Tobacco use still evident in bones centuries later, experts say. What did they find?
In the U.S. today, packs of cigarettes are printed with warning labels depicting blackened lungs, dying tissue and a host of other medical conditions caused by smoking.
The warnings come after decades of research into the damage smoke inhalation inflicts on the body’s organs and soft tissue.
Now, researchers are learning that long after these parts of the body have decomposed, evidence of tobacco use can still be found in bones — even centuries later.
Taking a closer look
Tobacco originated in the Americas, but was introduced to Europe around 1500, researchers said in a study published Oct. 4 in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances.
“Historical records from the 16th to 19th centuries commented on negative and, in some cases, perceived positive effects of tobacco consumption on the body,” researchers said.
In the past, studies analyzing ancient teeth found staining from smoke or wear on the teeth from regular use of a pipe, according to the study.
But this can only happen when enough teeth are discovered with a set of human remains, and many people lost teeth before their death or had their teeth separated from the body over time, researchers said.
In hopes of finding another way to determine whether someone alive hundreds of years ago used tobacco, researchers analyzed the skeletons of 323 people buried in two locations in the United Kingdom, according to the study.
The remains were put into two categories: those who died before the introduction of tobacco between the years 1150 and 1500, and those who died after tobacco was accessible in Europe, from the years 1500 to 1855.
The analysis focused on cortical bone, the denser bone tissue that provides structural support, particularly for long bones.
Evidence is in the bones
Researchers found there were significant differences in the metabolic expression of cells during bone remodeling, according to the study, which was “influenced by the interaction of tobacco molecules in individuals who consumed tobacco.”
Cell metabolism is a series of chemical reactions that keep cells alive and provide your body with energy. The reactions appear in bone growth, meaning if chemicals from outside the body (like those found in tobacco) interfere with the reactions, there would be physical differences in the bone, researchers said.
“Tobacco consumption leaves a metabolic record in human bone distinctive enough to identify its use in individuals of unknown tobacco consumption,” researchers said. “... Archaeological human skeletal remains … have the potential to provide direct evidence that can be used to study past pathological and health conditions, including diseases associated with tobacco use.”
The ”groundbreaking” work opens new doors in archaeological research, according to the study.
The research team is from the University of Leicester, and includes Diego Badillo-Sanchez, Anna M. Davies-Barrett, Maria Serrano Ruber, Donald J. L. Jones and Sarah A. Inskip.
This story was originally published October 21, 2024 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Tobacco use still evident in bones centuries later, experts say. What did they find?."
