Smoking and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Smoking does not only cause lung cancer but also worsen symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Tobacco just like caffeine and alcohol also worsen IBS symptoms. It really does not matter whether you smoked, chewed or inhaled Tobacco. The facts still remains that Tobacco is a potent GI tract irritant, carcinogen and stimulant.

People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome have sensitive gastrointestinal and are very susceptible to certain stimuli may it be in the form of food or even the simple waking up actions. Tobacco is one of the worst factors that trigger Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms and can cause various types of cancer.

Tobacco in general affects almost all the parts of the digestive system. It does not only cause heartburn but also reflux which are considered two conditions which IBS patients are likely to acquire. And since smoking damages the esophageal sphincter, the acidic contents of the stomach tend to flow upward and down into the lower portion of the esophagus. Nicotine leads to hyper production of acid in the stomach and at the same time decreases the pancreatic production of sodium bicarbonate, which is an important substance in counteracting the production of stomach acid.

Helicobacter pylori bacteria or irritation resulting from anti-inflammatory medications commonly causes ulcers however it is smoking that increases the possibility of peptic ulcer. Not only that, smoking also hinders healing and makes ulcers reoccur more frequently. This is because smoking worsens ulcer perforation ten times. Aside from ulcers and triggering IBS symptoms, smoking also increases the chance of Crohn’s disease. It may also lead to the development of gallstones.

Aside from nicotine, tobacco also contains more than four hundred toxins and at least forty-three known carcinogens. All of these harmful substances enter the bloodstream and are carried through the digestive tract triggering IBS symptoms. Similarly, inhaling tobacco smoke can cause gassiness, belching and bloating which are symptoms also of IBS.

Smoking above all is famous for causing cancer either of the colon, the bladder, kidney, pancreas and stomach. Plus long-term smoking also increases the possibility of colorectal cancer. How? Inhaling or swallowing tobacco smoke can bring carcinogens right down to the colon. The tobacco also tends to increase colon polyp size which means that the bigger the polyp the higher the possibility for it to develop into cancer. In fact, studies shows that at least twelve percent of colorectal cancers are the direct result of smoking.

Lastly, smoking is not only a factor that can trigger Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms but poses greater health risks, like cancer, so for your sake better quit smoking.

Share

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

Graham more
12. October 2017
Graham more
12. October 2017
I suffer from IBS and porridge like stools and smoke but 4a day

isio
14. April 2017
isio
14. April 2017
no Smoking

ninja
27. December 2016
ninja
27. December 2016
I am a patient of IBS but i will never smoke again. I was feeling really bad for past few days after reading this article i will give up smoking.

patsy
16. July 2014
patsy
16. July 2014
Are some brands of tobacco worse than others for ibs?

Reply

Your email address will not be published

20 − 12 =

Written by HealthStatus Team
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

View all post by HealthStatus Team