Smokers will not take it to heaven or elsewhere: according to research carried out by British archaeologists, not only does tobacco leave traces in their bones during their life, but it settles there if lastingly that it continues to stagnate there centuries after their death. It is The Independent which reveals these discoveries, made at the University of Leicester.
To reach these conclusions, published by Science Advancesresearchers studied human remains buried in Britain between the 12the and the 19the century. Their conclusions are clear: the introduction of tobacco to Western Europe around 500 years ago led to significant changes in the structure of the human skeleton. It must be said that tobacco can have significant consequences on bone health, since it can cause bone diseases and increase the risk of fracture.
Previously, archaeologists who wanted to look into the question of tobacco mainly studied the teeth of the deceased, which allowed them to determine whether the skeletons they had were those of regular smokers: to this end, they looked for stains or traces of tobacco. wear caused by the use of a pipe. Unfortunately, this method often proved ineffective when the teeth were missing.
A more than lasting impact
Researchers at the University of Leicester therefore decided to focus instead on what occurs at the level of cortical bone, the name given to the bone tissue which forms the peripheral layer of long, short and flat bones – and which represents 80 % of bone mass. Their observations focused on 323 bones, the molecular composition of which could be analyzed using mass spectroscopy. This is how they identified forty-five distinct molecular characteristics that differentiate the bones of smokers from those of non-smokers.
“Tobacco consumption leaves a metabolic trace in human bones sufficiently recognizable to identify its use in individuals whose tobacco consumption is unknown, can we read in the report of the work. Archaeological human skeletal remains have the potential to provide direct evidence that can be used to study past pathologies and health conditions, including diseases associated with tobacco use.”
Co-author of the study, Dre Sarah Inskip adds: “Our research shows significant differences in the molecular characteristics of the bones of former smokers and non-smokers. This discovery indicates that tobacco consumption has an impact on the structure of our skeleton. Our ongoing research aims to understand how these differences arise, which could have implications for understanding why smoking is a risk factor for certain musculoskeletal and dental disorders.”
This research not only highlights the historical prevalence of smoking, but also highlights the considerable and lasting impact of tobacco on human health, providing valuable insight into the skeletal consequences of this widespread habit.
Source: www.slate.fr
