Vaping And Asthma

Did you know that, according to the most recent study on this topic dating back to 2017, a significant number of Americans were users of vape products? In fact, the percentage of the adult population in the United States who reported being vape product users was 2.8%.

This fact is concerning, especially given that we still do not have a complete picture of the possible long term effects that vape or e-cigarette use may have on the human body, and that what we do know so far points to the fact that vaping is far from being a safe alternative to smoking.

In this article, we will talk about the damage that vaping can do to our respiratory system, with an emphasis on analyzing the link between vaping and asthma.

What’s In A Vape?

Let us start off by naming a few of the substances commonly found in vapes, in order to better understand why vaping as a practice is harmful to the human body, in particular, the lungs.

First, we have propylene glycol. This is commonly found in the so-called e-juice or e-liquid of vape products. This substance is also commonly used in fog machines and in the production of antifreeze that is used in a car’s coolant system, and is far from safe to inhale.

Next, formaldehyde is also found in a number of vape products. A highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical, formaldehyde sees one of its primary uses in the embalming process of corpses by funeral homes. While safe to use on a corpse, on account of it being dead, it’s far from safe for living organisms.

A herbicide that is used to kill weeds, called acrolein, can and does cause irreversible lung damage, and is also found in a number of vape products.

Lead, tin, nickel and other heavy metals can also be present in vape products, particularly as a result of the degradation of the metal coil which is used for heating the e-juice by the vaping device, and heavy metal particles ending up being inhaled along with the other components of the aerosol produced by the vape.

Another chemical, that is also found in car exhaust, as well as in vape products, is benzene. It is a volatile organic compound and considered unsafe and harmful to humans.

A chemical which can lead to a condition commonly known under the name of “popcorn lung” may also be present in some vape products, its name being diacetyl. The official medical name of this health condition is bronchiolitis obliterans. Yes, the “obliterans” part means it’s as bad as it sounds.

Yet another antifreeze component, diethylene glycol, may be found in vapes and has been linked to a number of cases of lung disease as a direct result of exposure.

In addition to all of this, ultrafine solid particles in the aerosol (since vapes, contrary to popular belief, do not produce vapor, but rather aerosol) produced by vape products can end up being deeply inhaled in the lungs, and cause irritation and tissue scarring along the airways and lungs.

Now, let’s look at how this can lead to a worsening of symptoms in people with asthma.

Vaping And Asthma

In order to understand how asthma sufferers may have their condition worsened by the use of vapes, we should first look at the symptoms that vaping causes to the general population, including people who do not suffer from asthma or other respiratory conditions.

In a large study, following over 19,000 vape and e-cigarette users over a moderate period of time, the main symptoms reported as well as recorded included coughing, soreness in the mouth and throat, dry mouth and throat and gum problems, such as sensitive gums or bleeding gums.

Some other side effects, which were also commonly reported, although not as often as the ones mentioned above, include dizziness, headaches, stomach aches and nausea.

In people with asthma, the compounding effects of the toxicity of some of the substances present in vape products, along with the inhalation of ultrafine particles deep into the respiratory system, can cause a worsening of symptoms.

First and foremost, studies have shown that people with asthma who also vape report increased instances or episodes of difficulty breathing, which can exacerbate symptoms much more, potentially even leading to possibly fatal asthma attacks.

A number of studies comparing the effects of vaping between people with asthma and those without has shown that in both groups, airway and lung tissue irritation tends to occur, although in people with asthma, this irritation is roughly twice as severe and takes roughly twice as long to recover from.

In addition to this, permanent scarring of lung and airway tissue is much more likely to occur as a result of vaping in people with asthma, although people who do not have asthma aren’t free of this risk, either.

It is certainly worth noting that people who suffer from asthma should not engage in acts which could worsen their respiratory health, especially in acts such as vaping or smoking. Even people without asthma should refrain from these bad habits, as they can very well lead to developing asthma or similar problems even if you don’t already have them.

In addition, vaping can also lead to other health conditions, such as EVALI (E-cigarette and vape associated lung injury), and the risk tends to be again higher in people suffering from asthma.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that asthma is a serious health condition, and should not be taken lightly. It is always important to follow the advice given to you by your medical professional if you have been diagnosed with asthma, and to avoid things which would make your symptoms, and as a result also your quality of life, worse.

With the number of vape users increasing, the amount of information we have on the effects of vaping also grows, and the facts we are learning do not shed a favorable light on the vice of vaping. On the contrary, it shows that it is far from being a safe alternative to smoking, and we still do not yet hold all the information, as vaping is relatively very recent as a practice, compared to smoking.

I hope you find the strength to quit the habit if you have it, and I wish you the best of luck in doing so and achieving a healthier life.