By Megan Friedman
Lots of people say they smoke to stay thin. But a new study out of Brigham Young University finds that exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke can actually make you gain weight. E.g. Smokers are hurting those around them even more than they thought.
For the study, which was published in the American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers exposed lab mice to secondhand (or “side-stream”) smoke and found their metabolisms were negatively affected. That's because cigarette smoke harms the cells in your body that measure insulin, leading it to think the hormone is in short supply. Your body responds by producing more insulin, which then creates more body fat.
However, there may be hope for who have little control over their exposure to secondhand smoke. When mice were given medicine that inhibits a tiny fat called ceramide, they didn’t gain weight. Now, researchers hope to find a similar medicine that is safe for humans.
Until then, there's not much new advice for smokers. “They just have to quit,” researcher Benjamin Bikman said in a press release. “Perhaps our research can provide added motivation as they learn about the additional harmful effects to loved ones.”
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