Micronutrient antioxidants and smoking

Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor in such human diseases as cardiova scular disease (especially atherosclerosis), lung cancer (the leading world -wide cancer killer), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)(1). An avalanche of studies has suggested that a diet rich in fruit and vegetab les is associated with decreased risk for atherosclerosis and cancer(2,3). However, the dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, as well as antioxidan t micronutrients, is decreased in smokers(4). This, along with evidence of increased utilization of ascorbic acid(5,6) and alpha-tocopherol(7), possib ly on the basis of increased oxidative stress, contributes to the low plasm a antioxidant concentrations seen in many smokers(8). This review addresses selected mechanistic considerations of this relationship.