As you probably know, smoking is not great for your health. But did you know that smoking when you are a mature adult is exceptionally detrimental? In fact, research showed that an estimated 93% of those who passed away as a consequence of smoking were over 50 years old. Thus, if you are a smoking mature adult, you need to know that this is a very serious and potentially fatal issue. Read on to see how your health can be affected by smoking at 50.
Increases Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
According to numerous research, smoking as a mature adult will significantly increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Did you also know that Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured, and the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease actually worsen over time? Hence, this means that smoking at 50 causes an irreversible and fatal effect – developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Dries your Skin
This is probably a lesser-known fact – smoking as a mature adult can cause dryer skin. This is because smoking will dry out your skin and make it less elastic. In turn, this will also result in more wrinkles being formed. Thus, if you do not want to have dry and unhealthy skin, or look much older than you actually are, you need to stop smoking.
Increased Risk of Lung Diseases
As you probably know, smoking increases the risk of developing lung diseases. But this is even more so for you as a mature adult. After all, smoking harms your lungs and airways and can produce chronic bronchitis in some cases. Moreover, smoking results in the development of emphysema, which damages your lungs and makes breathing difficult.
Fewer Muscles
Did you know that muscle mass and strength help to strengthen your bones and restore equilibrium, which is one of the most significant aspects of avoiding falls? Hence, having sufficient muscles is critical for you as a mature adult. And unfortunately, smoking will cause you to lose muscle. Because of the reduced quantities of oxygen circulating through your body, smoking assists in the degeneration or lack of muscular development.
More Respiratory Issues
Similar to how smoking increases your risk of lung diseases, smoking will also cause you to have more respiratory issues. Essentially this means that as a smoker, you will find yourself getting the flu, pneumonia, or other respiratory diseases more often than other people. In addition, you might also find yourself struggling to breathe because of this.
Increased Risk of Diabetes
The next effect? Diabetes. Not only does smoking as a mature adult means you are more likely to acquire type 2 diabetes, but it also makes it more difficult to manage diabetes if you have it. And unfortunately, diabetes is a dangerous condition that can result in blindness, heart disease, nerve damage, renal failure, and amputation.
Increased Risk of Eye Diseases
If you do not want to lose parts of your vision or go completely blind, you have to stop smoking. This is because smoking as a mature adult will raise the risk of eye illnesses such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. And unfortunately, such eye diseases can cause vision loss and blindness.