Smoking is also known to weaken the immune response, making it challenging for the body to fight off cancer cells
It represents a spectrum of conditions, from simple steatosis (fat accumulation alone) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), where inflammation and liver cell damage occur alongside fat accumulation
Although medical professionals primarily associate NAFLD with having more weight and insulin resistance, smoking is a known risk factor
Emerging evidence now suggests that nicotine exacerbates hepatic steatosis triggered by HFD, through increased oxidative stress and hepatocellular apoptosis, decreased phosphorylation (inactivation) of adenosine-5-monophosphate-activated protein kinase and, in turn, up-regulation of sterol response-element binding protein 1-c, fatty acid synthase, and activation of acetyl-coenzyme A-carboxylase, leading to increased hepatic lipogenesis