What Studies Say About Vaping

With how relatively recent vape products are, especially when compared to cigarettes and other products used for recreational use through inhalation, it comes as no surprise that we do not yet know everything there is to know about vaping and its possible long term consequences on our health.

However, the research that we do already have, and there’s quite a big amount of it available already, seems to point to the fact that vape products and e-cigarettes are not as safe as they were originally believed to be, and may in fact even have fatal consequences for human health.

In this article, we will take a closer look at what studies say about vaping, from a number of different sources, so that we may get a clearer view of the risks we expose ourselves to by choosing to vape.

Health Consequences: What The Studies Say About Vaping In Relation To Our Health

Let’s start off by addressing the elephant in the room: the possible health consequences one may experience as a result of using vape products, and what studies say about these.

We’ll take a look at two studies, one published in 2018, and another published in 2019.

The first study we’ll take a look at, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in 2018, has revealed some interesting and concerning findings.

According to this study, titled “Pulmonary Toxicity of Electronic Cigarettes”, significant lung tissue inflammation, along with impaired lung functions, have been repeatedly observed as a direct result of e-cigarette use, particularly as a result of the lung tissue being exposed to e-cigarette aerosol via inhalation.

The study cites the presence of toxic and otherwise harmful chemicals present in the aerosol produced by e-cigarettes and vape products as the main culprit behind the observed negative health effects.

The second study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in the year 2019, under the title “ Endothelial Dysfunction and Atherosclerosis from Electronic Cigarette (E-Cig) Exposure: Implications for Vascular Health”, also reveals some concerning facts.

The study we just mentioned has revealed an observed direct link between e-cigarette use and two dangerous conditions, namely endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis, which can lead to cardiovascular disease appearing even in previously healthy individuals.

The study concludes that vaping, not unlike traditional cigarette smoking, can and does often lead to cardiovascular issues which can be very serious.

What Studies Say About Some Flavors

Already in 2016, a study titled “Cytotoxicity of Cinnamon-Flavored E-Liquids” was published by Frontiers in Physiology, focusing on whether or not there were any negative effects from vaping that were particularly related to the specific flavoring mentioned in the study’s title.

The study involved investigating the cytotoxicity of a number of different flavorings of e-liquids, with the conclusion of the study revealing the fact that cinnamon-flavored e-juice, in particular, was very harmful to human lung cells. Certain other flavorings, according to the study’s findings, may also pose additional health risks.

This is because some of the chemicals and substances used in achieving the desired flavor for the e-liquid, in this case used to achieve the flavor of cinnamon in the vape, may have extra high levels of toxicity and/or potential harm caused to the lungs of the user.

In addition, it is also possible that certain flavorings may cause damage in other parts of the body as well, in addition to damage to the respiratory system. It all depends on what particular chemicals are used, and what their properties are.

Studies On Toxicity And Chemical Exposure

In the study titled “Chemical Composition of Aerosol from Electronic Cigarettes”, published in the year 2014 by Tobacco Control, the researchers took a closer look at the composition of the e-liquids, with a particular focus on the toxic chemicals present in the e-juices of various vape products.

Some substances known to be highly toxic, and even carcinogenic in some cases, have been commonly found, in varying amounts, in e-liquids. Some of these substances include formaldehyde, acrolein and acetaldehyde.

The amount of toxic chemicals present in vape products’ e-juice is heavily dependant on the brand of the vape product and e-liquid, as well as on the specific flavoring of the e-liquid.

In “Metal Concentrations in E-Cigarette Liquid and Aerosol Samples: The Contribution of Metallic Coils”, a study published in 2018 by Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers examined how heavy metals used in the heating coils/heating elements of vape devices may end up in the user’s body due to degradation of the metal coils from the heat applied to it during the device’s use.

Metals such as nickel, chromium and lead, which pose significant health risks, especially when inhaled, have been found in numerous instances in vape users’ bodies, in higher concentrations than is usually found in the general population.

Some of the metals present in heating coils can, when inhaled, pose significant risks to the human body, be it from their toxicity, or out of other reasons. Lead, for example, can lead to a condition known as lead poisoning, which can sometimes prove deadly and should be immediately treated by medical professionals when it occurs.

Even without the factor of toxicity, there is also the fact that inhaling ultrafine, very small particles of solid metal can cause irritation and scarring of respiratory tissue, meaning the tissue of the airways and the lungs. Some of this scarring can contribute to developing permanent respiratory issues, and worsening existing conditions, such as asthma, in people already suffering from them.

Conclusion

While we still have a lot of things to learn about vaping and e-cigarette use, due to them being relatively new vices, especially when compared to the more traditional vice of smoking cigarettes, what we do already know should encourage us to stay away from these habits, as the health risks they pose may be severe.

It is important to take good care of our bodies and their health, because in most cases, prevention is much better than treatment. I encourage anyone currently vaping to reconsider whether keeping this habit is worth it after reading the information provided above, and quit in order to achieve a healthier, more enjoyable life.

Thank you for reading this article, and until next time, please take care.