Urologist warns tobacco toxins damage kidneys and reproductive health

Dr. Alex Taber of the Michigan Urology Institute said tobacco contains more than 70 carcinogenic and toxic substances that reach the kidneys through the bloodstream, causing serious disease in the urinary tract and reproductive system. According to the report, toxins produced by combustion — including lead, formaldehyde, ammonia, arsenic and radioactive elements — do not remain in the lungs but enter the bloodstream, pass into the kidneys and are expelled in urine. Smoking increases the risk of kidney cancer by 30 percent in men and 25 percent in women, while tobacco users are four to seven times more likely to develop bladder cancer than non-smokers. The findings also link tobacco use to kidney stone formation by triggering calcium buildup, worsening bladder inflammation and contributing to urinary incontinence. The toxins slow vascular circulation, contributing to erectile dysfunction, and reduce hormone production while damaging egg and sperm cells, the report said.