The impact of smoking on the lungs is one of the most debated topics in medicine, given that, although the most serious effects become visible after years of smoking, the damage is permanent in many cases. Tobacco increases the risk of various diseases, such as lung cancerhe emphysema and the bronchitis chronicle, among others. The lungs, with their delicate structure, do not have the ability to regenerate as effectively as other organs, making the effects of damage irreversible once they reach a certain level.
The lungs, by stopping receiving the toxic substances from tobacco, gradually begin to cleanse themselves. According to Medical Today, After a month without smoking, lung function begins to improve. Las respiratory tract They clear and inflammation decreases, making breathing easier.
After a year of quitting smoking, the risk of cardiovascular diseases is reduced by halfand lung capacity continues to improve, although not completely. For those with pre-existing lung diseases, such as COPD, quitting smoking can slow disease progression and reduce acute episodes. However, more serious damage, such as pulmonary emphysema, cannot be reversed.
In terms of time, the lungs can continue to improve for several years after quitting tobacco, but The benefits are most evident in the first five years. Even though the effects of tabachism are durableimproves respiratory function and reduces the risk of serious respiratory diseases. In the long term, quitting smoking can increase life expectancy, although, as experts emphasize, the key is to quit smoking as soon as possible.
However, the Profesor Nick Hopkinsonconsultant in pulmonology at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, said in dialogue with Daily Mailthat the damage that smoking causes to the lungs is irreversible if you smoke for more than ten years. Chronic inflammation and excessive mucus production alter the functioning of lung cells. This generates a greater susceptibility to respiratory infections, such as pneumonia.
As Hopkinson explained, the damage already done cannot be completely reversed. However, quitting the habit allows the immune system to regain its functionality and inflammation in the lungs to decrease.which, despite the scars left by the smoke, prevents the damage from getting worse.
An aspect that is not so well known is the effect of smoking on the lung microbiomeas mentioned to Telegraph, William Cooksonprofessor of genomic medicine at National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. dstated that smoking alters the bacterial community in the lungs, which facilitates the invasion of pathogens such as streptococcione of the main causes of lung infections. This change in the microbiome also makes ex-smokers more vulnerable to chronic respiratory infections.
The time required for lung damage to become permanent depends on the amount and duration of tobacco use. According to Dr. Maher Karam-Hageexpert in tobacco treatment MD Anderson Centerthe destruction of the lung alveoli (the air sacs in the lungs that allow oxygen exchange) begins silently from the first cigarettes. “It is not nicotine that causes lung damage,” Karam-Hage said in an interview with the site. MD Anderson“but tar, a sticky substance that forms when the chemicals in cigarettes combine when burned.”
This tar adheres to the walls of the lungs, accumulating with each inhalation, leading to progressive damage. Although some structures in the body can be repaired over time, the lungs do not have the ability to regenerate lost tissue. When the alveoli are damaged, as occurs after years of smoking, the process is irreversible.
Furthermore, according to a report by Orlando Healththe body begins to eliminate carbon monoxide and other toxic substances, improving oxygen levels and making breathing easier. Cilia, small structures in the lungs that help remove foreign particles, begin to function again, reducing mucus buildup and improving the elimination of toxins.
Dr. Karam Garden explains in an interview with the site MD Anderson Cancer Center, that although the lungs cannot regenerate completely, it is possible to improve their functioning and reduce the symptoms of lung diseases through exercise and a healthy diet.
