If every cell in your body is replaced roughly in 7 years, why do the affects of smoking and other bad habits still affect people who quit?

Question

If every cell in your body is replaced roughly in 7 years, why do the affects of smoking and other bad habits still affect people who quit?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Because it is your current cells that replicate themselves to create the new cells.

So, what do you think is gonna do better in that replication. A bunch of perfectly healthy cells. Or a bunch of kinda fucked up cells?

Like for smokers and your lungs. You have very tiny sacks in your lungs called Alveoli. These microscopic sacs are where the air and your blood intersect separated by a really thin filter, allowing the oxygen and CO2 to transfer across that membrane.

For smokers, it’s possible to damage these little sensitive sacs to the point that they never recover. You kill enough of their cells that they can’t regrow properly.

That being said, you do make a GREAT point. Because a lot of people think “why should I quit smoking, I already ruined my lungs there isn’t a point.” WHEN THERE IS A POINT. People who quit smoking actually record a SIGNIFICANT amount of their king capacity/function. They will never be 100% perfect. But being 95% is way better than being 60%.

So yes, our bodies are remarkably good at healing, and recovering is possible.