We already know that smoking cigarettes is really bad for our health, but how harmful can it get? According to a study, this habit is able to damage our DNA forever, by altering more than 7 000 genes. There were people who had their DNA changed even after 30 years.
Researchers used data from almost 16 000 people, in 16 studies. They wanted to find out how dangerous is smoking for our DNA. They discovered that even it is a very harmful habit, if you stop doing it, your genes could recover in 5 years. Dr. Stephanie London, who is the study author, said that the sooner we stop smoking, the better we will be. She is also involved in the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The scientists compared the DNA of those who smoke or had this habit with those who have never done it. It seems that smoking can really damage our DNA for a long period of time. If you keep smoking, your genes could be changed for the rest of your life.
This study could be really helpful for understanding better the effects smoking has on us. Moreover, researchers are trying to find a way to repair the DNA that was damaged. People who smoke a lot can provide more information to scientists by letting them study their genes.
If you stop smoking now, in a few years your DNA could return to a normal level. However, if you keep smoking, you could have genes connected with a lot of diseases, like cancer or cardiovascular problems.
The truth is that most people who smoke are not paying attention to their health or they do not want to do this. Smoking has become a public health problem and it can have a huge impact on our genes. Of course, some of them are reversible, but there are some who will not recover even after 30 years.
Do not forget that every year, 6 million people die due to smoking related problems. It is the main cause of death in the world because it is responsible for so many health problems. If you want to have a healthy life, the first thing you have to do is stop smoking. When your DNA is damaged, there are changes in your body that could lead to chronic diseases, even after a long period of time.
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