It has long been thought that the lungs have no regenerative capacity. However, according to experts, this is not entirely true. The lungs have a considerable capacity to repair themselves, especially after a person stops smoking.
Dr. Charlotte Dean, head of the lung development and disease group at Imperial College London, explains that the lungs have evolved to cope with various injuries, such as air pollution, bacteria or viruses. Being vital to the body, they have natural mechanisms to heal after injuries.
However, this should not be a reason to continue smoking. According to Dean, tobacco and other products like e-cigarettes expose the lungs to a large amount of toxic particles, often beyond their ability to recover.
The expert emphasizes that not all people react the same. In some people, the lungs may regenerate better after quitting smoking, while in others the damage may be permanent. This damage can include genetic changes, mutations or tissue damage, which can affect the long-term health of the lungs.
"While it is true that lung health can improve significantly after quitting smoking, this does not mean that the risk disappears completely. Previous damage can contribute to faster lung aging or increase the risk of serious diseases, including cancer," explains Dean.
For this reason, she advises quitting smoking as early as possible. Just as bones heal more slowly over the years, lung tissue also becomes less efficient at repairing itself with age.
A healthy lifestyle can help in this process. Physical activity, according to experts, plays an important role in maintaining lung capacity and improving oxygen exchange in the body.
So, the lungs can recover after quitting smoking, but not always completely. The earlier smoking is stopped, the greater the chances of maintaining their health in the long term. /GazetaExpress/
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