Nicotine

Smoking 12: Carbon monoxide

When carbon monoxide (CO) enters the blood, it attaches to red blood cells. This attachment is far stronger than that of oxygen (O2), and the CO will not let go of the cells. This interferes with their ability to absorb oxygen from the lungs. Too much oxygen is then exhaled.

In order to get enough oxygen, the body has to send more red blood cells per minute to the lungs. It may do this in two ways:

First, it can pump the blood around faster to send enough red blood cells through the lungs. That means the heart will beat faster.

Second, it can manufacture greater numbers of red blood cells. The blood will then have higher concentrations of cells and will become thicker or more ‘syrupy’.