Smokers Should Quit at Least 4 Weeks Before Surgery, W.H.O. says – New York Times
Download the NYT PDF from Vitamin D Life
- “Smoking adversely affects cardiovascular function and the ability of tissues to heal. That’s because the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the oxygen needed for normal cell function. Nicotine is also thought to stymie the clumping of the blood platelets that aid healing.”
- “Surgery itself is an assault on the body and your recovery is going to be that much harder if you smoke,”
Download the W.H.O study from Vitamin D Life
Increased Risk if smoke before surgery
| 1.7 X | general morbidity/total complications |
| 2.5 X | wound complications |
| 2.1 X | general infections |
| 2.5 X | pulmonary complications |
| 2.7 X | neurological complications |
| 1.6 X | ICU after surgery |
Example W.H.O. study
No mention of Vitamin D in the W.H.O. study
Smoking is known to reduce Vitamin D levels by 10 ng
Perhaps not smoking for a month may raise vitamin D level by 10 ng
Smoking reduces vitamin D contains the following
Two pathways are often proposed for how smoking decreases vitamin D:
1) Smoking decreases Calcium. and Vitamin D is used up in replacing the Calcium
2) Smoking injures the body, and vitamin D is used up in repairing the body
It appears that taking Vitamin D while smoking will:
1) Decrease the incidence of the many health problems associated with smoking - even lung cancer
2) Decrease the desire to smoke (perhaps take fewer smoking breaks?)
3) Increase breathing capacity
Opinion: If unable to stop smoking,
or are a previous smoker,
or are getting 2nd hand smoke,
increase Vitamin D and perhaps Omega-3 (which decreases depression, inflammation)
Vitamin D should also help people quit smoking See bottom of page Smoking reduces vitamin D
1) Reduces weight gain associated with quitting smoking
2) Reduces depression associated with quitting smoking