Smokers Have Lower Parkinson's Risk. Scientists May Know Why
Summary
Scientists have found that smokers tend to have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease. A new study suggests that carbon monoxide, a gas found in cigarette smoke and produced naturally by the body, might help explain this link, although smoking itself causes many serious health problems.Key Facts
- Research shows that smokers have a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of Parkinson's disease compared to non-smokers.
- Parkinson's disease affects movement and worsens over time, with symptoms like tremors and slow movement.
- About 1.1 million people in the U.S. have Parkinson's disease, and this number is expected to grow.
- The new study involved over 500,000 people and found higher carbon monoxide levels in breath linked to lower Parkinson's risk.
- Carbon monoxide is usually considered a poisonous gas but is also produced at low levels naturally in the body.
- Smoking raises carbon monoxide levels in the body because cigarette smoke contains this gas.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that smoking causes many diseases and about 480,000 deaths each year in the U.S.
- Experts warn that the findings do not mean smoking is good for the brain or health overall.
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