All smokers know that their health is at risk because of their habit and that they risk an early death.
But, despite such a risk, some smokers live a long time.
American scientists have discovered that some smokers live to a very old age even though they smoke, and they can thank genes for that.
Scientists have long studied long-lived smokers and noticed that they have one thing in common, and that is genes for longevity.
These genes enable them to be more resistant to harmful substances from cigarettes, but also to other pollution around us in general. Those who have such genes also have an 11 percent lower chance of getting some type of cancer.
"In long-lived smokers, we discovered a number of genetic markers, which are the same as markers in people who live to a very old age and are not smokers. These genes work to promote faster recovery of cells and promote their better resistance to a number of harmful effects that people are exposed to, including smoking," said scientist Morgan Levin.
Modern history has recorded thousands of smokers who lived to a ripe old age, such as the French woman Jean Calmain, who died at the age of 122, and since the age of 21 she had smoked a pack of cigarettes a day.
Of course, this does not mean that you should not stop smoking, but as stated by the experts in the research published in "Journals of Gerontology", the harmfulness of smoking largely depends on genetic inheritance. On average, they say, smokers live ten years less than non-smokers, but as with any medical issue, there are always exceptions, reports Nezavisne.
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