A recent review published in NeuroToxicology has uncovered promising evidence that compounds found in tobacco and coffee may help reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions worldwide.
Although smoking and coffee are commonly associated with negative health outcomes, the review points to several non-nicotine and non-caffeine compounds in tobacco and coffee that may have neuroprotective effects. These compounds, the review suggests, could play a role in reducing the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease by targeting the brain’s complex biochemical processes.
However, researchers caution that it is the lesser-known bioactive compounds in tobacco and coffee—rather than nicotine or caffeine themselves—that seem to offer the most promise.
According to the review, certain compounds in both tobacco and coffee could work in a variety of ways to protect against Parkinson’s disease. Among the most important are substances that inhibit the activity of monoamine oxidase B (MAO B), an enzyme that breaks down dopamine in the brain. Higher levels of MAO B are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including PD. Compounds like quercetin, found in both tobacco and coffee, can inhibit this enzyme, helping to preserve dopamine levels and reduce neuron damage.
The review’s authors stress that while the evidence suggests tobacco and coffee may play a role in preventing Parkinson’s disease, further studies are crucial to identify which compounds are most beneficial and how they can be safely used for therapeutic purposes.
Category: Science & Innovation
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Tobacco, Coffee Show Potential Against Parkinson’s
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Study: U.S. Soldiers 10x More Likely To Use Nicotine Pouches
Active-duty U.S. Army soldiers are nearly 10 times more likely to use nicotine pouches than civilians, heightening their long-term risk for cancer, according to a University of Virginia (UVA) study. Researchers, in collaboration with Fort Liberty Public Health and the University of North Carolina, surveyed 2,000 soldiers and found that 25% had used nicotine pouches in the past month, compared to less than 3% of the civilian population.
“Military personnel historically use tobacco and nicotine products at much higher rates than civilians,” said Melissa Little, director of UVA’s Center for Nicotine and Tobacco Research. The study highlights the dangers of nicotine pouches, which contain synthetic nicotine, bypass traditional tobacco regulations, and are often flavored to appeal to younger users. Unlike traditional chewing tobacco, pouch users swallow the juice, raising concerns about excessive nicotine consumption.
Nicotine pouches are often used by soldiers as a discreet alternative to smoking, especially given restrictions on smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco in Department of Defense facilities. Soldiers also turn to pouches during long field exercises to suppress hunger and stay alert, said Army Capt. Nicholas Hassell.
The study found nicotine pouch users were predominantly young, male, white, and unmarried, with many also using other tobacco products. As 200,000 soldiers transition to civilian life each year, researchers emphasize the importance of addressing nicotine addiction early. “Providing military personnel with tools to lead healthy lives is the best way we can give back,” said Little, adding that tailored interventions for military personnel are in development.
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Dangerous Metals Found in Illegal Vape Devices
British scientists say they found “alarming levels of dangerous metals” and “dangerously high levels of nicotine” in a batch of illegal vapes seized during a raid in Derby, England in 2023. During the 18-month joint study by the University of Derby and public health and trading standards officers, toxicologists tested 10 illegal products and found “huge and often alarming levels of dangerous metals”, including cadmium, copper, nickel, and lead.
“Lead is harmful to everyone and every organ,” said Dr. Ali Kermanizadeh, a senior lecturer in toxicology at the University of Derby. “It’s a neurotoxin. It can cause anemia, and it can cause severe conditions such as heart disease and strokes.
“In some of the products, we found the nicotine content equivalent to smoking 200 traditional cigarettes.”
The study concluded that using unregulated vapes, based on the chemicals found, could lead to severe long-term health conditions.
“The toxicity varies from product to product,” Kermanizadeh said. “We’ve found these products cause cell death, they cause huge amounts of inflammation, they can change normal cell function, and they can also cause DNA damage. Long-term they can result in the development of cancers.”
“The market is flooded with illegal vapes,” said Donna Dowse, service manager at Derby Trading Standards. “It’s important to get the message out that illegal vapes contain high levels of toxic chemicals, which are extremely harmful.”
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Study: One Cigarette Decreases Life Expectancy by 20 Minutes
Photo: Nopphon A new study in Addiction shows that smoking a single cigarette decreases life expectancy by an average of 20 minutes, reports CNN Health. The study is based off British smokers and was commissioned by the U.K. Department for Health and Social Care.
The research, which came out of University College London, estimated that the loss of life expectancy for men was about 17 minutes and for women was about 22 minutes.
According to Sarah Jackson, lead author of the paper and a principal research fellow in the UCL Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, “20 cigarettes at 20 minutes per cigarette works out to be almost seven hours of life lost per pack.”
“The time they’re losing is time that they could be spending with their loved ones in fairly good health,” Jackson said. “With smoking, it doesn’t eat into the later period of your life that tends to be lived in poorer health. Rather, it seems to erode some relatively healthier section in the middle of life. So when we’re talking about loss of life expectancy, life expectancy would tend to be lived relatively good health.”
The research used mortality data from the British Doctors Study and the Million Women Study, showing that people who smoked throughout their lives lost, on average, around 10 years of life compared to nonsmokers. Life expectancy is similar in the U.S. for smokers versus nonsmokers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The amount of life expectancy that can be recovered by quitting smoking can depend on several factors, according to the new research.
“In terms of regaining this life lost, it’s complicated,” said Jackson. “These studies have shown that people who quit at a very young age—so by their 20s or early 30s—tend to have a similar life expectancy to people who have never smoked. But as you get older, you progressively lose a little bit more that you can’t regain by quitting.
“But no matter how old you are when you quit, you will always have a longer life expectancy than if you had continued to smoke. So, in effect, while you may not be reversing the life lost already, you’re preventing further loss of life expectancy.”