Quitting smoking before vaccinations will improve immune response, veteran physician says
The study of Japanese scientists involved 378 health workers (255 women, 123 men): three months after being vaccinated with the second component of the Pfizer vaccine, doctors took their blood from them to measure the titers of protective antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The analysis took into account the indicators of the bad habits of health workers.
Subsequently, the scientists compared the data of smokers and those volunteers who did not use tobacco products. The study showed that the concentration of antibodies in the blood of the first group, regardless of gender, was below normal by 140-250 units.
Smoking causes intoxication of the body, which can affect immunity and the production of antibodies, explained the Honored Doctor of Russia Andrei Kabychkin.
“Smoking causes chronic intoxication, which in any case cannot have a positive effect on the health of the body – including vaccinations. In smokers, as a rule, many processes occur differently, and intoxication can prevent the production of antibodies, ”he said.
Virologist Yevgeny Timakov added that, in general, the effectiveness of any vaccines in smokers can be much lower than in people without bad habits.
“Smoking in general has a negative effect on the human body, and due to intoxication, the production of antibodies can be reduced,” the expert explained.
At the same time, Timakov added that the effect of smoking on the production of antibodies of the coronavirus vaccine has not yet been sufficiently studied.
“The study of Japanese scientists needs to be studied further, because there can be many nuances. So far, it is only known that this bad habit does not add health and, in general, can neutralize the antibodies that are formed after vaccination, ”the doctor said.
Quitting smoking several months before vaccination can improve performance. “If a person quits smoking, it is quite possible that the effect of the vaccine will be higher – because during quitting tobacco, the body cleans itself, and the viability of the lungs increases,” said Andrei Kabychkin.
Also, doctors recommend quitting smoking after the vaccine is administered – according to them, it can exacerbate the side effects of the drug.
“After vaccination, immunity begins to work actively, while a person may experience a flu-like syndrome: fever up to fever, intoxication, weakness, headache, loss of appetite, and so on. Of course, the external intoxication of the body through smoking, inhalation of harmful substances is an additional stress for the body, ”pulmonologist Alexei Nikishenkov told the RBC edition. His warning extends to e-cigarettes as well.
In addition, smoking after vaccination can provoke blood clots, said physician Lyudmila Lapa in an interview with TASS.
“One and the same effect (as from alcohol) is vasospasm and blood thickening, which is the most important in covid. When exposed to any viruses, not only covid, blood thickens, vasoconstriction and a sharp thrombus formation occur. risks. To eliminate them, you should not drink [alcohol] and smoke, “she said.
