Scientific - "Human health and adaptation studies"

[Balthazzar]

In terms of micro evolutionary adaptation, is there any ongoing study in process concerning tobacco use, family history, and possible immunity increases? Addiction may be evident enough, but I'm speaking about adaptation and increases in our immunities. If not, maybe there should be. I'm suggesting a study that could potentially identify links associated from exposure duration and immunities becoming evident via human biological adaptations from generational exposures.

 

[MikeF]

In terms of macro evolutionary adaptation, is there any ongoing study in process concerning tobacco use, family history, and possible immunity increases? Addiction may be evident enough, but I'm speaking about adaptation and increases in our immunities. If not, maybe there should be. I'm suggesting a study that could potentially identify links associated from exposure duration and immunities becoming evident via human biological adaptations from generational exposures.

Is your hypothesis that smoking increases immunity in smokers, or that smoking along with the second-hand smoky environment that results somehow is exerting a selective pressure on Homo sapiens, resulting in increased immunity being observed in each subsequent generation of Homo sapiens since the introduction of the habit?

 

[Balthazzar]

Is your hypothesis that smoking increases immunity in smokers, or that smoking along with the second-hand smoky environment that results somehow is exerting a selective pressure on Homo sapiens, resulting in increased immunity being observed in each subsequent generation of Homo sapiens since the introduction of the habit?

No, I'm suggesting a study be conducted on generational smoker families. Moms and pops to kids if they became smokers and possible immunities developed from exposure in the womb and at home. From late 60's and 70's era on to the kids who may have happened to pick up the habit. Lots has changed since, including less smoking indoors. At one time every local business I knew of was a room full of smoke. There's a lot less secondhand smoke to worry about now and there may be links associated with healthy smokers and possible adaptations in our immune systems resulting from generational exposures and the decrease of smoke in indoor environments.

 

[MikeF]

No, I'm suggesting a study be conducted on generational smoker families. Moms and pops to kids if they became smokers and possible immunities developed from exposure in the womb and at home. From late 60's and 70's era on to the kids who may have happened to pick up the habit. Lots has changed since, including less smoking indoors. At one time every local business I knew of was a room full of smoke. There's a lot less secondhand smoke to worry about now and there may be links associated with healthy smokers and possible adaptations in our immune systems resulting from generational exposures and the decrease of smoke in indoor environments.

I need just a bit more explanation. Who within the population today do you see as having an improvement in their immunity and ability to fight infection? Kids who's parents and grandparents smoked? The control or contrasting population would be those who's parents and grandparents didn't smoke and your expectation is for them to have a weaker immune system?

Just trying to fully understand your premise.

 

[Balthazzar]

I need just a bit more explanation. Who within the population today do you see as having an improvement in their immunity and ability to fight infection? Kids who's parents and grandparents smoked? The control or contrasting population would be those who's parents and grandparents didn't smoke and your expectation is for them to have a weaker immune system?

Just trying to fully understand your premise.

I would think a mother who smoked while pregnant, having kids who grew up under those conditions that became smokers themselves would be the candidates for the study, and perhaps their kids also, if they ever picked up the habit. The suggestion is they may have developed an increased immunity to the negative effects of the substance. I would be a candidate actually. My mother died from lung complications in her 60's and with me reaching my mid 50's, I'm still relatively healthy. It's a hopeful thing to endeavor for people like me who have lost loved ones to the effects of tobacco. Acknowledging people who are smokers, documenting quality of health as they age would be a natural and effective way to help determine if this is the case. It would be necessary to note other substances also for more accurate results. The reason for my suggestion is due to our ability to develop immunities to what would otherwise be toxic to our systems. The Flu virus for example: The flu virus develops a resistance to the antibodies we develop from our exposure to the virus. This seems to be an ongoing - developmental process of adaptation associated with biological evolution in general. It's plausible, hopeful, and I think likely that people like me (exposed to the substance before birth) develop generational immunities.

 

[MikeF]

I would think a mother who smoked while pregnant, having kids who grew up under those conditions that became smokers themselves would be the candidates for the study, and perhaps their kids also, if they ever picked up the habit. The suggestion is they may have developed an increased immunity to the negative effects of the substance. I would be a candidate actually. My mother died from lung complications in her 60's and with me reaching my mid 50's, I'm still relatively healthy. It's a hopeful thing to endeavor for people like me who have lost loved ones to the effects of tobacco. Acknowledging people who are smokers, documenting quality of health as they age would be a natural and effective way to help determine if this is the case. It would be necessary to note other substances also for more accurate results. The reason for my suggestion is due to our ability to develop immunities to what would otherwise be toxic to our systems. The Flu virus for example: The flu virus develops a resistance to the antibodies we develop from our exposure to the virus. This seems to be an ongoing - developmental process of adaptation associated with biological evolution in general. It's plausible, hopeful, and I think likely that people like me (exposed to the substance before birth) develop generational immunities.

Cigar smoking George Burns lived to the ripe old age of 100, when many of his contemporaries were having heart attacks, dying of emphysema and a variety of cancers, including of the lung, mouth, and throat.

I think its great that you are doing fine. I don't want to dismiss your notion out of hand, but I would have you consider that the effects of smoking vary over a population, some few showing no decrease in expected lifespan and some few dying quite young. What is noticed, is that in comparing smokers to non-smokers, on average, the population of non-smokers lives longer. Whether that still holds true is, I guess, what your study would be about. But I would say that just because you are doing fine does not mean that a lot of other people are not. A trend cannot be established based on one case, yours.

 

[Balthazzar]

Cigar smoking George Burns lived to the ripe old age of 100, when many of his contemporaries were having heart attacks, dying of emphysema and a variety of cancers, including of the lung, mouth, and throat.

I think its great that you are doing fine. I don't want to dismiss your notion out of hand, but I would have you consider that the effects of smoking vary over a population, some few showing no decrease in expected lifespan and some few dying quite young. What is noticed, is that in comparing smokers to non-smokers, on average, the population of non-smokers lives longer. Whether that still holds true is, I guess, what your study would be about. But I would say that just because you are doing fine does not mean that a lot of other people are not. A trend cannot be established based on one case, yours.

I agree ... studying the ongoing effects of tobacco use would be the only way to accurately make this type of determination and it would require the larger population of current smokers, both generational and new.

 

[Balthazzar]

I'm already 38 years in as a tobacco smoker. I've lost more than just one family member to its effects. It may be risky, and it may kill me, but what if it makes the difference between survival of my type over the next couple centuries and on? Non-smokers hate us. Ex smokers hate us. The stigma attached to us as smokers has not been a good one. Tobacco smoke can smell too, but I'm also an omnivore, which means I am more diverse than carnivores and more diverse than herbivores. The same principle applies when it comes to tobacco immunity development. Survival of the fittest potential adaptative evolutionary development for that purpose...testing the capabilities of human biology.