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Metabolism and quitting smoking

Maki
Member
3 3 74

"Smoking's effect on body weight could lead to weight loss by increasing the metabolic rate, decreasing metabolic efficiency, or decreasing caloric absorption (reduction in appetite) all of which are associated with tobacco use. The metabolic effect of smoking could explain the lower body weight found in smokers."

"Smoking affects and alters our metabolism " . Decreasing metabolic deficiency . That's another warning that should be put on packaging . Anything that we use that alters who we are meant to be is a warning sign . When I smoked , my energy seemed high , when I quit smoking, I noticed my metabolism slowed . So I wanted to learn more about it. I suggest reading the resources in full if you are interested . 

"In the short term, nicotine increases energy expenditure and could reduce appetite, which may explain why smokers tend to have lower body weight than do nonsmokers and why smoking cessation is frequently followed by weight gain. In contrast, heavy smokers tend to have greater body weight than do light smokers or nonsmokers, which likely reflects a clustering of risky behaviors (eg, low degree of physical activity, poor diet, and smoking) that is conducive to weight gain. Other factors, such as weight cycling, could also be involved. In addition, smoking increases insulin resistance and is associated with central fat accumulation. As a result, smoking increases the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, and these factors increase risk of cardiovascular disease. In the context of the worldwide obesity epidemic and a high prevalence of smoking, the greater risk of (central) obesity and insulin resistance among smokers is a matter of major concern."

                                    https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/4/801/4633357 

Besides its metabolic properties, nicotine could induce an acute anorexic effect: during a 2-h period, hunger  food consumption were negatively associated and satiety and fullness were positively associated with increasing doses of nicotine (28). In both smokers and nonsmokers, nicotine did not change hunger sensations but resulted in smaller caloric intake during a meal (29). However, caloric intake was higher during a meal after nicotine administration than after placebo (30). Finally, physical activity increases metabolic rate and may help to control body weight, but smokers tend to be less physically active than nonsmokers . 

                                      https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/4/801/4633357 

Cigarette smoking increases a person's metabolic rate slightly by forcing the heart to beat faster. Regular smoking increases the heart rate both in the short-term (up to 20 beats per minute) and throughout the day (average increase, seven beats per minute).2 This causes extra stress on the heart and plays a role in heart disease, the most common cause of smoking-related death.

When you stop smoking and your heart rate slows down, so does your metabolic rate. While shifts in metabolism, along with dietary changes, can signal a slight weight gain after you quit smoking,3 you can take steps to build your metabolic rate back up in ways that benefit your health. 

                                         The Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Metabolism 

Smoking and your health: the thyroid Mayo blog is another good resource with information ...sorry do not know how to attach the link but just type it into the research engine or if someone can do that that would be helpful . 

I highly recommend reading the links . Distract a crave , educate . Have a super grateful day . 

3 Comments
About the Author
Smoker of 28 years . COPD recipient . My biggest help to quit was reading other successful quitters testimony as well as other quitters who would not give up and kept coming back determined to win . Also , some really hard work and helping others . I’ll have a thirteen years quit June 30 , 2024 . Biggest lesson learned : I learned that the “Just one” lesson is the key to everyone’s quit . Having “ none” not one puff , is the easy way to quit smoking . Post for help if it gets hard and before you have to own up to giving your quit away because if you do your quit can be saved . After the fact starts day one all over .I can’t tell you enough how worth it that is . Quit tools : Made use of my strengths and improved upon my weaknesses . Quit benefits , more time with my family , better quality of life , better self image . How I kept the quit : one day at a time , one step at a time . I told myself like a broken record : “ Don’t smoke ; Do something different “ then literally went and did something different other than smoking “ . Quitting is not complicated .It is really simply one word ( not one puff ever ) or nope , however , it will be the process of self discovery in this journey as you figure out things for yourself that can complicate things . How long will that be ? Well we are all different and we come from different backgrounds and smoked for different reasons so no one can really tell you when it will get easier for you only that it will . Be patient with yourself . Who cares how long it takes anyway because we all came to quit forever . This quit is for life , your life , so embrace it , welcome it , it’s the best thing you will ever do for yourself . The money you save get a bucket list of little rewards and big ones and do them . Change the things you can . Life is worth living . This gets easier , oh my gosh , so much much easier . Give it a season , give it two and you’ll never want to let go of your quit I promise you that . It’s wonderful , absolutely wonderful to be free . Quitting btw was the hardest thing I’ve ever done just like everyone here . I shed buckets of tears for weeks , yelled into a pillow , stuck my head into a cold bucket of water and paced aimlessly in head fog . Was it worth it , every bit of it ! Biggest improvement : , my health , the relationship with my family ( all non smokers thank goodness ) and finances . When I started 2011. I was walking three blocks with the use of inhalers for copd . Latest accomplishment : still on the inhalers no further advancement of copd . June 1 2023. Did my first 10 k . Next goal is my second 10k by the end of 2024 . I’m 68 years years young and I’m an Ex smoker . I was able to take three trips ( out of country ) with my family because I quit smoking . Time I never would have had had I not quit . Money from quitting paid for them . I want to say you are in control , take your power back from cigarettes from vaping or any addiction you might have . Life awaits you , don’t let it pass you by . Make the decision to stop and one day that light will shine upon you and make you a whole new you . Thank you to Quitnet members and Ex members for the support and encouragement to quit and stay quit . That along with my desire never to smoke again has given me a life long successful quit . No turning back , ever .