Many people turn to nicotine-free vaping as a safer alternative to smoking, but a recent study has revealed that it can still harm your vascular health, increasing the risk of heart disease and circulation problems.
While vaping avoids many of the harmful chemicals found in traditional cigarettes, such as tar and carcinogens, it’s not entirely risk-free. Researchers have found that the base liquids and flavoring agents used in e-cigarettes can still pose significant health risks.
E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid to create an aerosol that users inhale. This liquid, often called vape juice, typically contains propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. While these ingredients are safe to consume, inhaling them can lead to lung irritation, persistent coughing, and difficulty breathing.
Flavorings in vape juice, such as fruity or minty flavors, often contain harmful chemicals like diacetyl, which is linked to a serious lung condition known as popcorn lung, and benzaldehyde, which can irritate the respiratory system. Additionally, vape coils can release small amounts of heavy metals like lead and nickel into the vapor.
Dr. Michael Blaha from Johns Hopkins Medicine warns, “You’re exposing yourself to all kinds of chemicals that we don’t yet fully understand and that are probably not safe.”
The study found that both nicotine-free and nicotine-containing vapes negatively impact blood vessel function, with nicotine-free vapes showing significant but slightly less severe effects. Dr. Marianna Nabbout, one of the researchers, emphasized that even short-term use of e-cigarettes can harm vascular systems, and long-term use could lead to serious vascular diseases.
If you’ve been using vaping as a safer alternative to smoking, this new research might make you think twice. Share this information to help others understand the potential risks of vaping.
