Metals in cigarette smoke

Abstract

Metals are vital for a huge number of physiological processes in the human body, but can also destroy health when the concentration is not within the physiologically favourable range. Cigarette smoking interferes with the carefully controlled metal homeostasis of the human body. This review focuses on the consequences of metal delivery to the human body by cigarette smoking and discusses the body's responses. The metal content of tobacco plants, smoke, the circulation, and various organs is discussed. Finally, we link individual cigarette smoke contained metals to the genesis of human diseases.