How Does Chewing Tobacco Affect Your Appetite and Weight

Appetite and weight are among the first things chewing tobacco changes, and they are also among the easiest to misunderstand. Some users lose weight because they eat less. Others gain weight because they snack more. Some find food tastes dull and unappealing. Others crave sweet food constantly. All of these patterns can come from the same habit, because nicotine, a sore mouth, and a changed daily routine pull eating in different directions at the same time. The result is not a simple story of eating more or eating less. It is a story of eating becoming less steady, less enjoyable, and less nourishing.

This article explains that story in plain words: how nicotine affects hunger, how tobacco dulls taste, how a sore mouth changes what a person can eat, why meals are skipped, why sweet cravings appear, how weight can move in either direction, what poor nutrition does over time, and what happens to appetite after stopping. It is general information, not individual medical advice. If appetite or weight changes are worrying you, or you want help to stop using tobacco, a qualified health professional is the right person to talk to.

How Nicotine Changes Hunger

Nicotine is an appetite suppressant, which means it reduces the feeling of hunger. It does this by acting on the brain, where it affects the signals that tell a person they are hungry and the signals that tell them they have eaten enough. After using tobacco, many people find they are simply less interested in food for a while. The hunger that would normally build up before a meal feels weaker, and a meal that would normally be satisfying feels less necessary. This effect is real, and it is one of the reasons some people use tobacco to control their weight, even though it is a harmful way to do so.

The problem is that the effect is short-lived and uneven. Nicotine levels rise after a use and then fall, and hunger returns as they fall, often more strongly than before. The result is a day of uneven hunger: little appetite for a while after using tobacco, then sudden hunger, then another use that dulls it again. Meals become irregular, because they are fitted around tobacco rather than around hunger. A person may skip breakfast because they used tobacco first, eat little at lunch, and then feel very hungry late in the day, when they are tired and more likely to choose food that is quick and easy rather than food that is nourishing.

Over time, this pattern can change how the body handles hunger itself. The brain becomes used to nicotine as part of the signal for fullness, and without it, hunger can feel confusing or overwhelming. That is one reason many people find their appetite changes sharply when they stop using tobacco: the brain has to relearn how to read hunger without nicotine. The change is not permanent, and appetite usually settles over weeks, but it is a real adjustment, and it helps to expect it rather than be surprised by it.

Taste, Smell and the Pleasure of Food

Taste is one of the first pleasures that chewing tobacco dulls. The chemicals in tobacco sit directly against the tongue and the inside of the mouth, and over time they damage the taste buds, the small structures that allow us to taste sweet, salty, sour and bitter flavours. The lining of the mouth also becomes thicker and less sensitive, and the sense of smell, which is closely linked with taste, can be dulled as well. Food that once tasted rich and interesting begins to taste flat and dull, and meals become less enjoyable.

This loss of taste has practical effects on eating. When food does not taste good, there is less reason to eat it, and less reason to eat a varied diet. A person may stop enjoying fruit, vegetables and home-cooked food, because they taste of very little, and may turn instead to food that is strongly flavoured, very sweet, very salty, or very spicy, because only strong flavours can be tasted at all. That shift in taste can push eating towards food that is less healthy, not because the person prefers it in principle, but because it is the only food that still gives a clear flavour. Over months, the diet becomes narrower, and the body misses out on the variety it needs.

The loss is also a loss of pleasure, and that matters more than it may sound. Meals are not only fuel. They are a daily pleasure, a time with family, and a way of marking the day. When food stops tasting good, that pleasure fades, and eating becomes a chore rather than something to look forward to. Some people eat less because they no longer enjoy it. Others eat more, searching for a flavour that will satisfy them, and finding it only in sweet snacks. Either way, the relationship with food has changed, and the change is driven by tobacco, not by choice.

A Sore Mouth Changes What You Can Eat

A sore mouth is a practical barrier to eating well. When the gums are inflamed, the inside of the cheek is raw, or the tongue is sore, chewing becomes painful, and certain foods become hard to eat. Hard foods, such as raw vegetables, nuts and crusty bread, can hurt. Hot food can sting. Spicy food, sour fruit and citrus can burn sore tissue. Even drinking something hot can be uncomfortable. Faced with that discomfort, a person naturally chooses food that is soft, cool and easy to eat, and avoids the food that hurts, even if the food they avoid is the food their body needs most.

This is not a small effect. Over weeks and months, avoiding hard, fresh and varied food narrows the diet in a way that is hard to notice day by day. A person may stop eating salads, fruit and vegetables, not because they dislike them, but because they are painful to chew. They may eat more soft, processed food, more bread, more rice, and more sweet snacks, because those foods are easy on a sore mouth. The change is gradual, and it is easy to blame on preference or habit, but the cause is often the mouth itself, and the mouth is sore because of tobacco.

Teeth also play a part. When gums pull back, teeth become sensitive, and when teeth become loose or are lost, chewing becomes harder still. A person with loose or missing teeth cannot chew properly, and they may swallow food without chewing it well, which can cause stomach discomfort and poor digestion. They may also eat more slowly, or eat alone, because eating in company is embarrassing when chewing is difficult. All of these changes make meals less pleasant and less nourishing, and they add to the wider harm of tobacco in a way that is easy to overlook.

Skipped Meals and Eating at Odd Hours

Skipped meals are one of the most common eating changes in regular tobacco users. The pattern is often simple: tobacco is used first, hunger is dulled, and the meal is put off. By the time hunger returns, the moment for the meal has passed, and the person eats a snack instead, or waits until the next meal. Over a day, that can mean one or two proper meals are missed, and replaced by snacks, tea, or nothing at all. Over weeks, the body receives less regular nourishment, and energy becomes uneven, with long gaps followed by sudden hunger.

Eating at odd hours is the other side of the same pattern. When hunger returns suddenly, often late in the day or late at night, the person eats whatever is available, often food that is quick and easy rather than food that is balanced. Late-night eating can disturb sleep, and poor sleep can disturb appetite the next day, creating a cycle that is hard to break. The body works best when meals are regular, because digestion, energy and sleep all follow a rhythm, and tobacco disrupts that rhythm by making hunger irregular and by making tobacco, rather than food, the thing the day is organised around.

Work makes the pattern worse for many people. A person who works long shifts, or who cannot easily take a proper break, may use tobacco instead of eating, because it is quicker and it dulls hunger for a while. That may feel practical in the moment, but it means the body is going without food for long periods, and then eating hurriedly when it finally can. The result is a day of poor eating, not because the person does not care about food, but because tobacco has taken the place of a meal in the schedule. Recognising that substitution is important, because it shows that the eating problem and the tobacco problem are the same problem.

Sweet Cravings and Snacking

Sweet cravings are a common and confusing effect of chewing tobacco. Nicotine dulls appetite, but it also changes how the brain responds to reward, and sweet food is one of the strongest everyday rewards. Many users find that after using tobacco, they want something sweet, and they reach for biscuits, sweets, sweet tea, or soft drinks. The sugar gives a quick feeling of satisfaction, and it also helps with the dry mouth and the bitter taste that tobacco leaves behind. Over a day, those sweet snacks add up, and they can become a habit of their own, linked with tobacco use.

Snacking is also a way of keeping the mouth busy. A person who is used to having something in their mouth for much of the day may find that, between uses of tobacco, they want something else to chew or to taste. Snacks fill that gap. They are easy to eat, they do not need preparation, and they give a small pleasure in a day that may otherwise feel flat. But snacks are often high in sugar, salt and fat, and low in the nutrients the body needs, so a day of snacking instead of proper meals is a day of poor nutrition, even if the total amount eaten seems normal.

This is one reason some tobacco users gain weight rather than losing it. The appetite for proper meals is dulled, but the appetite for sweet snacks is strong, and the snacks are eaten often, in large amounts, and at odd hours. The weight gain is not a sign that the person is eating well. It is a sign that they are eating poorly, in a pattern driven by tobacco and by cravings, rather than by hunger for a balanced meal. Understanding that distinction matters, because it shows that weight gain in a tobacco user is not a reason to keep using tobacco. It is a reason to look at the whole eating pattern, and to get support to change it.

Why Weight Can Go Up or Down

Weight change from chewing tobacco is not a single direction. Some people lose weight, because they eat less, skip meals, and find food less appealing. The loss may be gradual, and it may be welcomed at first, especially if the person wanted to lose weight, but it is not a healthy loss. It is a loss driven by poor appetite and poor eating, and it often comes with a loss of muscle, energy and general health, rather than a loss of excess fat alone. A person who loses weight this way may feel weaker, tire more easily, and recover more slowly from illness, even if they look thinner.

Other people gain weight, because they snack more, crave sweet food, and eat at odd hours. The gain may be gradual too, and it may be blamed on age, on lack of exercise, or on other things, but the eating pattern driven by tobacco is often part of the cause. Weight gain from snacking is also not a healthy gain. It is a gain of fat rather than muscle, and it often comes with higher blood sugar, higher blood pressure, and a higher risk of other health problems over time. The fact that tobacco can cause weight to move in either direction is a sign of how deeply it disrupts normal eating, not a sign that it is harmless.

The most important point is that neither weight loss nor weight gain from tobacco is a good way to control weight. There are healthy ways to manage weight, through regular meals, varied food and physical activity, and those ways do not damage the mouth, the heart or general health. Using tobacco to control weight is a harmful shortcut, and it creates more problems than it solves. If weight is a concern, a health professional can give general information about healthy eating and activity, and can help with stopping tobacco at the same time, so that the two changes support each other rather than working against each other.

Poor Nutrition Over Time

Poor nutrition is the long-term result of the eating changes described above. When meals are skipped, when food tastes dull, when a sore mouth limits what can be eaten, and when snacks replace proper meals, the body receives less of what it needs: less protein, fewer vitamins, less fibre, and less variety. Over months and years, that shortage weakens the immune system, slows healing, and leaves the body less able to fight infection and to recover from illness. It also affects energy, mood and concentration, because the brain, like the rest of the body, needs steady nourishment to work well.

The effect is often invisible at first, because the body can cope with poor nutrition for a long time before the signs become obvious. A person may feel tired, catch colds more easily, take longer to heal from minor injuries, or find that their hair, skin and nails look less healthy. These changes are easy to blame on age, on work, or on stress, but poor eating, driven by tobacco, is often part of the cause. The link is not always obvious, because it builds slowly, but it is real, and it is one more way that a habit that seems to affect only the mouth reaches into the whole body.

Children and families are affected by poor nutrition too, in a practical way. Money spent on tobacco is money not spent on food, and time spent on tobacco is time not spent preparing or sharing a meal. A household where a parent’s eating is irregular and poor is a household where meals are less likely to be regular and nourishing for everyone. The effect is not only on the user’s body. It is on the family’s table, and on the food that is available to the people who depend on that table. That is a cost that deserves to be named plainly.

Children, Family Meals and the Shared Table

Family meals are where the eating effects of chewing tobacco become visible to other people, and they deserve a section of their own. A meal is not only food on a plate. It is a time when a family sits together, talks, and shares the day. When one person at the table is eating poorly because of tobacco, the whole meal changes. That person may eat little, may eat quickly and leave, may avoid certain dishes because they hurt to chew, or may leave the table to use tobacco. The others notice, even if they do not comment, and the shared time becomes shorter and less relaxed.

Children learn about food by watching the adults around them, and a parent whose eating is irregular teaches, without meaning to, that meals are not important, or that skipping them is normal. A child who sees a parent replace a meal with tobacco and a sweet snack may copy that pattern, not because they are told to, but because it is what they have seen every day. Over time, that can shape the child’s own eating habits, in ways that last into adult life. The effect is not dramatic, and it is not the parent’s intention, but it is real, and it is one more reason why changing the habit matters for the whole family, not only for the user.

Money also reaches the family table in a direct way. Tobacco costs money every day, and that money comes from the same budget that buys food. In a household where money is tight, the daily cost of tobacco can mean less money for fresh food, for fruit, for milk, or for a varied diet. The family may eat more cheap, filling food and less nourishing food, not because they prefer it, but because that is what the budget allows after tobacco has been paid for. That is a practical and measurable effect, and it falls on everyone who eats at that table, including children, who need good food most of all. When a person stops using tobacco, the money that was spent on it becomes available for food, and that is a direct and immediate benefit to the whole household.

What Happens to Appetite After Stopping

Appetite changes after stopping, and it helps to expect that change rather than be surprised by it. In the first days and weeks, hunger often returns more strongly, because nicotine is no longer dulling it, and taste begins to return, because the mouth is no longer exposed to tobacco. Food tastes better, and the desire to eat becomes stronger. Many people find they eat more in the first weeks after stopping, and they may gain some weight. That weight gain is common, it is usually modest, and it is not a reason to go back to tobacco. It is a sign that appetite is returning to normal, and it can be managed with regular meals and activity.

The return of taste is one of the most satisfying changes. Food that tasted dull for months or years begins to taste as it should, and meals become enjoyable again. That enjoyment is a genuine gain, and it helps with stopping, because it gives the person a daily reminder of what they have regained. A sore mouth also begins to heal, so eating becomes more comfortable, and a wider range of food becomes possible again. Over weeks and months, the diet can become more varied and more nourishing, not because the person is trying harder, but because eating is pleasant again.

It is honest to say that managing appetite after stopping takes some planning. Eating regular meals, rather than snacking constantly, helps to keep hunger steady. Choosing food that is filling and nourishing, rather than food that is only sweet, helps to avoid unwanted weight gain. Physical activity, even a daily walk, helps with appetite, energy and mood. None of this needs to be complicated, and it does not need to be perfect. The goal is simply to let appetite settle into a normal rhythm, without nicotine, and to give the body the regular, varied food it needs to recover. Support from a health professional can help with that planning, especially if weight is a concern.

My Take:

I think appetite is one of the most personal parts of this story, because food is personal. It is not only fuel. It is pleasure, family, comfort and routine. When chewing tobacco changes appetite, it does not only change what a person eats. It changes how they enjoy a meal, how they sit with their family, and how they feel about their own body. That is why I take this topic seriously, even though it may sound less dramatic than cancer or heart disease. The daily loss of pleasure in food is a real loss, and it is felt every day.

What bothers me most is the way tobacco can make weight go in either direction, and then be blamed on something else. A person who loses weight may be praised for it, even though the loss comes from eating poorly and feeling unwell. A person who gains weight may be blamed for overeating, even though the gain comes from cravings and snacking driven by tobacco. In both cases, the real cause is hidden, and the person is judged for a symptom rather than helped with the cause. I think that is unfair, and I think naming the real cause, plainly and without blame, is the kindest thing we can do.

Taste is the part I think about most, because it is so easy to lose and so satisfying to regain. Imagine food tasting dull for years, and then, a few weeks after stopping, tasting properly again. That is not a small thing. It is a daily pleasure returned, and it is a reminder that the body can heal. I have heard people who stopped say that the return of taste was the change that surprised them most, and the change that made them glad they had stopped. That tells me something important: the harm of tobacco is not only in the serious diseases. It is also in the small daily pleasures it takes away, and the recovery is in those pleasures returning.

I also want to be honest about weight gain after stopping, because it is a real worry and it stops some people from trying. Yes, many people gain some weight when they stop, because appetite returns and food tastes better. That gain is usually modest, and it can be managed with regular meals and activity, and it is far less harmful than continuing to use tobacco. I think it is better to be honest about that than to pretend it does not happen. A person who expects it can plan for it. A person who is surprised by it may go back to tobacco, thinking they have failed, when in fact they are going through a normal and temporary adjustment. Honesty helps here, as it does everywhere in this story.

Money and food are linked in a way that deserves to be said plainly. A household that spends money on tobacco every day has less money for food, and a person whose appetite is dulled by tobacco is less likely to spend what money there is on good food. The result can be a family table that is poorer than it needs to be, not because the family does not care, but because tobacco is taking money and appetite at the same time. I do not say this to make anyone feel guilty. I say it because many people have never connected those two things, and when they do, it changes how they see the habit. Food is for the family, and tobacco takes from that food in two ways at once.

I think the sore mouth deserves more attention than it usually gets in discussions about appetite. We talk about nicotine and cravings, but we talk less about the simple fact that eating hurts when your mouth is sore. That pain is a real barrier, and it shapes what a person eats every day. A person who cannot chew properly cannot eat well, and a person who cannot eat well cannot be healthy. That chain is simple, and it is worth naming. If your mouth is sore, if chewing hurts, if you are avoiding food because it stings, that is not a small problem. It is a sign that tobacco is already changing your eating, and it is a reason to get your mouth checked and to think about stopping.

What gives me hope is how much can return after stopping. Taste returns. Hunger becomes steadier. Meals become enjoyable again. The mouth heals, and a wider range of food becomes possible. These are not dramatic changes, but they are real, and they happen week by week. I think that message is important, because it shows that stopping is not only about avoiding future disease. It is also about regaining daily pleasure, here and now. A meal that tastes good, eaten with family, is a real and immediate reward for stopping, and it arrives much sooner than the long-term health benefits, which take years to show.

If I could say one thing to someone whose appetite has changed because of chewing tobacco, it would be this: do not blame yourself for the weight you have lost or gained, and do not try to fix it with tobacco. The eating pattern is not your fault. It is the result of a habit that changes hunger, taste and the mouth itself. The way to fix it is to stop the habit, with support, and to let appetite settle back into a normal rhythm, with regular meals and food you enjoy. That takes time, and it takes patience, but it works, and the body knows how to do it when it is given the chance.

For families, I would add this: meals matter, and protecting them matters. If someone you love is skipping meals, eating at odd hours, or living on sweet snacks because of tobacco, talk about it kindly and plainly. Offer to eat together. Offer to cook food that is soft and easy on a sore mouth. Help them notice the pattern, without blame. And if they decide to stop, help them through the first weeks, when appetite is changing and food tastes different, by keeping meals regular and by celebrating the return of taste. That support, given patiently, can make a real difference.

Finally, I would say this to anyone who has never used chewing tobacco: do not start, and do not start because you think it will help you control your weight. It will not help you in a healthy way. It will dull your appetite, dull your taste, make your mouth sore, and push your eating into a pattern that is hard to control. There are healthy ways to manage weight, and they do not damage your mouth or your health. The first use of tobacco may seem harmless, but it is the start of a pattern that can change how you eat for years. Walk away from it, and keep your appetite, your taste and your meals your own. That is a choice you will never regret.

I also want to say something practical, because practical help is what makes stopping possible. If you decide to stop, plan your meals for the first two weeks. Eat at regular times, even if you are not very hungry, because regular meals help appetite settle. Keep water nearby, because a dry mouth makes cravings stronger. Keep healthy snacks, such as fruit, nearby, so that when you want something to eat, there is something nourishing to reach for. And tell the people around you that you are stopping, so they can help with meals and with cravings. These are small steps, but they are the steps that make the first weeks easier, and the first weeks are the hardest part.

I think it is also worth saying something about the way food and tobacco compete for the same moments in a day. A meal and a use of tobacco both take time, both involve the mouth, and both give a feeling of satisfaction, but they are not the same, and they cannot both be the centre of the day. When tobacco wins that competition, meals lose, and the body loses with them. When meals win, when a person sits down, eats slowly, and enjoys food with family, tobacco has less room to take over. That is a simple way of thinking about it, and it is a useful one, because it shows that protecting meals is not a separate task from stopping tobacco. It is part of the same task, and each helps the other.

Another point I want to make is about patience, because appetite does not settle in a single day after stopping. The first week can be confusing, with hunger coming strongly at odd times, and with a strong desire for sweet food. That is normal, and it passes. The second and third weeks are usually steadier, and by the end of the first month, most people find that hunger has become more regular and that food tastes better. Knowing that timeline in advance helps, because it means the person is not surprised by the first week, and does not decide that stopping has made their eating worse. It has not. It has started a process of returning to normal, and that process takes a little time, as all real recoveries do.

I also think about the simple pleasure of a home-cooked meal, and how much of that pleasure tobacco takes away. A meal cooked at home, eaten slowly, with people you care about, is one of the best parts of an ordinary day. It does not need to be expensive or elaborate. It needs only to taste good and to be shared. Tobacco dulls the taste, shortens the meal, and pulls a person away from the table, and in doing so it takes away a pleasure that costs very little and gives a great deal. Regaining that pleasure, after stopping, is a reward that arrives every day, at every meal, and it is, in my view, one of the strongest reasons to stop. A good meal, enjoyed fully, is a reminder of what the body can do when it is not dulled by tobacco.

There is a practical point about drinks that I think is worth naming, because it is often missed. Many tobacco users drink a great deal of sweet tea or soft drinks, partly to ease a dry mouth and partly to wash away the taste of tobacco. Those drinks add sugar and add to tooth decay, and they can also affect appetite, because a stomach full of sweet drink feels less hungry for proper food. Cutting back on sweet drinks, and drinking water instead, is a small change that can make a real difference to appetite and to dental health, both during use and after stopping. It is not a solution on its own, but it is a useful step, and it is one that a person can take immediately, without waiting for anything else to change.

Finally, I want to return to the simplest idea in this article, which is that food is meant to be enjoyed, and appetite is meant to be steady. Chewing tobacco disrupts both, in ways that are gradual and easy to miss, but real and important. The disruption is not a personal failing, and it is not a reason for shame. It is the result of a habit that changes hunger, taste, the mouth and the daily routine all at once. The way back is also simple, even if it is not easy: stop the habit, with support, eat regular meals, and let taste and hunger return in their own time. The body knows how to eat well when it is given the chance, and it will show you, meal by meal, that it is recovering. That is a recovery worth working for, and it begins with a single decision to stop.

I also think it is worth remembering that appetite, like health, returns gradually, and that gradual return is a good sign, not a problem. A body that is learning to feel hunger normally again is a body that is healing, and a mouth that is learning to taste food again is a mouth that is recovering. Those changes may feel strange at first, especially if you are used to hunger being dulled and food tasting flat, but they are signs that the habit is losing its hold. Give them time, eat regularly, and let your body find its own rhythm again. It knows how to do that, and it will, if you give it the chance.

One last thing I would say is about kindness to yourself while appetite settles. You may eat more than usual for a while, or you may find yourself wanting sweet food often, and you may feel frustrated by that. Be patient with yourself. You are not failing. You are adjusting, and adjustment takes time. Talk to yourself as you would talk to a friend who was trying to change a long habit. You would not tell them they were weak for struggling. You would tell them to keep going, to eat regular meals, and to trust that their body will settle. Give yourself that same patience, and the meals will become easier, week by week, until eating feels normal again.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does chewing tobacco affect eating?

Chewing tobacco affects eating by dulling appetite and taste, making the mouth sore, and changing when and what a person eats. Meals may be skipped, food may taste flat, and sweet snacks may replace proper meals. Because nicotine levels rise and fall through the day, hunger becomes uneven, with long gaps followed by sudden hunger. Over time, that pattern can lead to poor nutrition, even though each single day may seem unremarkable.

Can chewing tobacco cause dull taste even in light users?

Yes, even light use can dull taste, although the effect is usually less strong than in heavy daily users. The chemicals in tobacco sit directly against the tongue and the lining of the mouth, and repeated exposure, even a few times a week, can damage taste buds and dull the sense of smell. Light users may notice food tasting less rich, or needing stronger flavours to be satisfying. Less use means less strain, but no use is the only way to stop the strain from growing.

How long does it take for chewing tobacco to harm hunger?

There is no single timetable, because bodies, habits and amounts differ. Some changes, such as a weaker appetite after use and a duller sense of taste, can appear within weeks, while deeper changes in eating habits and nutrition usually build over months and years. What matters more than the exact date is the direction: the longer chewing tobacco is used regularly, the more likely eating is to show the strain. Early signs are worth noticing precisely because they arrive before serious harm.

Does stopping chewing tobacco help appetite recover?

In many cases, yes. Stopping removes nicotine’s effect on hunger, which allows appetite to become steadier, and it gives the mouth a chance to heal, which allows taste to return. Many people find food tastes better within a few weeks, and eating becomes more enjoyable. Recovery is not instant, and appetite may feel stronger than usual at first, which can lead to some weight gain, but that usually settles over weeks and months. Support from a health professional can help with planning regular meals after stopping.

Why do people keep using chewing tobacco if it harms taste?

Habit, routine, social pressure and the quick feeling tobacco gives all play a part, and the harm to taste arrives too slowly to feel like an immediate warning. Nicotine dependence also makes stopping hard, because the brain has learned to expect regular nicotine and feels uncomfortable without it. Many people also use chewing tobacco to cope with stress, tiredness or low mood, which makes the habit feel useful even while it weakens taste and appetite. Understanding that loop is often the first step toward breaking it, with support from family, friends or a health professional.

When should someone seek advice about chewing tobacco and hunger?

It is sensible to seek advice when appetite changes keep returning, when eating interferes with work, sleep or family life, when weight changes quickly or without explanation, or when stopping chewing tobacco feels very hard. A health professional can give general information, check for other causes, and explain the support options available. This article is general information only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

This article is general information only. It is not individual medical advice. If you are worried about your health, talk to a qualified health professional.