New research published in Endocrine Society Journal This suggests that paternal nicotine exposure may influence how offspring process sugar. In a study of mice, scientists found that paternal nicotine intake led to metabolic changes in the next generation. These changes can affect how your body processes glucose and increase your risk of developing diabetes.
Diabetes is already a widespread health problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 40.1 million Americans live with the disease. People with diabetes are more likely to develop complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage. Diabetes affects more than 12% of Americans and is a lifelong disease that poses a significant economic burden for treatment and management.
The study also points out that smoking remains one of the most important preventable causes of poor health. Reducing behaviors such as smoking and e-cigarette use may help slow the growing diabetes epidemic. This may be particularly important for men who use tobacco products more frequently than women.
Researchers identify metabolic changes in offspring
“When male mice ingested nicotine in their drinking water, their offspring underwent metabolic changes that appeared to affect their body’s metabolism,” said study lead author Dr. Raquel Chamorro Garcia of the University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California. “This suggests that smoking in men is associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes in their offspring.”
To investigate this link, the researchers tracked the offspring of male mice that were given nicotine in their drinking water. These offspring were compared to control offspring whose fathers were not exposed to nicotine.
The results showed clear metabolic differences between the groups. Female offspring of nicotine-exposed fathers had lower insulin and fasting blood sugar levels compared to controls. Male offspring also showed decreased blood sugar levels and changes in liver function. Conditions such as obesity and diabetes are known to contribute to fatty liver disease, which is associated with metabolic dysfunction.
The importance of men’s health before pregnancy
“Given the evidence that male exposure increases the likelihood that children will develop chronic diseases, it is critical to incorporate men’s health into preconception care,” said Chamorro Garcia, assistant professor of microbiology and environmental toxicology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “Our findings suggest that fathers’ use of tobacco products can have lasting effects on their children’s health.”
Because the mice were only exposed to pure nicotine during the experiment, the researchers were able to determine its effects. Chamorro-Garcia said the study results show that the metabolic changes observed in the offspring were not caused by other byproducts in cigarettes or additives used in e-cigarettes.
Other study authors include Stephanie Aguiar, Truman Nativida, Daniel Davis, and Carlos Díaz Castillo, all of the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Funding for this research was provided by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the University of California Chancellor’s Office Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program Award, and the University of California, Santa Cruz Start-up Fund.
