What often kills people who catch Swine Flu is not the virus itself but the body’s immune system reaction which is called a cytokine storm. Ironically this often occurs in young, healthy people with good immune systems which is why the Swine Flu seems to be more dangerous to people between 20-50.
“If a cytokine storm occurs in the lungs, for example, fluids and immune cells such as macrophages may accumulate and eventually block off the airways, potentially resulting in death”
While this may sound completely insane, there have been studies showing that nicotine can reduce a cytokine storm and the ensuing inflammation. One such article detailing this information was “Body Blazes” by Lisa Melton published in Scientific American in June 2006. For a full text of the article click here
You can also read more about nicotine being an anti inflammatory here.
