Nicotine exposure in fathers may quietly reshape their children’s metabolism, hinting at a hidden link to diabetes risk.
New research published today (March 12) in the Journal of the Endocrine Society suggests that nicotine exposure in fathers may influence how their offspring process sugar. In a mouse study, scientists found that paternal nicotine intake altered metabolic traits in the next generation, changes that could be connected to diabetes risk.
Diabetes Affects Millions in the United States
Diabetes is a widespread health problem in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40.1 million Americans are living with the disease. People with diabetes face a higher risk of serious complications, including heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage. Because the condition affects more than 12 percent of the population and requires long-term management, it also places a significant financial burden on the health care system.
Tobacco use remains one of the leading preventable causes of poor health outcomes, the study notes. Reducing risk factors such as smoking and electronic cigarette use could help slow the growing diabetes epidemic. This may be particularly important for men, who tend to use tobacco products more frequently than women.
Study Finds Metabolic Changes in Offspring
“When male mice consumed nicotine in their drinking water, their offspring had metabolic alterations that appear to impact the way the body metabolizes sugar,” said the study’s senior author, Raquel Chamorro-Garcia, Ph.D., of the University of California, Santa Cruz, in Santa Cruz, California. “This suggests that tobacco use in men is linked with an increased risk of their descendants developing diabetes.”
To investigate the effect, researchers followed the offspring of male mice that had been given nicotine in their drinking water. These animals were compared with offspring from a control group of male mice that were not exposed to nicotine.
The results revealed notable differences. Female offspring of nicotine-exposed fathers had lower insulin levels and lower fasting glucose levels than those in the control group. Male offspring also showed lower blood glucose levels, along with changes in liver function. Conditions such as obesity and diabetes can contribute to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
Importance of Paternal Health Before Conception
“Considering the evidence that male exposure can increase the likelihood of their children developing chronic diseases, it is crucial to incorporate male health into preconception care,” said Chamorro-Garcia, assistant professor of microbiology and environmental toxicology at UC Santa Cruz. “Our findings suggest fathers’ use of tobacco products may have lasting effects on their children’s health.”
The experiment used pure nicotine, which allowed researchers to isolate its effects. According to Chamorro-Garcia, the results indicate that other components found in cigarettes or additives used in e-cigarettes were not responsible for the metabolic changes observed in the offspring.
Reference: “Exposure of male mice to nicotine leads to metabolic dysfunction in their male and female offspring” by Stephanie Aguiar, Truman Natividad, Daniel Davis, Carlos Diaz-Castillo and Raquel Chamorro-Garcia, 12 March 2026, Journal of the Endocrine Society.
DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvag033
Other study authors are Stephanie Aguiar, Truman Natividad, Daniel Davis, and Carlos Diaz-Castillo, all at UC Santa Cruz.
Funding for the research came from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the University of California Office of the President Tobacco-related Disease Research Program award, and University of California, Santa Cruz Start-up Funds.
Never miss a breakthrough: Join the SciTechDaily newsletter.
Follow us on Google and Google News.