Nicotine warning for diabetes sufferers

Published on Sunday 27 March 2011 16:00

Nicotine may be responsible for serious complications in smokers with diabetes, a study has found.

The addiction-causing chemical is strongly linked to persistently raised blood sugar levels among diabetics, according to new evidence. Scientists warning of the danger said anyone with diabetes should "make every effort" to quit smoking.

There may also be implications for diabetics attempting to give up the habit who use nicotine-replacement therapy for extended periods. Almost three million people in the UK are diagnosed with diabetes, and close to a million more may have the condition without knowing it.

Complications of the disease include heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and nerve damage. The new research, reported at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, California, points to the prime suspect being nicotine.

Using human blood samples, the scientists showed that nicotine concentrations typical of those in smokers appeared to raise long-term blood sugar levels in diabetics.