Vaping Can Cause Stomach Pain

Did you know that 9.1 million adults have reported using vape products in the United States in 2020 alone? That number represents 3.7% of the adult population at the time, which, while it may not look like a huge proportion of the population, it actually is.

Vaping is far from harmless, contrary to what a significant number of people still mistakenly believe. In fact, newly discovered health conditions uniquely caused by vapes and e-cigs, such as EVALI (e-cigarette and vape associated lung injury) prove that e-cigarettes and vapes can have potentially fatal consequences.

In this article, however, we will focus on whether or not vaping can cause stomach pain, and if it can indeed do that, we’ll take a look at how and why. First, however, let’s go over a quick, short list of substances commonly found in vapes.

Some Common Harmful Things In Vapes

While some of these substances may not have a direct effect on the stomach or gastrointestinal system as a whole, it is still important to be aware of their presence in vape products, as they pose a significant threat to our overall health.

First, nicotine is a substance that is often found in vape products. In addition to the negative effects it has on the heart and cardiovascular system, its properties as a stimulant also affect the gastrointestinal system, but we’ll talk more about that later in this article.

Formaldehyde is another toxic substance that is commonly found in vape products. It is highly toxic and a known carcinogenic substance, and its most common use is in the embalming process of corpses by trophy hunters as well as funeral homes.

Antifreeze is also something that is often found in the e-juice or e-liquid of vaping products. Yes, you read that right. The same thing that can be found in your car’s coolant system can also be found in a lot of vaping products available on the market today.

In addition to this, microplastics and ultrafine particles of solid material can also be present in the aerosol emitted by the vaping device. These are so small that they can be inhaled deeply into the lungs without even noticing. This can cause scarring and irritation of the tissue in the lungs and airways.

In very rare instances, radioactive substances such as polonium were discovered in a handful of vape products, which can cause a multitude of health problems.

There are many more chemicals that we could list here, but this article’s main focus is answering the question of whether or not vaping can cause stomach pain. So, let’s focus on answering that now.

Vaping Can Cause Stomach Pain: Why And How?

Vaping can, indeed, cause pain in the stomach. This is due to a multitude of different factors, which we will go over in this section of the article. These factors include the chemicals present in vape products, the physical act of vaping itself, and psychological factors such as stress or anxiety.

First, let’s take a look at nicotine, and how it affects the gastrointestinal system. A known stimulant of the GI (gastrointestinal) tract, nicotine also increases the production of stomach acid, which can lead to irritation and pain in the stomach lining.

In addition to this, nicotine may also cause other issues in the GI tract, such as causing vomiting and nausea, especially at higher doses and/or in individuals who are more sensitive to the substance.

E-liquids typically contain these two substances as base components: propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. These two substances may sometimes lead to dehydration, which can contribute to added stress on the GI tract, resulting in stomach issues, including but not limited to pain.

In addition, some people may be allergic to these two substances, and the allergic reaction to these substances typically includes pain in the stomach and intestines, alongside other possible complications such as diarrhea or constipation.

People who vape may also experience stomach pain as a result of the physical act of vaping itself, most commonly from accidentally swallowing air while vaping, which is known as aerophagia. Swallowing air into the stomach can lead to discomfort and pain as well.

A number of certain flavorings and additives found in some types of e-liquids can lead to irritation of the stomach lining when inhaled or ingested, which results in occasional stomach pains and aches.

Nicotine is worth mentioning again, as it also has the effect of relaxing the esophageal sphincter, which is the muscle responsible for preventing the contents of the stomach from refluxing back into the esophagus. This can lead to acid reflux, which can, in turn, lead to pain in the stomach and other areas.

Especially in the case where nicotine is also a factor, vaping can contribute negatively to stress and anxiety levels (due, in part, to the stimulating nature of nicotine on the human mind). Increased stress and anxiety levels are known factors for experiencing GI tract issues, including pain and discomfort in areas of the GI system.

Recent research papers seem to point to the likely possibility of vaping being responsible for changes in the microbiomes of the GI system. These changes in what is basically the community of positive/helpful bacteria living in our GI tract can, and often does, lead to issues such as pain and/or discomfort, particularly in the stomach and intestines.

Even the inhalation technique which the vape user resorts to when vaping can play a role in whether or not one may experience stomach pain as a result of vaping, with the frequency and deepness of the aerosol being inhaled influencing the severity of possible symptoms, on account of the increased flow of chemicals into the body as well as the increased probability of swallowing air in the process.

With all this being said, this is how vaping can cause stomach pain, alongside other issues in our GI tract.

Conclusion

Vaping can and does often cause issues in our bodies, even in areas which are not obvious “targets” at first glance.

It is important to be aware of these things, and make good decision regarding our health, with the information that we have available to guide ourselves by.

I wish you the best of health. Take care.