Vaping has caught on with a lot of people. Young people believe it is the hip and cool thing to do, while the whole world gets acquainted with it as with an alternative to smoking tobacco.
E-juice containing nicotine is believed to be healthier than cigarettes and cigars. But, is this entirely true?
Recently there has been a lot of attention online being directed at the legacy, risks and side effects of vaping. There are risks, some of them harmful, and it is important to consider comprehensive review when deciding to pick up a vape.
What are the Side Effects of Vaping?
Anything taken into the body that has nicotine, or something else addictive in it, is going to have some side effects, and vaping is no different.
Vaping, in all its forms, has a variety of side effects on the body even though some think it is a cure-all for tobacco addiction. There are minor side effects of vaping on the skin, as well as dry mouth and watery eyes, but which of them can result in the onset of life-threatening diseases, convulsions, and even cardiac arrest?
Reported Side Effects of Vaping Everyday
Dr. Stanton Glantz, a professor of medicine at the University of Central Florida, did a study about the side effects of vaping and its health risks.
Dr. Glantz and his team of researchers discovered that vaping could double the risk of someone suffering a heart attack.
He and his colleagues also found out that those who vape and smoke are five times more likely to have a heart attack. This was a comprehensive study that gathered data from 70,000 people, and it ruled out factors such as hypertension.
Besides increasing a person’s risk of having a heart attack, it has been discovered that vaping can lead to the ingestion of harmful metals.
Inside of the vapor, there is cadmium and nickel, which are found in cigarettes. Other dangerous substances like lead, arsenic, chromium, and manganese were also discovered in e-cigarettes.
Side Effects of Vaping E-Liquids
There are other side effects, as well. A report from 2018 stated that vaping could cause cell dysfunction and even damage a person’s DNA.
The Centers for Disease Control also issued a report that the side effects of vaping could have a negative effect on the brain development of people under 25.
People often believe that vaping is better for the lungs than tobacco due to simpleier e-juice structure, but studies suggest otherwise. Researchers in 2018 studied ten people who had never smoked cigarettes. They had these ten individuals vape nicotine and nicotine-free e-juices and found that both types of e-juice had a negative effect on lung health.
The side effects of vaping also may be harmful to oral health.
A study in 2018 concluded that there are side effects of vaping on teeth. Some e-cigarette flavors increased the risk of bacterial growth on the teeth and the development of cavities.
Other research suggests that vaping is associated with gum inflammation, which is a symptom of the onset of several periodontal diseases. This comes as no surprise, as a 2014 review reported that side effects of vaping on the throat and gums.
What are the Side Effects of Vaping without Nicotine?
One might think that vaping zero nicotine e-juice would lessen the risk for health problems, but there is a growing body of evidence stating that even zero nicotine e-liquids can have an adverse effect on the body. E-juice has other components inside of it besides nicotine that can be toxic when heated.
A study conducted in 2015 discovered that the propylene glycol and glycerol found in e-juice caused irritation and that they might even cause cancer.
Vaping with nicotine-free e-juice can also cause inflammation. A 2018 in-vitro study determined that the vapor triggered an inflammatory immune response from white blood cells.
Other research suggests that the additives in e-juice can cause damage to cells in the heart, which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
The long term side effects of vaping without nicotine are still not well-known. It will take several years of research to determine the side effects of vaping nicotine-free e-juice.
Side Effects of Vaping Weed
As medical and recreational marijuana becomes legal in more states, people are starting to use it for vaping.
One of the reasons why people prefer vaping to smoking weed is because they say it does not irritate their throats the way a joint does.
While this may be true, there are still some trade-offs, one of them being that vaping marijuana might deliver too powerful a hit.
Researchers at John Hopkins’ Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit did an experiment on 17 adults who smoked and vaped zero to 25 mg of THC. The research unit found that vaping low and high doses of THC more seriously impaired judgment and reaction time than did smoking weed.
While this might not be considered a side-effect by some, it is still something one should take into consideration before picking up a marijuana vape.
Other Side Effects of Vaping THC
While there is no clear side effects of vaping THC as of the consuming method, none can’t be stated for sure. Most likely, the major issue any beginner user face is choosing the right dosage to cape for one. Still, taking THC in any way has own potential risks:
- It is believed that regular use of THC can lead to the onset of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). This disease can cause severe nausea and vomiting that cannot be treated with many anti-nausea medications. This disorder has also been linked to death in rare cases.
- THC is also considered unsafe to consume during pregnancy and when nursing. THC can pass through the placenta, which can retard the growth of the fetus. Using THC during pregnancy can also cause childhood leukemia and other disorders. Mothers who are nursing should take into consideration that chemicals in THC infused vape juice could pass into their breast milk. These chemicals could inhibit a baby’s mental and physical development.
- People using THC who have mental disorders could potentially worsen their problems, especially those who have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Those who are battling mental health issues should not use THC in any form.
Side Effects of Vaping CBD
CBD has caught on as a possible alternative treatment for arthritis, depression, cancer, and several other maladies. It does, however, have a variety of side effects.
One review stated that common side effects of vaping CBD are fatigue, indigestion, change in appetite, and weight gain or weight loss.
This review also noted that they do not know the long term effects CBD has on a person’s hormones and that CBD used with other medications could increase or decrease their effectiveness.
It is also possible that CBD might interfere with the liver, inhibiting its ability to break down harmful toxins entering the body, and increasing the liver’s toxicity.
There are likely a variety of benefits to vaping CBD oil, such as relief from chronic pain and an easing of the symptoms associated with epilepsy.
However, there is still a lot of research to be done in regards to treating other health disorders and its long term side effects.
For this reason, anyone considering using CBD to treat an ailment should consult with their doctor before trying it, especially if they are taking medication.
Medical and Health Side Effects of Vaping
Since there are several side effects associated with vaping, it is important to see a doctor if they are experienced. Not treating the symptoms could result in serious medical complications. Some believe that lung cancer could be the result of ignoring the side effects.
Does Vaping Cause Lung Cancer?
There are side effects of vaping on lungs because there are some cancer-causing chemicals in e-juice, such as formaldehyde, in addition to the metals previously mentioned. As formaldehyde has never been mentioned as a component of e-juices, this remains a myth. Some scientists believe it can be the result of thermal degradation of PG and VG. Unfortunately, there is no evidence to support or bust the myth.
It has been discovered that flavors like cinnamon can cause the lung cells to become inflamed. It will, however, take several years of study to make a reliable determination as to whether e-juice can cause lung or other forms of cancer.
One chemical found in some e-juices called diacetyl is known to cause health problems to those exposed to it. This chemical has been linked to bronchiolitis obliterans, colloquially known as “popcorn lung.” Bronchiolitis obliterans first became known when people working in popcorn factories began developing an unknown illness.
The workers started coughing, wheezing, having aches and pains, and other problems. It was discovered that they were breathing in diacetyl, a butter-flavored additive used to flavor popcorn, sweets, and various dairy products. Since vapers breathe this chemical in the way factory workers used to, it is safe to assume that they too can suffer the effects of this disease. There is no known cure for bronchiolitis obliterans.
There may be a new disease caused by vaping. Public health officials are looking into reports of a mysterious lung illness that has made many vapers seriously ill. The symptoms of this disease are shortness of breath, chest pains, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Harmful Side Effects of Vaping in Teenagers
Vaping is likely to produce the same side effects in teenagers as it does in adults. With the only difference in that adults are already formed bouhan bodies. Thus everything that can negatively affect body formation can be bad.
Both vaping and smoking influence brain and lungs. Even deep breathing can cause dizziness, and now imagine heavy breathing with the nicotine getting to the bloodstream. These facts all together can combine into sleep disorders, headaches, rapid mood changes and even vomiting. Such a bad feeling can hurt anyone’s well-being. But teenagers need good sleep, and even more than adult to get rested, and grow up healthy. To sum it up, adult habit can prevent normal adulting in minor age.
There are also other things to be aware of, though, when it comes to vaping and teenagers. Some believe that vaping could be a “gateway substance” that could get them addicted to drugs. Thankfully, CBD, THC and weed are under strict sell-laws in US.
Negative Side Effects of Vaping as a Teenager
Vaping might make it more likely that a teenager will begin smoking later on in life. A study claims that many teenagers who started using e-cigarettes began smoking marijuana.
Also, since nicotine can influence the brain in ways similar to marijuana and other drugs, teenagers could become more easily addicted to drugs in the future.
Additionally, vaping can lead to high-risk behavior in teens. A 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that teens who vaped were more likely to be injured, be violent, or engage in risky sexual activity.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration has learned that people who vape have experienced violent seizures, and most of those affected are teens and young adults. Seizures can be caused by swallowing e-liquid.
Parents who believe their child is vaping should be on the lookout for nosebleeds, excessive thirst, bloodshot eyes, irritability caused by nicotine withdrawal, and pens in their pockets that are larger than ordinary.
Side Effects of Vaping on Pets
A recent study concluded that indoor vaping might expose non-users to nicotine, including pets. More research needs to be done to determine how harmful the effects of vapor on pets can be, but it is known that e-juice ingested by pets can make them seriously ill. A large number of dogs have been poisoned because they chewed on an e-cigarette. Even a small amount of nicotine can kill a dog, cat, or similar sized animal.
The symptoms of nicotine poisoning in pets can appear suddenly:
- They can have diarrhea, become highly agitated, and their heart rates can increase.
- Animals that consume a large amount of nicotine can have convulsions, they can go into a coma, or they could have a heart attack.
Nicotine poisoning in dogs can be avoided by keeping pods and e-juice bottles out of their reach. Owners with cats should keep their e-liquids and pods locked in a place into which their cat cannot get.
Side Effects of Secondhand Vaping
Most of the research done on vaping has focused on its effects on the lungs and other parts of the body. There has not been a lot of attention paid to the impact it might have on people in the same room as someone who vapes. But, a recent study looked into the effects of secondhand vaping, and it concluded that the exhaling of vapor could release copper, propylene glycol, and cancer-causing carcinogens into the air.
It was also learned that people in confined spaces with vapers, such as a car, can suffer irritation to their lungs.
Another study found that in areas heavily frequented by vapers that the chemicals coming out of the vape can leave a lasting residue on hard surfaces.
There is still a lot to learn about the effects of secondhand vaping. It will likely be years before there is enough concrete evidence to make a reliable determination about its effects.
How to Avoid Side Effects of Vaping
- The best way to avoid the side effects of vaping is not to do it at all. Those who are considering picking up vaping but are worried about the side effects should not even start.
People who do vape and believe that the side effects could be debilitating should consider quitting or reducing the number of times they vape in a day. Just like with alcohol, or any other vice, vaping should be enjoyed in moderation.
- Another way to avoid the more harmful effects of vaping is to read the ingredients in the vape juice.
Avoid buying e-juices that use diacetyl as an ingredient, as this can lead to serious health complications.
Never buy an e-juice that does not list the ingredients on the label. Choosing e-juices without harmful ingredients might reduce the side effects, but it is no guarantee of risk-free vaping.
How Are the Side Effects of Vaping Cured?
Those suffering from dry mouth, dizziness, or dry eyes can stop these side effects if they limit or even quit vaping.
However, those who have developed diseases like bronchiolitis obliterans will not be able to cure it by quitting vaping. This disease will always stay with the people affected by it. The symptoms of this disease can be mitigated with treatment, though.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Side Effects of Vaping
Because scientists have only recently started learning about the side effects of e-cigarettes, people still have a lot of questions about how these products can affect their bodies.
What are the side effects of vaping for non-smokers?
People who have never vaped before could experience a lot of different symptoms.
- First-time vapers who have never smoked cigarettes will likely not take well to the inhale because they have never had nicotine in their system. This could lead to them becoming nauseous, vomiting, or having a headache. People who experience these symptoms should lay down until they pass.
- Those who have never tried e-cigarettes should try vaping with nicotine-free e-juice. This will help them to get used to the side effects of vaping. Once they get used to using their device, they can graduate to low nicotine dosages. Doing this will lessen the severity of the symptoms associated with inhaling nicotine. After vaping on low dosages, they can then move on to something more potent.
Even zero or low dosages can cause a first-time vaper some discomfort. Most often, they will cough because their lungs are not used to the vapor.
What are the side effects of vaping for the first time?
- Heavy smokers who decide to vape will experience many of the same symptoms non-smokers have. However, they are likely not going to get nauseous or experience headaches because they are used to the nicotine they get from cigarettes. The symptoms they get could include heavy coughing, especially if they are vaping at a high temperature.
Smokers who buy a vape should get one with temperature control settings and start at a low temperature and work their way up from there.
Other side effects of vaping will be dry mouth, watery eyes, and possibly smelling like the e-juice they used.
- New vapers will get used to these side effects the longer they vape.
- Light or occasional smokers will experience headaches and nausea if they use e-juice with a high concentration of nicotine.
- People who do not often use tobacco should follow the advice written above for first time vapers who have never smoked or they could suffer the bad side effects of vaping too much nicotine.
What are the side effects of vaping with a burnt coil?
- The most common side effects of vaping with a burnt coil is heavy coughing and an awful flavor coming out of the device.
- If the coil is in really bad shape, it could cause choking and even vomiting.
- Some coils also produce harmful particles as part of a chemical reaction when they burn.
These particles can sometimes be toxic, and some people might have an allergy to them. If a device has a burnt coil, replace it immediately. Even if it is burnt, it should still be easy to screw out and replace it with an undamaged coil.
There are several reasons why coils get burned. People who chain vape will burn their coils out faster than they would otherwise, so it is doubly important that they monitor the status of their coils.
Vaping at high temperatures and voltages will also cause the coils to burn out faster.
Another common cause of burned coils is the failure to saturate the wicking with e-juice properly. This causes the wicking to burn and damage the coils.
Keeping these primary causes of damaged coils in mind will decrease the likelihood of an accident.
What are the side effects of vaping with asthma?
People with asthma or other breathing disorders should not start vaping. The result will be increased breathing difficulties.
A study of 54 people in 2017 concluded that people with asthma who vape experience significant irritation in their airways that makes it difficult for them to breathe.
It can take them twice as long to recover from the irritation as it does for people without asthma. A study in 2016 conducted on South Korean students determined that vaping could increase the symptoms of asthma. It was also determined that these symptoms could result in them being absent from school.
Even e-juice that does not contain nicotine can cause problems for people with asthma. A study in 2014 conducted on animals concluded that zero nicotine e-liquids caused inflammation in the airways of mice and that the immune mechanisms in their lungs were severely disrupted.
What are the side effects of vaping Juul?
The side effects of using Juul devices and e-juices are much the same as with other e-cigarette products. However, the side effects of Juul products can be more intense because they often have high concentrations of nicotine.
There is one Juul pod that contains five percent nicotine, which is higher than what one would typically find in other pods. Most pods have nicotine concentrations of around 1.2 to 2.4 percent, and first-time users often choose pods with levels of 0 to 0.3 percent.
Since the nicotine concentration is so high, even experienced vapers might feel the adverse effects of high nicotine when using Juul cartridges.
What are the side effects of vaping while pregnant?
It is a well-known fact that smoking tobacco can be harmful to unborn babies, but some mothers mistakenly believe that vaping will not harm their baby. The majority of vaping devices contain nicotine, so expecting mothers should not use them for the same reasons they are advised not to smoke. Nicotine is known to cause severe brain damage in unborn children, and it can also harm other organs, as well. Even nicotine-free e-juice could be dangerous because the additives found in e-juice could potentially harm an unborn child, too.
While e-cigarettes may have fewer toxins than cigarettes, the nicotine in the juice could still do damage to the baby. Parents who smoke cigarettes or vape should immediately attempt to quit when they find out they are expecting. Seek the assistance of a medical professional or counselor to find out which method of quitting is best.
What are the side effects of vaping and smoking?
A large number of people vape and smoke, and this combination can combine all of the side effects of vaping and traditional smoking tobacco, compounding someone’s health issues as a result. As previously mentioned, a person who simultaneously uses vapes and cigarettes is five times more likely to have a heart attack than someone who only vapes.
One should also keep in mind that if they vape and smoke, they will also suffer from the symptoms associated with using cigarettes. This includes frequent coughing, chest colds, and shortness of breath. This combination could significantly reduce a person’s quality of life.
While the long term effects of vaping are not yet apparent, the long term effects of tobacco are known quite well. Diseases and disorders such as diabetes, lung cancer, and emphysema highly correlate with the use of cigarettes and other forms of smoking tobacco.
What are the side effects of quitting vaping?
People who quit vaping will suffer from nicotine withdrawals.
This could lead to having intense nicotine cravings, irritability, frustration, and mood swings. Physical symptoms could include increased sweating, sleeplessness, and headaches.
Final Thoughts about the Side Effects of Vaping
The short term side effects of vaping are fairly well known. One only has to do it for a few weeks to find out what they are: dry mouth, nicotine cravings, and smelling like vape juice.
But, the long-term effects of vaping remain unclear, and it will take several more years of research to determine what they are. What evidence there is suggests that vaping could result in bronchiolitis obliterans if diacetyl is an ingredient, and that vapers are more likely to have heart problems than those who do not smoke or vape. Vaping also appears to exacerbate breathing problems like asthma.
Those who do not want to experience the worst side effects of vaping should use their devices moderately. Instead of chain vaping, vape only once or twice a day, or use the device only in social situations. Making it a regular habit will likely worsen a person’s health.
Has vaping harmed or improved your health? Do you know anyone whose health has declined due to vaping? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.
