Nicotine as a Pro-apoptotic agent and Radioactive Tobacco

[gbells]

I was a non-smoker previously however I have been researching different agents to trigger apoptosis of cells dual-infected with HSV6 and EBV. Nicotine came up as a potential agent and I found that using along with caffeine was very effective. There is an anti-vaping campaign that started with cannabis vapes and was extended across the board to all vaping. I think this was done as a covert campaign by big tobacco to eliminate competition for their IQOS heated tobacco system and cigarettes. Vaping is healthier than tobacco mainly because it does not contain radioactive polonium which comes from tobacco fertilizer. Nicotine in the efluid used in vapes is derived synthetically. Vaping is 1/10th the cost of any tobacco product.

 

[Hip]

I have always been a non-smoker also, but a few years ago tried some e-cigarettes to see if the nicotine might have some benefits for my ME/CFS symptoms. Nicotine activates the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, so I wondered if that might have some useful effects in ME/CFS.

Though it did not do much for my ME/CFS overall, I found that smoking e-cigs improved my anhedonia quite a bit, and also helped me concentrate, so was a useful treatment for brain fog.

However, after about 6 months of daily e-cig smoking (at low levels, about equivalent to 2 or 3 cigarettes a day), I started to notice some feeling of congestion on my lungs (this was before all these fatal cases of vaping lung disease appeared). So I had the feeling that vaping was not doing my lungs any good.

Furthermore, after doing some reading, I came across this study, which says that although nicotine itself is not carcinogenic, it can likely convert into highly carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in the body. Specifically, nicotine likely undergoes nitrosation in the lungs, converting it to TSNA.

So after reading that, and in combination with the congested lung sensation I was getting, I decided to stop vaping, even though it was a useful remedy for my anhedonia.

 

[gbells]

Whether or not you have enough nitrosamine accumulation from nicotine to cause cancer depends on your vitamin C intake which allows the liver to detoxify and excrete the nitrosamine. This explains why my vitamin C appetite ramped up when I started using nicotine.

(Tannenbaum SR. Preventive action of vitamin C on nitrosamine formation. Int J Vitam Nutr Res Suppl. 1989;30:109-113. )

(CALDWELL, W. S., GREENE, J. M., DOBSON, G. P., & BETHIZY, J. D. (1993). Intragastric Nitrosation of Nicotine Is Not a Significant Contributor to Nitrosamine Exposure. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 686(1 Tobacco Smoki), 213–227. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1993.tb39178.x )

You can't avoid nitrosamines as they occur from mouth bacteria digesting amines (cheese, wine, chocolate). So as long as they don't accumulate people should be fine.

Nitrosamine impurities may increase the risk of cancer if people are exposed to them above acceptable levels and over long periods of time, but a person taking a drug that contains nitrosamines at-or-below the acceptable daily intake limits every day for 70 years is not expected to have an increased risk of cancer.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/information-about-nitrosamine-impurities-medications#:~:text=Nitrosamine impurities may increase the,an increased risk of cancer.

From a practical standpoint I would rather not use it and just use a time machine to get prime gene editing and fix the virally infected cells but I work with what I have (apoptosis).

I'm also not saying that nicotine alone is going to trigger apoptosis, it isn't. The viruses create multiple apoptosis pathway blocks and I have to use several different agents together to do it and it definitely is more active in the evening when cortisol is low. I also have good chemical neurofeedback blood sensing to tell how much of each to use which prevents me from overdosing. Apoptosis cell death feels like burning and you have to have a good pain management plan in place to deal with it. If you don't get it right you'll have arrested apoptosis which is ineffective and unhealthy.

 

[Hip]

Whether or not you have enough nitrosamine accumulation from nicotine to cause cancer depends on your vitamin C intake which allows the liver to detoxify and excrete the nitrosamine. This explains why my vitamin C appetite ramped up when I started using nicotine.

(Tannenbaum SR. Preventive action of vitamin C on nitrosamine formation. Int J Vitam Nutr Res Suppl. 1989;30:109-113. )

That study refers to preventing nitrosamine formation in the stomach; so it may not apply elsewhere in the body.


Interestingly, some years ago I read a study about the ability of vitamin C to prevent the conversation in the stomach of dietary nitrite into cancer-causing nitrosamines (nitrite is used as a preservative in sausages, ham and bacon). It was found that ascorbic acid dramatically reduced the amount of nitrosamine formation when nitrite was consumed.

BUT, and here's the rub, when a small amount of fat was introduced, this changed the dynamics, and with fat present, ascorbic acid was found to dramatically increase the amount of nitrosamine formation!

So given that sausages, ham and bacon contain fat, it would seem that taking vitamin C with these foods may greatly promote the carcinogenicity of the nitrites they contain. An article about this here.

After reading that study, I made a point of not drinking orange juice or other vitamin C drinks with a meal involving sausages, ham or bacon.

 

[pamojja]

Vaping is healthier than tobacco mainly because it does not contain radioactive polonium which comes from tobacco fertilizer.

When I was experiencing a for 1 year persistent chronic bronchitis I changed from additive free tobacco to organic. Beside a few other interventions (sea-air, ayurvedic herbs) got rid of it again. Though it also earned my a COPD stage 1 diagnosis, actually symptom-free since the ceasing of the bronchitis. Yearly monitoring of the COPD by pulmologists after 3 years was ceased due to unbelieveable improvements.

Organic tobacco by me is clearly used as a self-medication. Haven't found the supplement combination yet, to give it up in exchange. Also found only 1 randomised trial, which found no difference in end-point outcome of mortality by cessation in long-term smokers like me. Certainly none, which showed remission of chronic diseases with smoking-cessation alone. Was however, possible for me with other life-style interventions and supplementation. A whole litany of them: PAD, COPD, T2D, ME/CFS, scarring from NAFLD, cystitis, etc. - all the while buffing my organic tobacco. The equivalent of 20 cigarettes in organically grown tobacco costs me € 48,- a month.

Which isn't meant as an endorsement at all, certainly still better never to start.

But if for one or the other reason one can't quit - think about all the radioactives, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, chemical additives all delivered straight to your blood as in an IV, which could be avoided.

 

[pamojja]

That study refers to preventing nitrosamine formation in the stomach; so it may not apply elsewhere in the body.

Don't underestimate vitamin C concentration in the lungs:

Table 9.312 Human tissue & fluid ascorbic acid concentrations1 (Attribution 4.0 International)

Organ/Tissue | Vitamin C Concentration*

Pituitary Gland           40-50    
Adrenal Gland            30-40    
Eye Lens                     25-31    
Liver                            10-16    
Brain                           13-15    
Pancreas                    10-15    
Spleen                        10-15    
Kidneys                         5-15     
Lungs                                7
Skeletal Muscle             3-4
Testes                               3
Thyroid                             2
Cerebrospinal Fluid         3.8
Plasma                         0.4-1
Saliva                        0.1-9.1

* mg/100 g wet tissue, mg/100 mL fluids

 

[gbells]

Interestingly, some years ago I read a study about the ability of vitamin C to prevent the conversation in the stomach of dietary nitrite into cancer-causing nitrosamines (nitrite is used as a preservative in sausages, ham and bacon). It was found that ascorbic acid dramatically reduced the amount of nitrosamine formation when nitrite was consumed.

We aren't talking about dietary nitrate where the fat is exposed to nitrosamine (ie. deli meats) here we have nicotine being converted inside the cells (liver?) so it isn't applicable.

 

[sb4]

I have been using nicotine gum on and off for years. It gives me a boost in mental ability and happiness/dopamine for a while then negative heart symptoms for a bit. Still it is generally worth it.

 

[Hip]

This study found the risk of lung cancer decreased by 7% for every 100 mg per day increase in the intake of vitamin C.

 

[gbells]

This study found the risk of lung cancer decreased by 7% for every 100 mg per day increase in the intake of vitamin C.

My vitamin C appetite has been around 1.5 g (1500 mg) per day so that would translate into a 105% lower cancer risk. This is very interesting as it closely tracks that study. Thank you @Hip.

 

[pamojja]

.. the risk of lung cancer decreased by 7% for every 100 mg per day increase in the intake of vitamin C.

LOL. Decided not to believe my 24 g/d of ascorbic acid intake for the last 11 years would ever translate into 1750% lung-cancer risk reduction.. But the incredible tendency in it sure does explain my otherwise unexplainable remissions, despite smoking.

 

[gbells]

LOL. Decided not to believe my 24 g/d of ascorbic acid intake for the last 11 years would ever translate into 1750% lung-cancer risk reduction.. But the incredible tendency in it sure does explain my otherwise unexplainable remissions, despite smoking.

I'm amazed you can tolerate that much. I would think it would cause diarrhea.

When I dosed by appetite before when I was using more nicotine (3 pack per day equivalent) I was using about 2.5 g/day.

 

[pamojja]

I'm amazed you can tolerate that much. I would think it would cause diarrhea.

Tolerance is a very individual thing: http://www.doctoryourself.com/titration.html

           TABLE I - USUAL BOWEL TOLERANCE DOSES
 
                               GRAMS ASCORBIC ACID      NUMBER OF DOSES     
CONDITION                  PER 24 HOURS           PER 24 HOURS
normal                       4 -  15              4 -  6
mild cold                   30 -  60              6 - 10
severe cold                 60 - 100+             8 - 15
influenza                  100 - 150              8 - 20
ECHO, coxsackievirus       100 - 150              8 - 20
mononucleosis              150 - 200+            12 - 25
viral pneumonia            100 - 200+            12 - 25
hay fever, asthma           15 -  50              4 -  8
environmental and                                       
 food allergy              0.5 -  50              4 -  8
burn, injury, surgery       25 - 150+             6 - 20
anxiety, exercise and                                   
 other mild stresses        15 -  25              4 -  6
cancer                      15 - 100              4 - 15
ankylosing spondylitis      15 - 100              4 - 15
Reiter's syndrome           15 -  60              4 - 10
acute anterior uveitis      30 - 100              4 - 15
rheumatoid arthritis        15 - 100              4 - 15
bacterial infections        30 - 200+            10 - 25
infectious hepatitis        30 - 100              6 - 15
candidiasis                 15 - 200+             6 - 25

Alone my hay-fever makes me tolerate up to 50 g per day without any problems. With an additonal cold I actually never were so dedicated to ever reach bowel intolerance.