Smoking does decrease the strength of the immune system. The immune system fights against substances that can damage the organism. These substances can originate from the surrounding environment (bacteria, virus and parasites) or from the organism itself (tumors, damaged tissue).
When smoking, a lot of free radicals are formed. The free radicals react very easily with many molecules, thus changing them. DNA can also be one of these molecules. When changed in a specific part (gene), the cell can loose its reproductive control, thus enabling the formation of a tumor.
The immune system can recognize these very hazardous substances (free radicals) and clear them out of the organism. At the same time, many cells that have already turned into little tumors are recognized by the immune system and destroyed.
By not smoking, there are less free radicals and potentially malignant cells in the organism, and the immune system is given enough space to fight with his complete potential with the other half of the invaders (bacteria, virus and parasites).
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