The four incense stick samples had different effects when tested for the ability to mutate cell DNA and toxicity to cells. These were compared with just one cigarette. This means we cannot draw conclusions about whether most incense sticks produce smoke that is more or less toxic than most cigarettes.
Also, research using animal cells in the laboratory is not the same as research on living humans. Adding substances to cells in a petri dish can cause very different effects from what happens when people come across these substances in a dilute form in the environment. The way we use incense and tobacco is different.
Cigarette smoke is drawn directly into the lungs and held there before being exhaled. Incense smoke is burned into the environment and inhaled from the surrounding air.
The amount of smoke that gets into the lungs will depend on how much incense is burned, for how long, and on the size and ventilation of the room. The association of the lead researcher with a tobacco company raises another point of concern. While the researchers stop short of saying incense is more dangerous than cigarettes, it is in the interests of the tobacco company for people to think cigarette smoking and incense burning are on a par — which is not the case.
It seems sensible that people who have lung conditions should avoid using incense, and the rest of us should limit its use for personal reasons, such as improving the smell of your home. Smoking tobacco, which is known to cause illness and death from conditions including heart disease , lung cancer and stroke , is something everyone should stop altogether.
Read more advice on how the NHS can help you quit smoking. This article was originally published by NHS Choices. Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion. You are here: Smoking cessation. Is incense smoke more dangerous than tobacco smoke? Some are made with resins, while others are made with powders. Incense is used to freshen up the scent of indoor areas, for spiritual purposes, for health, and more. Like anything else that emits smoke, incense smoke will be inhaled when using it.
Recently, there have been some inquiries into how incense negatively affects health. Incense is usually made of mostly natural materials.
The first incenses created were made from aromatic materials such as sage , resins, oils, wood, and others. Over time, more materials have been added to incense to enhance their fragrance, ability to combust, and to hold incense blend materials together.
The end of the incense — which can be cone, stick, round, or other — is lit with flame to burn and emit smoke. The smoke released is designed to have a sweet, pleasant smell. Many cultures burn incense for hygienic and even spiritual purposes.
However, recent research reveals there could be some health drawbacks. Incenses contain a mixture of natural and unnatural ingredients that create small, inhalable particulate matter. A study in confirmed some of this particulate matter was carcinogenic, meaning it could cause cancer. This study also found an association between higher cancer risk and incense use.
Most of these cancers were upper respiratory tract carcinomas or lung carcinomas. Another study found inhalation of incense could be more cancerous than smoking a cigarette.
This study was performed only on animal cells in vitro, however. Many toxic and irritant compounds were detected in the smoke alongside its aromatic compounds, meaning that it could create other health effects, too.
These compounds include:. Particulate matter in incense smoke not only contains carcinogens but also irritants. This means it could lead to a number of respiratory diseases, such as asthma. One study evaluated over 3, schoolchildren for asthma, symptoms of asthma, and burning incense.
The questionnaire revealed there was an association between incense, asthma , and asthmalike symptoms , such as wheezing. It also showed an association between incense use and an increased need for asthma medications. One study showed it may cause inflammation not only in the lungs, but also in the liver.
The study was limited since it was done only on animals. This inflammation was caused by the body processing particulate matter into metabolites, which also caused oxidative stress.
Another popular use of incense is to cultivate a relaxing atmosphere during yoga and meditation. To understand the different components present in incense smoke, we must first understand what incense is made of. Incense is traditionally created with plant materials, such as different types of wood, herbs and resins, as well as essential oils.
Incense may be direct burning —which typically comes in the form of incense sticks or cones—or indirect burning. Indirect burning incense can be powdered or it may come in the form of a paste or collection of raw materials.
This type of incense is burned by putting it on top of a combustible surface, such as lighted coals or glowing embers. When you burn anything—tobacco, incense, firewood or even food —you are facilitating a process called combustion. In the case of burning incense, combustion is a chemical reaction between the fuel source incense and oxygen that results in a gaseous product smoke. In fact, many types of incense smoke have been found to contain carcinogens similar to those found in cigarette smoke Friborg et al.
The exact type of pollutants released into the air depends on the chemicals present in the incense being burned. However, a study that tested 23 different types of incense found that the concentrations of carbon monoxide CO , nitric oxide NO and sulfur dioxide SO2 gases found in incense smoke may be high enough to adversely affect your health Jetter, et.
These standards were created by the EPA as a part of the Clean Air Act to protect against air pollutants deemed harmful to public health and to the environment. Because incense is usually burned in enclosed spaces with little ventilation, the particulate matter may accumulate in your home over time. If you regularly burn incense, you may be exposed to more harmful indoor air pollutants than you think.
We know that burning incense can add high levels of particulate matter to the air in your home, but why is that particulate matter so bad for your health? These particles and chemical compounds are dangerous because they are small enough to inhale. They can travel deep into your respiratory tract, including your lungs, and even make it into your bloodstream. According to the EPA , exposure to the particulate matter present in incense smoke has been linked to asthma, lung inflammation and even cancer.
In fact, long-term exposure to incense smoke was found to be related to an increased risk for upper respiratory cancers as well as squamous cell lung cancer. Additionally, the levels of carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and nitrous oxide found in incense smoke can cause inflammation in lung cells, signaling asthma and other respiratory problems Cohen, et. Children and unborn babies are especially susceptible to the effects of carbon monoxide and other pollutants in the air because their bodies are still growing and developing.
Carbon monoxide may also cause adverse reactions in people with existing heart conditions. Just how harmful is incense smoke? A study found that incense smoke and tobacco smoke may have more similarities than you may think. The two types of smoke were found to have similar toxicities and produce similar mutagenic reactions in cells exposed to the smoke Zhou, et. Under certain conditions, the incense smoke was even found to be toxic at lower concentrations than the cigarette smoke.
However, it is important to note a few things while interpreting these findings:. For more on how dangerous incense smoke is when compared to tobacco smoke, read this article from the UK National Health Service. While we cannot positively conclude that incense smoke is worse for your health than cigarette smoke, we do know that it can be a source of high levels of indoor air pollutants.
This is especially true when incense is burned in small, enclosed spaces in which the particulate matter released in the smoke can accumulate over time, similar to the way that cigarette smoke can accumulate in the household of a habitual smoker.
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