Female smokers have 3 times higher levels of toxic substances in blood than non-smokers

Female smokers have 3 times higher levels of toxic substances in blood than non-smokers. March. 11, 2017 07:03. by Youn-Jong Kim zozo@donga.com.

It was found that female smokers have 3 times higher levels of toxic substance in their blood to the maximum than those who do not smoke. A research team led by Professor Jee Sun-ha of Graduate School of Public Health at Yonsei University measured the concentration level of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the serum of 401 adults aged from 20s to 70s who participated in cancer prevention research of Korea and respondents were separated by smokers (190 persons) and non-smokers (211 persons). The POPs include dioxin, DDT, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and other 23 toxic substances. If such toxic materials are concentrated in the body, they weaken the immune system and damage the central nervous system. The POPs also cancer-causing agents and increase cancer incidence.

The research team drew blood from the two groups and measured the concentration level of PCB and other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and found that their blood concentration in female smokers is up to 3.5 times in non-smoking women. Also, the concentration level of DDT and OCPs in smoking women is 3.2 times higher than those who do not smoke.

"It is due to the gap between male and female, and women’s low metabolic capability makes it hard to release toxic substances out of the body," the research team explained.