Protect your fragile gut bacteria from this toxic invader

A new study offers two pieces of game-changing information for any cigarette smoker who wants to break free of their habit. So let’s dive right in…

Result One: Cigarette smoking has an adverse effect on your gut microbiome.

As I’ve noted in other articles I’ve sent you, your digestive tract is host to trillions of complex bacteria that perform a wide range of beneficial functions that include:

  • Aiding in nutrient absorption
  • Powering up your immune system
  • Keeping hormones in balance
  • Promoting effective metabolic function

Your microbiome even has a hand in regulating your mood since it produces more serotonin than your brain does.

Five years ago, a team of Swiss researchers conducted one of the first human studies to test the effect of smoking on this vitally important gut microbiome. Their investigation confirmed that smoking harms gut bacteria, while smoking cessation creates beneficial changes in the gut ¾ comparable to the changes that occur when obese individuals lose significant weight.

Of course, these days, many people turn from tobacco to e-cigarettes in their attempts to quit. So let’s look at what researchers had to say about the effects of e-cigarettes on gut bacteria…

Result Two: E-cigarette use does not appear to harm bacteria in the gut.

Researchers at Newcastle University in the UK enlisted 30 volunteers — 10 cigarette smokers, 10 e-cigarette uses, and 10 non-smokers. Samples of bacteria were collected from the mouth and gut of each participant.

Targeted gene sequencing of the samples revealed surprising results:

  • In cigarette smokers, there were high levels of bacterium linked with colon cancer and colitis risk
  • In cigarette smokers, there were reduced levels of a beneficial bacteria, putting them at risk of obesity and Crohn’s disease
  • Gut bacteria in e-cigarette users were similar to non-smokers

In a press release, one of the researchers pointed out that more investigation is needed. But if it is confirmed that the use of e-cigarettes sidesteps the gut bacteria damage caused by cigarettes, it will go a long way in settling questions about the value of e-cigarettes.

But that value is ONLY in helping smokers quit their habit.

As we saw in a University of North Carolina (UNC) study I told you about a few months ago, switching from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes for ongoing, regular use might cause more problems than solutions.

Much like the Newcastle study, UNC researchers compared sputum samples (saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract) from e-cigarette users, smokers, and non-smokers. Their results showed these similarities in smokers and e-cigarette users:

  • Overproduction of mucus secretions linked to asthma and chronic bronchitis
  • Biomarkers of oxidative stress
  • Evidence of active defense mechanisms common to lung disease

In addition, e-cigarette smokers — but not regular smokers — had a high level of proteins that can contribute to inflammatory lung diseases like COPD.

Let’s face it, inhaling tobacco smoke in any form is an unhealthy habit. And if using e-cigarettes for a few weeks helps a longtime smoker kick that habit for good, that’s a solid win when considering the long-term benefits.

And whether you’re a smoker, former smoker, or never smoked a day in your life, don’t underestimate the power of a healthy gut.

Here’s what else we talked about this week in the OmniVista Health Learning Digest…

SOURCES

sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180430102503.htm
Vapers and non-smokers have the same flourishing gut flora
Newcastle University
April 30, 2018

sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171020105346.htm
To vape or not to vape? Probably: Not to vape
University of North Carolina Health Care
October 20, 2017