Fetal Exposure to Nicotine Triggers Long Term Risk of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Pregnant women are advised to quit smoking but some women find it difficult to quit the habit and try nicotine replacement therapy, which has been found to be equally harmful to the health of the fetus. A new study by researchers at the Western University in London, Canada, claims that exposure to nicotine triggers long term adverse impact on the infant including obesity.  

Cigarette smoking exposes both the mother and fetus to high levels of nicotine and other toxins. This latest study led by  Daniel Hardy, PhD, of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, claims nicotine exposure either from smoking or NRT causes obesity risk in the offspring and also increases the risk for metabolic syndrome by causing the liver to generate excess triglyceride.

"We knew smoking was bad during pregnancy. But the problem is one fifth of pregnant women in Canada continue to smoke, and 30 prospective studies have shown us that that babies born to smoking mothers have a 47 per cent increase in the odds of becoming overweight. And here's the interesting thing, that's even after adjusting for mom's diet and socioeconomic status," Hardy said in a statement. "Our studies were designed to find if there is a biological basis between nicotine exposure from either NRT or smoking, and obesity and metabolic syndrome later in the offspring's life."

To prove this, Hardy in collaboration with Alison Holloway, PhD, McMaster University, conducted a test on laboratory rats. They began by giving the rats the same amount of nicotine that an average smoker receives i.e. 1 mg per kg a day. They noticed that the offspring of these rats were smaller in size. But after six months when the rats reached adulthood, the researchers noticed that the offspring's had a rise in liver and circulating triglycerides. This is a major precursor for obesity, a major health issue in America over the recent decade. Long exposure to nicotine brings about epigenetic changes in the liver, which in turn up the production of  triglycerides.

The research is also looking into the reversible effect that folic acid can have on the damaged liver. Animal studies have shown the positive effect of folic acid on triglycerides.

The study was documented in the journal 'Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.'