Smokeless tobacco contains high amounts of cadmium. Cadmium is a known carcinogen that contributes to several cancers including breast cancer. New research finds it might be implicated in diseases of the eye such as cataracts.
A study published in the British Journal of Opthamology looked at the effect of smokeless tobacco on cataract incidence in rural Indians. Nearly 4,000 adults were enrolled in the study, with almost half using tobacco in some form. The type of tobacco used was compared to cataract incidence.
A total of 1705 participants reported tobacco use, 900 of whom used smokeless tobacco exclusively. Compared to non-smokers, the incidence of cataracts was 72% greater in users of tobacco, but that doubled in those who used smokeless tobacco exclusively.
When the authors looked at heavy users the findings were even more outragous. Heavy users of smokeless tobacco were 9 times more likely to have cataracts than heavy smokers.
The lead author points to the alarmingly high levels of cadmium in smokeless tobacco. Levels of cadmium in the blood were 3 times higher in smokeless tobacco users compared to non-users. Cadmium is thought to damage the eyes by inactivating superoxide dismutase (SOD), one of the most powerful antioxidants.
Antioxidants are in high demand in the eye due to the constant exposure to UV light which cause oxidative damage continually. Vitamins A, E, and C are thought to be of great benefit to eye health because they provide addtional antioxidants to protect against age related damage caused by years of sunlight exposure.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on July 31, 2006 05:23 PM
