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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Why Does Smoking Increase LDL Cholesterol Levels And Decrease HDL Levels?

I understand that smoking can increase your LDL cholesterol numbers and decrease your HDL cholesterol numbers, but why is that the case? Is it the nicotine or is it the byproduct of other chemicals that you inhale when you smoke a cigarette? If it's the latter, would it be safe to assume that switching to an E-cigarrette could improve your cholesterol numbers?
Fri, 24 Jan 2014
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  User's Response
HI
Thank for asking to HCM
The exact role of nicotine in increasing the LDL is not fully known but may be related with some gene that could be responsible for this, and this may not be active in certain subjects because even after they smoke heavily still their LDL remains normal, on other hand LDL being seen increased who smokes not so heavily, so this is some how have something to take with the micro-mutation of gene, smoking increases cholesterol or not is not that much importance but smoking causes even more dangerous harm than the cholesterol this is important, hope this could help you understanding the role of nicotine, take care and have nice day.
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Why Does Smoking Increase LDL Cholesterol Levels And Decrease HDL Levels?

HI Thank for asking to HCM The exact role of nicotine in increasing the LDL is not fully known but may be related with some gene that could be responsible for this, and this may not be active in certain subjects because even after they smoke heavily still their LDL remains normal, on other hand LDL being seen increased who smokes not so heavily, so this is some how have something to take with the micro-mutation of gene, smoking increases cholesterol or not is not that much importance but smoking causes even more dangerous harm than the cholesterol this is important, hope this could help you understanding the role of nicotine, take care and have nice day.