Here are some of the reproductive issues that can arise as a direct result of vaping. Women who vape are likely to experience reduced fertility function. This can result in delayed egg production and fertilization. The toxic chemicals in vape liquids can be just as harmful as those found in cigarettes.
Full Answer
What are the potential risks of vaping?
Potential risks come from multiple places: device specific concerns, the makeup of the liquid products being vaporized, and the potential for toxicity of both nicotine and marijuana when inhaled in concentrated forms. Chemical Composition of the Liquid Products
Are there toxic chemicals in vape juice?
Quick Facts About Vape Chemicals Chemicals found in vape products may lead to lung disease, heart problems, and other serious health risks. Toxic chemicals may be present in e-liquids (“vape juice”) or could be created as the liquid is turned into a gas.
Does vaping affect fertility?
The more research that's done, the more it's confirmed that vaping does impact fertility. In fact, after the Baptist University in Hong Kong found a link between e-cigarette toxins and fertility issues, Hong Kong called for an immediate and total ban on all e-cigarettes. How else does vaping cause infertility?
How do cigarettes affect your reproductive system?
Here’s exactly how cigarettes can affect your reproductive system: Decreased egg quality and faster egg loss: Nicotine, cyanide, and carbon monoxide, the chemicals in cigarette smoke, may speed up the loss of eggs and impair the quality of eggs and the function of your ovaries.
What are the substances in e-cigarettes?
What are the ingredients in e-cigarettes?
What is the most common solvent used in e-cigarettes?
How long is PG safe to breathe?
What are the symptoms of smoking e-cigarettes?
How is PG absorbed?
Is PG a toxicity?
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How does vaping affect the reproductive system?
And in 2020, a study conducted in Denmark found men who vaped had lower sperm counts. Published in 2020, a systematic review of vaping and male fertility highlighted that the harmful substances in e-cigarettes can disturb the hormonal balance, morphology, and function of the reproductive organs.
Does vaping cause reproductive issues?
Vaping might be better than cigarettes, but it's not safe. The full impact of vaping on reproductive function is currently undergoing evaluation in multiple ongoing studies, but the sum of the data collected so far suggests that vaping may be detrimental to fertility. Vaping can negatively impact sperm.
How does nicotine cause reproductive harm?
Smoking can reduce fertility,1 making it difficult to conceive. Smoking may negatively affect hormone production. Smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke can harm the reproductive system. Smoking can damage the DNA in sperm.
How nicotine from vaping affects the female reproductive system?
Women who vape are likely to experience reduced fertility function. This can result in delayed egg production and fertilization. The toxic chemicals in vape liquids can be just as harmful as those found in cigarettes.
Does vaping affect fertility in females?
Studies have now found that the nicotine and flavorings both used within vaping devices may affect a woman's fertility, making it more difficult for her to conceive. If you are considering in vitro fertilization, you may want to reconsider using any type of nicotine delivery system or product.
Does vaping affect hormones?
E-cigarettes, even those which are nicotine-free, contain many harmful substances, including endocrine disruptors, which disturb hormonal balance and morphology and the function of the reproductive organs.
How long after quitting vaping does fertility improve?
It takes about three months to produce both sperm and eggs, so that's how long it will take after quitting smoking before fertility fully improves, for both you and your partner.
Does vaping affect testosterone?
These chemicals can also depress testosterone levels, another main cause of ED,” said Besaratinia, who researches the impact of vaping on genetics.
How much does nicotine affect sperm?
Sperm exposed to nicotine had decreased tight binding to the zona, which lowers fertilizing potential. At higher concentrations, nicotine increased the percent of sperm with changed acrosomes after two hours, indicating that acrosomes were being modified too quickly.
Does vaping cause low sperm count?
In fact, compared to non-users, daily e-cigarette users had significantly lower total sperm count (147 million vs 91 million) as did daily cigarette smokers (139 million vs 103 million), in adjusted analyses.
Does vaping affect periods?
Because smoking and vaping can cause periods to be more painful than people who refrain, it's important to inform your doctor. People with uterine fibroids and other uterine conditions should also avoid smoking that can make symptoms worse.
Is vaping worse than smoking?
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
How long after quitting vaping does fertility improve?
It takes about three months to produce both sperm and eggs, so that's how long it will take after quitting smoking before fertility fully improves, for both you and your partner.
Can vaping affect your menstrual cycle?
Both cigarettes and vapes have harmful chemicals that can impact your overall health, even your menstrual cycle.
Can nicotine affect fertility?
It also causes menstrual irregularities, pregnancy complications, and decreased fertility in women (8). Moreover, cigarette smoking inhibits spermatogenesis and causes decreased steroidogenesis in men (9, 10). Cigarette smoking has also been shown to have anti-estrogenic effects in women (11).
Does vaping affect testosterone?
These chemicals can also depress testosterone levels, another main cause of ED,” said Besaratinia, who researches the impact of vaping on genetics.
9 chemicals identified so far in e-cig vapor that are on the California ...
California's landmark Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, was enacted as a ballot initiative in November 1986.The Proposition was intended by its authors to protect California citizens and the State's drinking water sources from chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, and to inform citizens about exposures to such chemicals.
E-cigarette constituents propylene glycol and vegetable ... - PubMed
Electronic nicotine delivery systems, or e-cigarettes, utilize a liquid solution that normally contains propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) to generate vapor and act as a carrier for nicotine and flavorings. Evidence indicated these "carriers" reduced growth and survival of epithelial …
How does vaping impact fertility?
E-cigarettes (like JUUL) are essentially electronic nicotine delivery systems. To vape, you use a device with a cartridge containing nicotine (or tetrahydrocannabinol aka THC, the psychoactive component of the marijuana plant) and propylene glycol, and a battery. When you inhale, the nicotine is vaporized through the mouthpiece.
How does smoking affect the reproductive system?
Here’s exactly how cigarettes can affect your reproductive system: Decreased egg quality and faster egg loss: Nicotine, cyanide, and carbon monoxide, the chemicals in cigarette smoke, may speed up the loss of eggs and impair the quality of eggs and the function of your ovaries.
How long after smoking do you see changes in eggs?
Positive changes in eggs may be seen in women three months after smoking cessation.
Does smoking cigarettes cause ectopic pregnancy?
Ectopic pregnancies: Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy (that's when the fertilized egg attaches in a place other than the uterus).
Can you get pregnant by smoking cigarettes?
Kicking the habits. If you plan on getting pregnant in the future, staying away from all nicotine and vaping is a good idea. But both smoking cigarettes and vaping can be hard habits to kick. According to the American Cancer Society, there are a few methods to try:
Does secondhand smoke affect menopause?
A study published in the journal Tobacco Control in November 2016 examined the association between secondhand smoke consumption and early menopause (before age 50). It found that those who did not smoke, but were exposed to the highest levels of secondhand smoke, reached menopause 13 months before their non-smoking peers who had not been exposed to secondhand smoke. If you don't smoke, but your partner does (or vice versa), keep in mind that secondhand smoke can also have an impact on reproductive health.
Does smoking affect sperm?
Sperm quality: Smoking can adversely affect sperm motility (that's sperm’s ability to move), sperm count, and morphology (that’s the shape of sperm, and cigarette smoking may cause higher numbers of abnormally shaped sperm). Smoking can also decrease sperm’s ability to fertilize eggs.
What are the substances in e-cigarettes?
Substances identified in e-cigarette liquids and aerosols include nicotine, solvent carriers (PG and glycerol), tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), aldehydes, metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), flavorings, tobacco alkaloids, and drugs. Most reviewed studies have evaluated nicotine and impurities in the liquids such as TSNAs and nicotine-related impurities, while other studies have focused on identifying potentially harmful chemicals in the aerosol, such as carbonyl compounds, VOCs, TSNAs, metals, and silicates. Various chemical substances and ultrafine particles known to be toxic, carcinogenic, and/or to cause respiratory and cardiac disease have been identified in e-cigarette aerosols, cartridges, refill liquids, and environmental emissions. Some of the identified TSNAs, aldehydes, metals, VOCs, phenolic compounds, PAHs, and tobacco alkaloids are harmful or potentially harmful constituents, and their general health risks are described below.
What are the ingredients in e-cigarettes?
In general, e-cigarettes often contain ingredients such as propylene glycol (PG) and glycerol, mixed with concentrated flavors and, optionally, a variable percentage of nicotine.
What is the most common solvent used in e-cigarettes?
In addition to these humectants, water is a common ingredient of e-liquids. PG and glycerol (commonly referred to as a “vegetable glycerin” in liquid formulations) are the most common vaporizing solvents used in e-cigarettes.
How long is PG safe to breathe?
Though some preclinical studies showed inhalation of PG and glycerol can be safe up to 28 days (Werley et al., 2011) or 18 months (Robertson et al., 1947), breathing aerosolized PG can also affect the risk of asthma development (Choi et al., 2010).
What are the symptoms of smoking e-cigarettes?
The most common symptom reported by e-cigarette users is a dry mouth and throat , which is considered to originate from the water-absorbing property of PG and glycerol. However, the health consequences of long-term exposure to PG and glycerol from e-cigarettes have not been investigated. Both compounds might pyrolyze, leading to the formation of carbonyl compounds (aldehydes), which contribute to potential health risks in e-cigarette users (for discussion about carbonyl compounds, see the subsequent section in this chapter).
How is PG absorbed?
PG is well-absorbed orally and can also be absorbed through skin or mucous membranes from topical preparations. Following absorption, the kidneys eliminate 45 percent of the PG, and the liver metabolizes the remainder to lactic acid, pyruvic acid, or acetone. Thus, patients with impaired liver and/or kidney function are generally thought to be at increased risk for developing PG toxicity following high-dose oral or intravenous administration.
Is PG a toxicity?
There is relatively limited evidence of toxicity from occupational exposures to PG. However, glycols are used in theatrical fogs, so actors and performers in the entertainment industry may have routine exposures to relatively high concentrations of PG, as it is often a major component of these fogs. Varughese and colleagues (2005)studied 101 employees in 19 different locations who were routinely exposed to such fogs. They measured the levels of exposure, lung function, and acute and chronic symptoms. The mean concentration of exposure for employees exposed only to PG-based fog on the testing day was 0.49 mg/m3(maximum 3.22 mg/m3). They reported that theatrical fog exposures were significantly associated with chronic work-related wheezing and chest tightness. Although these acute effects appeared to be specific to PG-based fogs, most of the workers were also exposed to mineral oil. Thus, the authors were unable to distinguish the role of PG or mineral oil fogs in the development of chronic effects and work-related symptoms from increasing chronic exposure.
What is the basic design of vaping?
The basic design of the device, in the case of vaping both tobacco and marijuana, is largely unchanged from the original patent by Gilbert. There is a reservoir that holds an oil or liquid, a mouthpiece, and a heating element. Theoretically, vaporizing the liquid does not combust it and saves the person va ping from exposure to byproducts generated by high heat . However, there is no regulation of these devices and no agreed upon standard temperature. There appears to be a wide variance in the quality of the components of these devices depending on the price of purchase.2,10,11,16,28
Who invented vaping?
The invention of vaping is attributed to Herbert Gilbert, a cigarette smoker and scrap metal dealer from Pennsylvania. Gilbert’s device was battery-powered to vaporize a liquid for inhalation, very similar to modern electronic cigarettes. He admitted to the Smithsonianmagazine that he believed it to be a breakthrough alternative to cigarette smoking to save people from tobacco’s harmful effects as it did not contain nicotine. After multiple permutations, the device was never mass-produced but its patent has been cited by many companies since then. He actually proposed an alternative use for the device for people that were dieting and believed that they could vaporize the tastes of their favorite foods to quench food cravings. He initially proposed a handful of flavorings including cinnamon, rum, orange, and mint.1–2A year after the patent was submitted in 1963, the Surgeon General Luther Terry released his report “Smoking and Health” on the potential health consequences of cigarette smoking. This was the first report implicating cigarettes in a causal relationship with lung cancer and heart disease as well as laryngeal cancer and chronic bronchitis.3
What solvents are used to dissipate nicotine?
The conventional solvents for the dissolution of nicotine or THC have been propylene glycol and glycerol, and these are the best studied. Initially thought to be benign, there is now some research demonstrating that propylene glycol when vaporized causes significant respiratory irritation and even increases the incidence of asthma. The breakdown products from heating propylene glycol and glycerol to target temperatures include formaldehyde and hemiacetals such as acetaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a Group 1 carcinogen that contributes a 5–15 times higher lifetime risk of cancer. It is present in traditional smoked tobacco in much lower quantities. Hemiacetals such as acrolein and acetone have been implicated in nasal irritation, cardiovascular effects, and lung mucosal damage and these byproducts are produced in higher quantities with higher voltage devices. Basically, as the temperature of the coil increases, the carcinogenic risk of vaping approaches that of traditionally smoked cigarettes.9,10,16–18
Is vaping harmful?
Good clinical evidence is lacking regarding the potential harm of vaping or the potential benefits. There are some problems with studying something like vaping. For one thing, any research has to make a distinction between vaporizing marijuana and vaporizing tobacco and this is not always possible. Additionally, the methods by which people vaporize tobacco and marijuana differ. As far as tobacco devices go, there are many brands with many different compositions and construction designs. Regarding the vaporization of marijuana, there are no standardized devices and there are no standard formulations.
Is vaping safer than smoking?
With the current body of evidence and the outbreak of EVALI in 2019, it is incumbent upon all healthcare practitioners to advise patients that vaping should not be considered safer than smoking and that there are very real and new dangers associated with vaping that still require further study. Providers must learn more about the dangers of vaping and identify adverse health effects from this practice in patients. An evidence-based approach to smoking cessation based on established data and practice patterns is needed.
Is vaping bad for you?
All of the medical dangers of vaping are unknown. Only a small number of people who admit to vaping marijuana are doing so for medical reasons, and there are almost no studies. A large number of people believe that vaping tobacco is a healthy way to quit, and this belief has been fostered by the tobacco industry.6,14There is no strong clinical signal in the direction of using electronic cigarettes as an effective method of quitting smoking. It is difficult to hold an informed discussion with patients about the potential risks and benefits of vaping. Potential risks come from multiple places: device specific concerns, the makeup of the liquid products being vaporized, and the potential for toxicity of both nicotine and marijuana when inhaled in concentrated forms.
Is vaping marijuana safe?
The studies on the safety or dangers of vaporizing marijuana are limited in number because the marijuana itself is difficult to acquire. There were a small number of the plants released in the early 90s for clinical research.12Most of those studies utilized the same device, manufactured under the name “Volcano”. This device is expensive and is drastically different from any of the modern handheld devices for vaporizing marijuana and tobacco. It does not serve as a good facsimile for comparison to modern day vaporization technology. Many of the clinical research studies available focus on aspects of vaping such as the amount of nicotine or marijuana delivered but there’s not a great deal of evidence on the analysis of other toxins released both from vaporizing tobacco leaf products and marijuana. With all of these limitations, most of the available studies are non-clinical or have very small numbers of study subjects. A strong and thorough assessment of the potential dangers of vaporizing tobacco and marijuana products has not been forthcoming.12,13
Why is vaping so difficult?
This is due to the difficulty in correctly identifying what they inhaled, especially when they are intubated or unconscious.
How to tell if a child is vaping?
Talk with your kids about the dangers of vaping, but also look for warning signs including: 1 Changes in emotions 2 Trouble sleeping 3 Scents of fruity odors on skin, breath and clothes 4 Strange cylinders, chargers or batteries lying around
Why is vaping so popular among teens?
First publicized as a safer alternative to smoking tobacco, vaping caught on because it didn't contain the carcinogens or tars found in most smoking tobacco products. Also, vaping was supposed to eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoke to those nearby.
How long does a vape last?
Did you know most cigarettes are smoked within two to five minutes? E-cigarettes on the other hand can last up to 20 minutes, delivering more nicotine and damaging chemicals to the lungs. In addition, some vaping mixtures can contain 20 times the nicotine that a single cigarette contains.
What is an e-cigarette?
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid solution — usually, but not always, containing nicotine — turning it into a vapor that can be inhaled . If the base nicotine mixture is not palatable, many flavors, such as mint, apple and others, can make vaping attractive, especially to adolescents.
How to help a teenager who is vaping?
Encourage your teen to look into the warnings and media stories related to vaping, or reach out to his or her primary care provider with questions.
Is vaping bad for teens?
Adolescents often feel that bad things happen to everyone else, but the risks associated with vaping are real. Many teens are taking things a step further, adding cannabis, CBD oils and other dangerous additives to vaping devices.
What is the most serious side effect of vaping?
EVALI: A Deadly Vaping-Related Lung Injury. EVALI – an acronym for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury – is the most serious vaping-related side effect. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked EVALI to vitamin E acetate in vaping fluids.
Why are pregnant women switching to vaping?
A 2018 study in Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey reported that more pregnant women had been switching from tobacco cigarettes to vaping because e-cigs were marketed as safer than smoking, despite no proof of safety.
What are the side effects of Juul?
JUUL and E-Cigarette Side Effects. Common side effects of vaping include dry mouth and coughing. While the long-term side effects of vaping aren’t well known, Juul and other e-cigarettes have been linked to serious health problems, such as severe lung injuries, seizures, nicotine addiction and poisoning, and an increased risk ...
How many people have vaped in 2019?
But as of Oct. 15, 2019, 11 percent of 867 patients interviewed reported vaping only nicotine. While the CDC said THC is suspected of playing a role in the outbreak, investigators are looking at possible chemical combinations.
What are the chemicals in flavored e-liquid?
One chemical in many flavored e-liquids, diacetyl, has been linked to an incurable lung condition known as popcorn lung.
Why shouldn't pregnant women smoke?
Health experts have long warned that pregnant women should not use tobacco during pregnancy because of nicotine’s dangerous effects.
Does Juul have nicotine?
Each JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of toba cco cigarettes. Competing e-cigarette manufacturers have also increased nicotine levels since JUUL hit the market. Nicotine addiction keeps people vaping.
How does smoking affect babies?
Maternal smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke endanger the health of the mother and the baby. Each year, about 400,000 infants born in the United States are exposed to the chemicals in cigarette smoke before birth because their mothers smoke. Since the first Surgeon General’s Report on smoking and health was released in 1964, 100,000 babies have died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), prematurity, low birth weight, or other complications caused by exposure to the dangerous chemicals in tobacco smoke. The following are ways smoking affects fertility and the health of a pregnancy:
Does smoking cause ED?
ED is defined as the inability to maintain an erection that is adequate for satisfactory sexual performance; this can affect reproduction. Cigarette smoke alters blood flow needed for an erection, and smoking interferes with the healthy function of blood vessels in erectile tissue.
What are the harmful substances in vapes?
Potentially harmful substances found in vape devices include: Diacetyl: Inhaling diacetyl has been linked to irreversible lung damage in factory workers, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
What is the chemical in vaping fluid?
The latest chemical of concern in regard to vaping-related lung injuries is vitamin E acetate, which was found in the lung fluid of each of the 29 patients recently sampled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
How did popcorn lung get its name?
Popcorn lung got its name when, in 1999, a Missouri microwavable popcorn factory worker was found to have disabling lung damage. The same diacetyl that gave the microwavable popcorn its buttery flavor also gave an incurable disease to several employees of the Missouri factory when they inhaled the chemical.
What is the cause of popcorn lung?
Diacetyl inhalation has been linked to popcorn lung, a progressive lung disease. With this condition, microscopic air passages in the lungs become inflamed, causing long-term scarring and difficulty breathing.
What are volatile organic compounds?
Volatile organic compounds are created when different chemicals in vape products change and combine. A 2018 study published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research showed that these compounds are created when the chemicals used to flavor vape products interact with glycerol and polypropylene glycol (solvent liquids).
What are the heavy metals in vapes?
Notable heavy metals found in vape products include: Arsenic: Arsenic was found in over 10% of vape dispensers sampled in a February 2018 study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Graz. Arsenic may cause muscle cramping, vomiting, skin numbness, skin cancer, and death.
What are the effects of exposure to heavy metals?
Heavy metals: Exposure to heavy metals may cause flu-like symptoms, lung damage, and even cancer in some cases. Ultrafine particles: If inhaled, ultrafine particles may damage the respiratory and cardiovascular (heart) system and other parts of the body.
What is a vape pen?
With vaping, a device (typically a vape pen or a mod — an enhanced vape pen — that may look like a flash drive) heats up a liquid ( called vape juice or e -liquid) until it turns into a vapor that you inhale. “Vaping is a delivery system similar to a nebulizer, which people with asthma or other lung conditions may be familiar with,” says Broderick. ...
What is the chemical that can damage your lungs?
Acrolein: Most often used as a weed killer, this chemical can also damage lungs.
What happens if you inhale diacetyl?
Diacetyl is frequently added to flavored e-liquid to enhance the taste. Inhaling diacetyl causes inflammation and may lead to permanent scarring in the smallest branches of the airways — popcorn lung — which makes breathing difficult. Popcorn lung has no lasting treatment. There are, however, treatments that manage BO symptoms, such as: 1 Coughing 2 Wheezing 3 Chest pain 4 Shortness of breath
What is the condition called when you get sick from eating popcorn?
“Popcorn lung” is another name for bronchiolitis obliterans (BO), a rare condition that results from damage of the lungs’ small airways. BO was originally discovered when popcorn factory workers started getting sick. The culprit was diacetyl, a food additive used to simulate butter flavor in microwave popcorn.
What is the food additive used to deepen e-cigarette flavors?
Diacetyl: This food additive, used to deepen e-cigarette flavors, is known to damage small passageways in the lungs.
Does vaping affect the lungs?
Instead of bathing lung tissue with a therapeutic mist, just as a nebulizer does, vaping coats lungs with potentially harmful chemicals. E-liquid concoctions usually include some mix of flavorings, aromatic additives and nicotine or THC (the chemical in marijuana that causes psychological effects), dissolved in an oily liquid base.
Is second hand vapor safe?
Secondhand Vapor Isn’t Safe Either. It’s a myth that secondhand emissions from e-cigarettes are harmless. Many people think the secondhand vapor is just water, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The vapor emitted when someone exhales contains a variety of dangerous substances, which may include: Nicotine.
What are the substances in e-cigarettes?
Substances identified in e-cigarette liquids and aerosols include nicotine, solvent carriers (PG and glycerol), tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), aldehydes, metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), flavorings, tobacco alkaloids, and drugs. Most reviewed studies have evaluated nicotine and impurities in the liquids such as TSNAs and nicotine-related impurities, while other studies have focused on identifying potentially harmful chemicals in the aerosol, such as carbonyl compounds, VOCs, TSNAs, metals, and silicates. Various chemical substances and ultrafine particles known to be toxic, carcinogenic, and/or to cause respiratory and cardiac disease have been identified in e-cigarette aerosols, cartridges, refill liquids, and environmental emissions. Some of the identified TSNAs, aldehydes, metals, VOCs, phenolic compounds, PAHs, and tobacco alkaloids are harmful or potentially harmful constituents, and their general health risks are described below.
What are the ingredients in e-cigarettes?
In general, e-cigarettes often contain ingredients such as propylene glycol (PG) and glycerol, mixed with concentrated flavors and, optionally, a variable percentage of nicotine.
What is the most common solvent used in e-cigarettes?
In addition to these humectants, water is a common ingredient of e-liquids. PG and glycerol (commonly referred to as a “vegetable glycerin” in liquid formulations) are the most common vaporizing solvents used in e-cigarettes.
How long is PG safe to breathe?
Though some preclinical studies showed inhalation of PG and glycerol can be safe up to 28 days (Werley et al., 2011) or 18 months (Robertson et al., 1947), breathing aerosolized PG can also affect the risk of asthma development (Choi et al., 2010).
What are the symptoms of smoking e-cigarettes?
The most common symptom reported by e-cigarette users is a dry mouth and throat , which is considered to originate from the water-absorbing property of PG and glycerol. However, the health consequences of long-term exposure to PG and glycerol from e-cigarettes have not been investigated. Both compounds might pyrolyze, leading to the formation of carbonyl compounds (aldehydes), which contribute to potential health risks in e-cigarette users (for discussion about carbonyl compounds, see the subsequent section in this chapter).
How is PG absorbed?
PG is well-absorbed orally and can also be absorbed through skin or mucous membranes from topical preparations. Following absorption, the kidneys eliminate 45 percent of the PG, and the liver metabolizes the remainder to lactic acid, pyruvic acid, or acetone. Thus, patients with impaired liver and/or kidney function are generally thought to be at increased risk for developing PG toxicity following high-dose oral or intravenous administration.
Is PG a toxicity?
There is relatively limited evidence of toxicity from occupational exposures to PG. However, glycols are used in theatrical fogs, so actors and performers in the entertainment industry may have routine exposures to relatively high concentrations of PG, as it is often a major component of these fogs. Varughese and colleagues (2005)studied 101 employees in 19 different locations who were routinely exposed to such fogs. They measured the levels of exposure, lung function, and acute and chronic symptoms. The mean concentration of exposure for employees exposed only to PG-based fog on the testing day was 0.49 mg/m3(maximum 3.22 mg/m3). They reported that theatrical fog exposures were significantly associated with chronic work-related wheezing and chest tightness. Although these acute effects appeared to be specific to PG-based fogs, most of the workers were also exposed to mineral oil. Thus, the authors were unable to distinguish the role of PG or mineral oil fogs in the development of chronic effects and work-related symptoms from increasing chronic exposure.
