While most men know that smoking cigarettes are the No. 1 leading preventable death in our country, a new study has found that hookah smoking isn’t necessarily a safe alternative.
The study on smoking
New research from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing examined 30 healthy young adults for a hookah smoking study. They measured the participants’ exhaled carbon monoxide levels, blood levels of nicotine and flow-mediated dilation of blood vessels (a marker of artery function) before and after the smoking session. The people in the study were 26 years old, on average.
The scientists also compared the results of these measures with people of a similar age who regularly smoked cigarettes.
The effects on blood vessels
The results showed that exhaled carbon monoxide levels were nine to 10 times greater in charcoal-heated hookah smoking compared to electronically heated smoking sessions or regular cigarettes.
In addition, the flow-mediated dilated after smoking charcoal-heated types was higher than electronically heated types or regular cigarettes. This is because carbon monoxide dilates blood vessels and appears to mask the effects of charcoal-heated hookah tobacco smoke impairing endothelial function. Electronically heated hookah and traditional cigarette smoking lowered flow-mediated dilation directly, also indicating endothelial dysfunction.
“Hookah is the only form of tobacco product that uses burning charcoal briquettes to heat the flavored tobacco in the water pipe,” explains Dr. Mary Rezk-Hanna, lead author for the study. “So, in addition to toxic substances from tobacco and nicotine, hookah smoke exposes users to charcoal combustion products, including large amounts of carbon monoxide.”
This research backs up a 2016 study which found that one session of this type of smoking delivers 10 times the amount of carbon monoxide found in a single cigarette.
Many experts consider the impairment of endothelial function to be the first phase of the atherosclerotic process.
The results of the study were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2008 in Chicago.
