tobacco toxins may also interfere with the hormones oestrogen and calcitonin, which help retain calcium in our bones. In addition, nicotine may increase calcium deposits in the blood, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Calcium is not only important for bone health, it also affects heart regulation and conduction of nerve impulses.
To support your calcium intake try: dairy, almonds, canned fish with bones, brewers’ yeast, watercress, parsley and fortified foods. (Note: increasing intake does not necessarily increase absorption.)
Smoking May Deplete Nutrients More Quickly
As your body works to deal with the many toxins contained in cigarettes, it uses up nutrients. This means you may find that you need some in greater quantities simply to deal with the smoke on top of your body’s everyday needs.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C levels in smokers have been found to be significantly lower than in non-smokers. Low levels have also been found in passive smokers, even with equal intakes.
Vitamin C is important to support the immune system, collagen production, wound healing, and iron absorption.
To boost your vitamin C levels make sure you include plenty of fruit and veg in your diet (aim for seven portions per day, a maximum of two being fruit). Try to include a mix of orange, red and purple foods such as citrus fruit, berries, peppers and red cabbage.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A can be found in two main forms: beta-carotene and retinol. Smoking affects nutrient levels in two ways: depletion as more is needed to repair smoke damage, and the destruction of beta-carotenes.
Vitamin A is important for: vision, bone growth, organ lining maintenance, cell development (including white blood cells), and regulation of the immune system. So its loss can have a broad effect on health.
To boost vitamin A level through food, include: liver (avoid if pregnant), egg yolks, oily fish, full-fat dairy products, carrots, squash, watercress, mangoes and fortified foods.
It is important to note that smokers (and former smokers) are advised to avoid vitamin A supplements due to a potential increased risk of developing lung cancer. No such link has been found with dietary sources of the nutrient with research suggesting beta-carotenes are beneficial in reducing the risk.
Vitamin E
Like vitamin C, vitamin E has also been found to be used in greater amounts by smokers as it works to combat the toxins in cigarette smoke. Lower levels have also been found in passive smokers, not just active ones. Interestingly, vitamin C reacts with used vitamin E to restore it to its active form – so the lower vitamin C levels in smokers may contribute to the lower levels of usable vitamin E.
Not only is vitamin E an antioxidant that supports the immune system, it is also important for healthy skin and eyes. The best food source of vitamin E is wheat germ (aim for wholewheat flour products rather than white), while other sources include nuts, peanuts, seeds and olive oil (use cold-pressed if you can). As vitamin E is fat soluble, ensure you include foods containing fats in your meals. This is where eating whole and minimally-processed foods is really beneficial as nuts, peanuts, seeds and olive oil already contain fats alongside the fat soluble nutrients.
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Studies have found that folate levels in smokers are significantly lower than in non-smokers. While the studies are limited in terms of an explanation for this, it’s suggested that compounds in the tobacco react with the folate and make it biologically inactive. Also, due to the increased oxidative stress that smoking causes, the smoker may use up their folate stores more quickly.
Folate is needed to produce healthy red blood cells, and to make new cells throughout the body. It is also important for the ongoing production of DNA and RNA, vital for foetal health during pregnancy. Folate also helps to produce mood-regulating chemicals in the brain, such as the hormone serotonin. Low levels of folate have been linked with an increased risk of depression.
To boost your daily folate intake include leafy green vegetables, beans, peas and lentils, eggs, beetroot, citrus fruit, nuts and seeds.
Vitamin B12
While vitamin B12 may appear normal in blood tests, the active form has been found to be lower in smokers. This is thought to be due to the cyanides, nitrites and nitric oxide in the smoke converting B12 into inactive forms. The body also uses B12 to detoxify the cyanides leaving less for the production of red blood cells, supporting the nervous system, and supporting DNA synthesis.
Low levels of B12 have also been linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety and cognitive decline.
Unlike most of our nutrients, vitamin B12 can only be obtained naturally from animal foods such as fish, meat, eggs and dairy. This means any smokers not including these foods in their daily diet may be at increased risk of deficiency and would need to look for fortified foods as an alternative. While we do make small amounts of vitamin B12 in the gut, this is not sufficient as a reliable source especially if the health of the gut is compromised.
Like with vitamin A supplements, caution is recommended around the use of high dose vitamin B12 supplements in male smokers, as the combination may increase the risk of lung cancer.
Nicotine and Taste
Nicotine has been found to affect smokers’ sense of taste and smell, making them less likely to enjoy fruit and vegetables.
Vaping can also affect these senses. ‘Vaper’s tongue’ irritates the taste buds, causes a dry mouth, and triggers a sensory adaptation that prevents the olfactory nerves getting overwhelmed – our sense of smell is an important part of our sense of taste. This condition tends to be temporary. If you are affected ensure you keep yourself hydrated and practice good oral hygiene (reducing vaping – and smoking – could also be beneficial).
It should be noted that some of the health impacts of smoking are associated with nicotine and not just the chemical toxins within the tobacco, meaning some effects may also apply to long-term vaping.
Stopping Smoking
Don’t forget, if you want to stop smoking, local pharmacies as well as doctors can provide support, advice and treatments to help you. You may also be offered a breath test to assess the level of carbon monoxide in your body.
The good news is that stopping smoking, during Stoptober or any other time, can help your nutrition status to improve. The less you smoke the fewer toxins you are adding to your body allowing your nutrition levels to replenish over time, with potential improvements in your mood, immunity and digestive health.
