Tobacco-related diseases - Is there a role if or antioxidant micronutrientsupplementation?

It is clear that smoking causes an increase in free radicals, reactive nitr ogen and oxygen species (RNS and ROS, respectively), and that cigarette smo king is associated with increases in the incidence and severity of several diseases including atherosclerosis, cancer, and chronic obstructive lung di sease. Although there is still no unequivocal evidence that oxidative stres s is a contributor to these diseases or that an increased intake of antioxi dant nutrients is beneficial, the observation that smokers have lower circu lating levels of some of these nutrients, raises concern. This article disc usses the possible links between the observed oxidant-induced damage relate d to tobacco smoking, effects on cellular mechanisms, and their potential i nvolvement in the causation and enhancement of disease processes.