Smoking May Have Negative Effects On Sperm Quality: Study

Men, take note! Cigarette smoking may significantly damage the DNA of your sperm and affect fertility as compared to non-smokers, a new study has warned.

Researchers also assessed 422 proteins in participants' sperm. One protein was absent, 27 proteins were under-represented, and 6 proteins were over-represented in smokers.

Analyses of these proteins suggest that cigarette smoking may promote an inflammatory response in the male reproductive tract.

The study published in the journal BJU International included 20 non-smoking men and 20 men who smoked.

"More and more studies are demonstrating a harmful effect of smoking on male fertility," said Dr Ricardo Pimenta Bertolla, senior author of the study.

"Our results point in the direction of important semen alterations: semen of smokers presents an inflammatory nature, associated with decreased capacity of sperm to achieve fertilisation and generate a healthy pregnancy," said Mr Bertolla.

"It is especially noteworthy that, in our study, sperm DNA fragmentation was increased. Other studies have proposed this to be a potentially promutagenic effect, which is to say that sperm with altered DNA may lead to health problems in the offspring," Mr Bertolla said.

Source: NDTV

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From a smoker to a smokeless tobacco user: Study

Even as the state and the country is preparing for the next round of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), a recent study based on the current edition of this globally followed survey has found that switching to equally harmful smokeless tobacco use is the most common smoking cessation method.

The study by Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum shows that more than a third of the former smokers in India reported switching to smokeless tobacco for quitting smoking. The study has been published in a recent edition of the international peer-reviewed journal ‘Public Health’.

GATS 2009-10 posed a question to all 2035 successful quitters on the method they used for cessation. Among the options given to the respondents were smoking cessation clinic; nicotine replacement therapy; a quit line or a smoking telephone support line; and switching to smokeless tobacco. The majority 44.4 per cent of total successful quitters including 50.8 per cent men and 8.7 women reported switching to smokeless tobacco use. 

The GATS was conducted covering all the 29 states and two union territories in the country. This nationally representative household survey covered 69,296 individuals aged 15 years and above using a standardised methodology.

Highlighting the policy implications, Dr KR Thankappan, Prof and Head, Achutha Menon Centre and principal researcher of the study said, “Switching to smokeless tobacco is not a safer option as it is equally harmful as smoking. Coordinated measures including high levels of taxation on all tobacco products, strict enforcement of 85 per cent graphic warnings, and concerted awareness generation on harms of smokeless tobacco products is very important.”

Specifically for Kerala, he called for strict enforcement of the ban on pan masala and gutkha containing tobacco or nicotine, steps to combat smuggling of these products and targeted awareness building for the migrant population who are among the prime users of smokeless tobacco products.

Senior Project Fellow, Achutha Menon Centre and co-author of the study Dr GK Mini said, “Across the country, smokeless tobacco use surpasses smoking. If switching over is also added, the disease burden from smokeless tobacco use will be compounded. Studies have shown that smokeless tobacco users have a more than three-fold higher risk for cancer.”

As per GATS 2009-10, the number of adult current users of smokeless tobacco in India is 206.0 million, much higher than the number of current tobacco smokers of 111.2 million.

GATS is conducted once in five years; the next round is slated for 2016-17. In India, it is conducted under the coordination of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare with technical assistance from the World Health Organisation.

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Government for stringent action against substances harming humans: Kerala Health Minister

The Government will take strong action against substances such as tobacco, alcohol or other drugs that cause harm to the human body. Concerted action will be taken up against tobacco and drug use, said Hon’ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare Smt KK Shyalaja while inaugurating the World No Tobacco Day observance event here today.

The Health Minister, formerly a teacher, expressed concerns over the increasing availability of pan masala and other drugs in the form of candies near educational institutions. She called upon all enforcement agencies to identify the availability of these products and initiate stringent action.

In his presidential address, Hon’ble Minister for Electricity & Devaswom Shri Kadakampally Surendran said that schools and colleges are continuing to be centres of easy availability of pan masala, tobacco products and other drugs. “Continued efforts are needed with the support of civil society to achieve success in reining tobacco use in our state,” he added.

Director, Subhodham, Government of Kerala Dr K Ambady who delivered the keynote address said that collective and coordinated action that hinges on a three-pronged approach including supply, demand and harm reduction strategies are required for bringing down use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.

Dr Paul Sebastian, Director, Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), while delivering the welcome address said there is a need for generating awareness against tobacco harms in youngsters between the ages of 10 and 20 years. “Youngsters should be made ambassadors for propagating tobacco harms leading to the creation of a tobacco free society,” he added.

The Health Minister also gave away the media award for best article on cancer instituted to Regional Cancer Association (RCA) to Shri Santhosh Sisupalan, Senior Sub Editor, ‘Manorama Arogyam’. TKM Arts and Science College, Kollam won the award for the best cancer detection camp held in association with NSS volunteers.

Dr R Ramesh, Director of Health Services (DHS); Dr KR Thankappan, Prof and Head, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies of SCTIMST; Shri Johnson J Edayaranmula, Director, ADIC-India and Hon.Advisor, Subhodham and Dr Babu Mathew, Hon.Secretary, RCA also spoke in the inaugural session.

The importance of advocacy for tobacco control came to the fore as Dr Babu Mathew spoke on the topic "Battle against tobacco - the RCC experience”. Dr KR Thankappan while speaking on the “Relevance of tobacco cessation programmes in India” said both prevention and control are needed to address tobacco, a silent killer.

Dr. AS Pradeep Kumar, Former Addl.DHS & Senior Research Officer, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Sciences Studies apprised participants on “Legal aspects of tobacco control” by highlighting various sections of Indian tobacco control law COTPA, 2003.

A panel discussion on the topic “Towards Tobacco Free Educational Institutions in Kerala – Experiences, Challenges & Plans Ahead” and ensuing discussions witnessed thoughts on the need for self-control, role of students and peers in curbing tobacco use in schools, counseling students with love and care and migrants as suppliers of these products.

Dr Bipin Gopal, Assistant Director of Health Services and State Nodal Officer, NTCP and NCD; Dr Binoy S Babu, Junior Administrative Officer, DHS; Smt Anila George, Joint Director (Academic), DPI; Shri Saju Itty, Executive Director, Kerala Voluntary Health Services and Shri S Jayaraj, State Coordinator, Tobacco Free Kerala spoke. Shri Surendran Chunakara, PRO, RCC moderated the discussion.

Dr R Jayakrishnan, RCC made the closing remarks in the function in which School Health Nurses, Student Police Cadets, NCC cadets and NSS volunteers were present. 

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