We all know the harmful effects of smoking, which can cause many serious health conditions, including respiratory diseases, lung and throat cancer.
But a new study from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) has revealed another injury that affects male smokers.
Male smokers, who are more likely to smoke demographically than women, also face a significantly higher risk of osteoporosis, bone fractures and premature death, the researchers said.
The research team reviewed nearly 30,000 bone fractures reported over the past three decades in 27 research publications and found that smoking increases the risk of bone fracture by up to 37%.
This meta-analysis, published last week in the Nature Journal Scientific Reports, is the first time scientists have extended beyond the basic diagnosis of hip fractures to other parts of the body, including the wrists, shoulders, arms. and thighs, legs and spine. .
The University of Nevada Las Vegas study supports data from previous studies, which found that smoking increases the chance of spine and hip fractures in men by 32% and 40%, respectively.
Previous studies have found that between 21% and 37% of affected male smokers die within a year of a bone fracture.
“Smoking is a major risk factor for osteoporosis and fracture risk. Men tend to smoke more than women, which increases the risk of osteoporosis, ”said study senior author Cheng Wu, a researcher at the New NLV School of Public Health and the University of Nevada. Institute of Personalized Medicine. bone, which is traditionally considered a gynecological disease.
The researchers said the effect of cigarettes on fracture risk is not fully understood.
Wu believes that smoking increases the risk of skeletal fractures because the chemicals in cigarettes negatively affect bone cells and reduce the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D and calcium, which are important components of strong mineral density. of bone.
In addition, he said, smoking is a risk factor for infection in general because there is evidence that nicotine interferes with the tissue repair process, making the body more vulnerable to injury and preventing fractures in recovery.
While medical advances are contributing to an aging population, researchers are asking consumers to pay attention to the link between smoking and osteoporotic fractures, which are a major cause of disability and early death in the elderly.
Source: Medical Express
Source: Arabic RT
