Smoking harms the genome in a sustainable way

Cigarette smoking harms the human genome in a sustainable way: Smoking harms health much longer, more sustainably and more massively than previously thought.

(16.07.2010) Smoking fatally damages one's health, more massive than previously thought. Smoking also damages the human genetic material to a special degree, as a recent study now proves. In a study by the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research in Texas, researchers have studied 1,240 blood samples from smokers and non-smokers. The question is, how does the daily smoking of cigarettes affect the genetic material of humans? The result was shocking.

The research team led by Jac C. Charlesworth discovered that smoking causes over 300 genes to be permanently altered. "So far, such a clear link between smoking and the read rates of genes has never been demonstrated," said study director Jac Charlesworth. Not only individual genes but also entire genetic material carriers and networks are damaged. Particularly affected by the damage is the human immune system that is too constant for the defense against pathogens. In addition, dangerous gene activities are promoted by cigarette smoke. This speeds up cell division and prolongs harmful cells. The risk of cancer increases rapidly. Healthy cells die and at the same time there is an increased cell division. The processing of non-body particles is gradually inhibited.

According to the study, it now becomes clearer that the entire body is burdened by the massive damage and elimination of the genes. Pollutants and toxins contained in tobacco smoke enter the bloodstream via the alveoli. The blood transports the poisons into all organs of the body. It becomes clear that "not only" the lung is exposed to a massive pollution, but all areas of the body.

Over 4000 harmful substances in tobacco smoke.
Over 4000 pollutants and toxins are contained in the smoke of the tobacco. Many poisons develop through the cigarette's combustion process. Since the number of toxins and substances is so large, it is difficult to divide all substances and sort by modes of action. Above all, it is difficult to study the modes of action on the immune system and the general activity of the genes. Therefore, the researchers initially limited themselves to a section in their study.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every six seconds people worldwide die from the complications caused by smoking. Smoking primarily damages the cardiovascular system, particularly favors heart attacks, coronary heart disease, promotes extreme cancers and harms the immune system. As a result, the body can always fend off bad diseases. For example, it can also cause diseases that are not at first sight related to cigarette consumption. (Sb)

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