Could Smoking Cessation Have Metabolic Benefits?

Quitting smoking has several beneficial effects on metabolism, according to a recent study.

In order to explore these effects, researchers measured the daily cigarette use, urine nicotine metabolites, breath carbon monoxide, fat distribution, body composition, free fatty acids, and rate of glucose release from liver and overall glucose utilization of healthy smokers of ½ to 2 packs per day.
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Participants were then enrolled in a cessation program including behavioral counseling and oral bupropion smoking for 8 weeks (Phase I), and a 16-week period without any bupropion or counseling to determine if patients would remain abstinent or resumed smoking (Phase II).

After 8 weeks, researchers observed a slight worsening of central fat distribution, followed by a more favorable reversal of these results over subsequent weeks.

After 24 weeks, hepatic glucose output improved in association with lifestyle changes, weight loss was directly linked to reduced nicotine metabolites, and decreased carbon monoxide and/or nicotine metabolites was related to increased glucose uptake.

The complete study was presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Diego, ENDO 2015.

-Michelle Canales Butcher

Reference:

Friedman TC. Quitting smoking has favorable metabolic effects. Paper presented at: ENDO 2015; March 2015; San Diego, CA.