A recent study at a hospital in Dublin, Ireland, shows that eating fish can reduce some of the damage caused by smoking to the body.
The study found that an amino acid in fish can prevent arteriosclerosis and reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke in smokers. Generally, the causes of heart disease and stroke are "atherosclerosis," one of the early symptoms of which is "endothelial dysfunction" (i.e., the inability of arteries to dilate), and the main cause of endothelial dysfunction is smoking.
Professor Hayes and his colleagues at Beaumont Hospital used a sphygmomanometer and ultrasound scans to examine the arteries of smokers and non-smokers, respectively. The results showed that the arteries of the former could not dilate, while there was no problem with the latter. However, if the subjects consumed 5 grams of the amino acid—the amount found in a serving of fish—their arterial dilation ability would improve significantly.
The researchers said the finding proves that eating more fish can help treat endothelial dysfunction. However, Professor Hayes emphasized that fish cannot be an "antidote" for smokers, and the best way to avoid the harm of smoking is still to quit.