Exposure to Cigarette Smoking and Serum Micronutrient Concentrations

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Medical Abstract Title:

Household Exposure to Passive Cigarette Smoking and Serum Micronutrient

Concentrations

Author:

Alberg AJ, Chen JC, Zhao H, Hoffman SC, Comstock GW, Helzlsouer KJ

Source:

Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;72:1576-1582.

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The associations observed between passive smoking and adverse health

outcomes have generated controversy. In part, this could be because the diets of

passive smokers, like those of active smokers, differ from those of persons who

are not exposed to cigarette smoke, especially with regard to antioxidants.

 

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess the relation between household exposure

to passive smoking and serum concentrations of retinol, tocopherols, and

carotenoids.

 

DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Washington County, MD, to

compare exposure to passive smoking at home, recorded in a private census of

county residents in 1975, with micronutrient concentrations assayed in serum

collected in 1974. This comparison was possible for 1590 control subjects in

nested case-control studies conducted between 1986 and 1998.

 

RESULTS: Among persons who were not current smokers, those who lived with

smokers tended to have lower serum total carotenoid, alpha-carotene,

beta-carotene, and cryptoxanthin concentrations than did those who lived in

households with no smokers. There was little evidence that exposure to passive

smoking was associated with reduced serum concentrations of lutein and

zeaxanthin, lycopene, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, or gamma-tocopherol.

 

CONCLUSIONS: Among nonsmokers, exposure to passive smoking tended to be

associated with lower serum concentrations of the carotenoids most strongly

associated with active smoking (total carotenoids, alpha-carotene,

beta-carotene, and cryptoxanthin). The associations were weaker for passive

smoking than for active smoking. The consistency of the associations observed

for active and passive smoking indicates that exposure to passive smoking may

result in decreased circulating concentrations of selected micronutrients.

 

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