Vitamin E acetate is an oily chemical commonly added to THC vaping liquids to dilute or thicken them; the substance has been acknowledged as a potential toxin of concern by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), due to its ability to remain in the lungs for long periods of time, and therefore cause complications in the lungs.
How does vaping damage the lungs?
Vaping causes lung damage due to the chemicals in the vape liquid, the chemicals created when the vape liquid is heated and the heavy metals from the vape heater that enter the aerosol/gas as you inhale.
Is vaping as bad for Your Lungs as smoking cigarettes?
No. We must consider that few things in the world can be as bad for your lungs as smoking cigarettes. Most of the vapers you find out there will tell you the same thing when you ask how they started vaping: to quit cigarette addiction.
Can vaping damage your lungs?
Vaping causes lung damage due to the chemicals in the vape liquid, the chemicals created when the vape liquid is heated and the heavy metals from the vape heater that enter the aerosol/gas as you inhale. The good news is that the human body is an amazing creation and starts healing in less than 20 minutes after that final cigarette or vape.
Does vaping decrease your lung capacity?
These findings are fantastic news for vapers who may still be concerned with the effect of vaping on lung function. The reasoning given by the researchers was that because vaping does not burn anything, the tar associated with most negative effects on lung function is virtually non-existent for vapers.
What happens if vitamin E gets in your lungs?
It has been proposed that vaping induced pyrolysis of vitamin E acetate may produce a highly toxic gas called ketene. Inhalation of ketene can cause severe lung damage in low concentrations and death in high concentrations.
Are vitamin Vapes good for you?
The FDA is warning consumer and cracking down on manufacturers who sell vitamin vapes. They note, Some vaping products are being illegally offered for sale with unproven health or wellness claims, including improving mental clarity or treating tumors or asthma.
Is vitamin B12 vape good for you?
2021, stating that “the use of your 'B12 VITAMINVAPE' product raises safety concerns for the agency because the ingredients or the impurities in oral inhalation products may trigger laryngospasm or bronchospasm, may be toxic to the tissues in the upper or lower airways, or may be absorbed and exert undesirable systemic ...
Can vaping damage your lungs permanently?
Breathing in the harmful chemicals from vaping products can cause irreversible (cannot be cured) lung damage, lung disease and, in some cases, death. Some chemicals in vaping products can also cause cardiovascular disease and biological changes that are associated with cancer development.
What is the healthiest vape?
The PAX 3 is consistently ranked one of the healthiest vapes, and it's an incredibly customizable conduction vaporizer suitable for dry herb and wax. Heated through thermal conduction, the PAX 3 doesn't sear your material.
Is vitamin vape FDA approved?
Currently, no vaping products are approved by the FDA to prevent or treat any health conditions or diseases....Warning Letters.FirmProduct Name and Image*NV Nutrition, LLC“Vaporizer" and "diffuser” productsVitaCig, Inc."VitaCig" productsVitamin Vape, Inc.“B12 VITAMINVAPE”2 more rows•Nov 9, 2021
What happens when you inhale vitamin B12?
The science page of its website states that vitamin B12 is immediately absorbed when it is inhaled and is "many times more efficient than pill absorption, and comparable only to injections (though injections are still the most efficient)."
Can you absorb vitamins through your lungs?
"The lungs are supposed to breathe in air. We're not meant to absorb anything through the lungs. We were not evolutionarily designed to absorb any nutrition or minerals or vitamins that way."
Is it better to vape or smoke?
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 vaping do lungs heal?
After two weeks: your circulation and lung function begin to improve. After one to nine months: clear and deeper breathing gradually returns; you have less coughing and shortness of breath; you regain the ability to cough productively instead of hacking, which cleans your lungs and reduce your risk of infection.
How long does vaping take to damage lungs?
Exposure for just three days was enough to incur sufficient damage to their lungs, setting the stage for long-term chronic lung damage.
Is vaping without nicotine harmful?
Some vape product manufacturers claim that vaping is a completely safe alternative to smoking. However, early research into the safety of the practice suggests this is not the case. In fact, it appears that vaping, even without nicotine, can have harmful effects on the body.
Are vitamin vapes addictive?
So being “less harmful” is an easy bar to reach. One good thing about the herbal and vitamin vape liquids is that they are free of nicotine, which is highly addictive.
How long does a vitamin vape last?
Each vaporizer is designed to last 2-3 weeks of daily use as directed.
Can you absorb vitamins through your lungs?
"The lungs are supposed to breathe in air. We're not meant to absorb anything through the lungs. We were not evolutionarily designed to absorb any nutrition or minerals or vitamins that way."
Can you vape too much B12?
B12 has no toxicity, so it's almost impossible to take too much of it.
Is vaping a bad idea?
Don't be fooled! I think that unless you're vaping as a means of quitting cigarette smoking, it's a bad idea. Adding vitamins doesn't turn it into a health move. In fact, the American Lung Association thinks you shouldn't vape at all; you really don't want to be putting particles into your system that haven't been tested.
Do vape cartridges give you energy?
The cartridges claim to give you energy, but they could be doing more harm than good. These buzzy vape cartridges containing vitamin B12 claim to gives you a "better buzz" and "natural energy.".
How many people have lung disease from e-cigarettes?
According to the CDC: Nearly 200 e-cigarette users have developed severe lung disease in 22 states (and the numbers keep rising — a Washington Post story put the number at 354). Most cases were among teens and young adults.
How many puffs can you have with vaping?
With vaping, you can have one or two puffs, be satisfied, and be done whenever you want. You are not committed. You might only need one puff, then maybe five minutes later you take another one. You won’t overdo because your brain will never have to justify it as an expense if you stop now. You just stop now.
What are the effects of smoking?
The recent tragic and alarming cases of severe lung disease are clearly cause for concern. A number of other health effects are also worrisome: 1 Nicotine is highly addictive and can affect the developing brain, potentially harming teens and young adults. Even some "nicotine-free" e-cigarettes have been found to contain nicotine. 2 Some substances found in e-cigarette vapor have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. 3 Teens who vape are more likely to begin smoking cigarettes. 4 Explosions and burns have been reported with e-cigarettes while recharging the devices, due to defective batteries. 5 Accidental exposure to liquid from e-cigarettes has caused acute nicotine poisoning in children and adults. 6 Vaping during pregnancy could harm a developing fetus.
What are the chemicals in e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes produce a number of dangerous chemicals including acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. These aldehydes can cause lung disease, as well as cardiovascular (heart) disease. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, put nicotine into your lungs and bloodstream.
How much ohm is toxic?
It is likely that the super-heating of e-liquids that takes place in an RBA run at less than 1 oh m will create some toxic materials.
What are the symptoms of vapors?
Typically, symptoms have started gradually, with shortness of breath and/or chest pain before more severe breathing difficulty led to hospital admission.
What is the e-cigarette called?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a web page with the latest information and recommendations about what is now being called EVALI (for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury).
When will vaping peak?
Emergency department (ED) visits related to e-cigarette, or vaping, products continue to decline, after sharply increasing in August 2019 and peaking in September.
When is the next vaping hospital admission?
Dates of symptom onset and hospital admission for patients with lung injury associated with e-cigarette use, or vaping — United States, March 31, 2019–February 15, 2020. Numbers do not sum to 2,807 due to missing admission dates.
What is vitamin E acetate?
Vitamin E acetate is used as an additive, most notably in THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products. Vitamin E is a vitamin found in many foods, including vegetable oils, cereals, meat, fruits, and vegetables. It is also available as a dietary supplement and in many cosmetic products, like skin creams.
What is an e-cigarette?
Using an e-cigarette is commonly called vaping. E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale into their lungs.
How to contact CDC about e-cigarettes?
If you have questions about CDC’s investigation into the lung injuries associated with use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products, contact CDC-INFO or call 1-800-232-4636.
Is vitamin E acetate linked to the eli outbreak?
Vitamin E acetate is strongly linked to the EVALI outbreak. Vitamin E acetate has been found in product samples tested by FDA and state laboratories and in patient lung fluid samples tested by CDC from geographically diverse states. Vitamin E acetate has not been found in the lung fluid of people that do not have EVALI.
Who monitors e-cigarettes?
CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are continuing to monitor e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI).
What is the toxic gas produced by vaping?
It has been proposed that vaping induced pyrolysis of vitamin E acetate may produce a highly toxic gas called ketene. 12 Inhalation of ketene can cause severe lung damage in low concentrations and death in high concentrations. 13.
How does vaping affect public health?
Concerns over the impacts of vaping on public health have been steadily growing over the last decade. However, it wasn’t until August 2019 when the issue took center stage as the first vaping-linked death was reported in Illinois. This would be the first of many deaths that would ultimately be linked to an outbreak of a vaping related illness that the CDC has termed EVALI (electronic-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury). 1 This may not come as too much of a surprise as vaping related illnesses have been reported for years. 2 But this is something different. EVALI isn’t simply an adverse health effect from vaping. It’s an acute lung illness that has spread rapidly across the country, affecting mostly young adults with a median age of 24 years old. 3
How many deaths from vaping in 2020?
3. As of January 7, 2020 there have been 2,602 cases and 57 deaths linked to EVALI in the U.S. and surrounding territories.
What is vitamin E acetate?
What exactly is vitamin E acetate? Vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant that occurs naturally in vegetables, vegetable oils, seeds, and fruits. Specifically, vitamin E refers to a group of 8 isoprenoid molecules known as tocochromanols.
Can vitamin E cause lung damage?
In fact, some experts argue that it’s unlikely vitamin E acetate alone could cause the severe lung damage associated with EVALI. 11 The question of vitamin E acetate toxicity may be linked to the vaping device itself.
Does vitamin E affect lungs?
Vitamin E acetate and your lungs. One of the proposed mechanisms for EVALI associated lung damage is the potential interaction of vitamin E with pulmonary surfactant (PS) in your lungs. PS is a phospholipid layer that lines the tiny air sacs in your lungs. These air sacs, known as alveoli, allow your bloodstream to exchange carbon dioxide ...
Can vaping be used to inhale decomposed chemicals?
In fact, scientists suggest vaping devices can be considered crude and uncontrollable mini-pyrolysis devices which are being used to inhale decomposed chemical compounds from unknown mixtures.
When was vitamin B12 used in the nebulizer?
Furthermore, the science Michalopoulos refers to about inhaling vitamin B12 was mostly performed in the 1950s and ‘60s. And most of these studies used nebulizers—machines that distribute medicine in a cool mist, not e-cigarette devices that heat solutions on a metal coil.
Can e-cigarettes deliver nutrients?
Companies claim e-cigarettes can deliver nutrients, but experts say the science looks shaky
Is nutrient vaping safe?
There may be unknown risks to nutrient vaping, Sparq’s Kwitel says—but adds his company is simply trying to create a better option for consumers who already vape or smoke. “We know [some vape ingredients] on the market are not healthy and we decided to stay away from that,” he says, referring to other nutrient vapes as well as nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. “We want to provide a non-harmful alternative to people already vaping.” He compares Sparq’s products with reduced-fat junk food. “Are half-fat potato chips 100 percent healthy for you? No. Is it much better than the alternative? Absolutely.”
Does Kwitel's product cause harm?
Kwitel says his company has taken great pains to ensure its product will not cause harm. He and his colleagues sent their products to a third-party chemical testing lab to check if vitamins and other ingredients were being destroyed or transformed into harmful compounds from the heating and vaporization. “There’s a lot of stuff that didn’t work,” he says. “We put a tremendous amount of time and money into this.”
Can you vape vitamins?
Vaping vitamins is “theoretically possible,” says Guenther Hochhaus, a pharmacologist at the University of Florida who studies drug delivery in the lungs. “It would have to go deep into the lungs” where the membranes are thinnest and most permeable, he says. But until more detailed studies are completed, he adds, how well the lung actually does take in nutrients is up for debate.
What chemicals are in vaping?
Vaping exposes the lungs to a variety of chemicals. These may include the main active chemicals in tobacco (nicotine) or marijuana (THC), flavorants, and other ingredients that are added to vaping liquids. Plus, other chemicals can be produced during the vaporizing process.
What are vaping devices?
Vaping devices, also known as e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-hookahs among other terms, come in many shapes and sizes. Some look like traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Others are shaped like every-day objects, such as pens or USB memory sticks.
How old do you have to be to vape?
New laws are aimed at curbing vaping among teens. People must now be 21 to buy any tobacco product, including vaping products. And companies can no longer produce and sell flavors that appeal to children like fruit and mint. If you’ve already started vaping or smoking cigarettes, it’s never too late to quit.
Can nicotine be inhaled in a vaporizer?
Plus, other chemicals can be produced during the vaporizing process. “If the liquid has nicotine in it, then the user is inhaling nicotine along with the other ingredients in the liquid,” explains Dr. Thomas Eissenberg, an expert on tobacco research at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Is vaping harmful?
So how safe is vaping? Studies suggest nicotine vaping may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes when people who regularly smoke switch to them as a complete replacement. But nicotine vaping could still damage your health.
Is it too late to quit smoking?
If you’ve already started vaping or smoking cigarettes, it’s never too late to quit. See the Wise Choices box for tips on stopping.
Is vitamin E acetate harmful?
One harmful chemical may be a thickening agent called Vitamin E acetate, which is sometimes used as an additive in THC-containing vape products. The CDC identified it as a “chemical of concern” among people with vaping-associated lung injuries.
How many deaths from vaping in 2019?
As of November 13, 2019, there were 2,172 confirmed and probable lung injury cases "associated with the use of e-cigarette or vaping, products as reported by 49 states (all except Alaska), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as reported by the CDC. 42 deaths have been confirmed in 24 states and the District of Columbia: Alabama, California (4), Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia (3), Illinois (4), Indiana (4), Kansas (2), Massachusetts (2), Michigan, Minnesota (3), Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon (2), Pennsylvania, Tennessee (2), Texas, Utah, and Virginia" [21]. Vaping, may also have harmful psychological effects with a strong association between vaping, major depression and suicidal behavior as reported in a large new study [22]. The likely contributing culprit, nicotine. Prevalence of lung disease attributable to vaping is likely under reported as cases brought to the CDC are some of the most severe. For now EVALI remains a diagnosis that is made after exclusion of other conditions and needs to be reported to the CDC.
What is the purpose of vaping?
Vaping was initially marketed as a smoking cessation aid to help with cessation of cigarette smoking. E-cigarettes first took public attention in the mass media for unexpectedly blowing up, causing burns and severe facial damage [6]. In the past decade, a number of alternative vaping products have rapidly gained consumer demand, especially in, adolescents, due to the belief that they are much safer (lower nicotine content) than traditional cigarettes, choice of advertisements different flavors and ease of access to electronic nicotine delivery systems (such as e-cigarettes and vape pens). Except for menthol, the use of flavor additives has been banned from traditional cigarettes, whereas e-cigarettes are marketed in over 7,000 different flavors. Many of those flavors are found in candy and popular soft drinks and, because adolescents are familiar with such flavors, e-cigarettes are appealing to them. Tobacco smoking is associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction in a causative and dose-dependent manner [7]. Data from 5,400 smokers and 2,025 former smokers have found that the average number of cigarettes smoked per day by people who regularly used e-cigarettes fell by 4.4 over about two years, compared with only 2.7 for those who did not use e-cigarettes. Sixty-seven percent more e-cigarette users than non-users quit smoking altogether. However, there were 70% more relapses among former smokers who used e-cigarettes than among those who did not use the devices [8].
What are the ingredients in vape?
The ingredients of vape that are suspected of contributing to the development of vaping-related illnesses are THC and vitamin E acetate. THC is an ingredient used in many vape products, and many patients experiencing vape-related complications have admitted to using THC-containing products in the past, leading the FDA to believe that THC may play a role in the vape-related illness outbreak. The FDA has issued a public warning to stop using THC-containing vape products, as the compound may be contributing to lung illnesses related to vaping. Specifically, vitamin E acetate is most commonly used as an additive in THC-containing vape/e-cigarette products; vitamin E acetate is an oily chemical added to THC vaping liquids used to thicken or dilute them. A vape-related injury concerning a teenage boy in Canada has recently gained the media’s attention as well. The 17-year-old boy vaped “intensively,” adding THC to his devices. He initially showed symptoms aligning with bronchiolitis (lung condition normally caused by a bacterial or viral infection), but many patients that have vape-related illnesses in the United States have experienced damage to the alveoli; this type of injury was not found. Instead, his case aligned more with an injury called “popcorn lung,” an ailment most commonly seen in factory workers of microwave popcorn plants nearly 20 years ago. This new vape-related case calls for further exploration into the toxicity of vape liquid, as the patient’s condition could have been caused by the THC added to the vaping devices, or the chemical that affected factory workers in the past - diacetyl. Diacetyl is present in many e-cigarette flavors [14]. The American Lung Association has called for the FDA to require that diacetyl and other hazardous chemicals be removed from e-cigarette cartridges.
When were electronic cigarettes invented?
Electronic cigarettes were first developed in China in the early 2000s and introduced to the US market in 2007 [5]. In the US, the product experienced explosive growth, with the number of electronic cigarette users doubling every year between 2008 and 2012. While traditional cigarettes are smoked through combustion, e-cigarettes are "vaped," and the resultant aerosols potentially contain a reduced number of potentially toxic chemicals, such as nicotine and flavorings such as diacetyl and cinnamaldehyde, as well as byproducts such as formaldehyde and acrolein caused by the potential overheating of propylene glycol, and glycerin.
Does vaping affect the lungs?
The evidence on how vitamin E acetate affects the lungs of vape users is notable because vitamin E acetate has been acknowledged as a majorly harmful chemical that may be contributing to vape-related illnesses and deaths. Lung scans have revealed different outlines of lung parenchyma suggesting possible different processes in injury. One pattern points to lipoid pneumonia which can occur with lipid containing ingredients or oils aerosolized into the airways causing inflammation and compromised function [17]. The respiratory epithelium has a complicated network of extracellular membranes essential for breathing and survival. Surfactant membranes form a stable monolayer at the air-liquid interface, reducing the surface tension at the air-liquid interface, therefore stabilizing the lung against collapse and helping lungs expand. Oil in the lung interferes with this ordered/disordered lipid phase coexistence in lung surfactant with alterations in phase coexistence [18]. The American Medical Association has made calls for a ban on vaping products, and Washington state has now banned vape products containing vitamin E acetate, thought to be linked to illness [19-20]. Although the substance is not banned in the United States and has not been officially declared as a deadly substance, many states are making advances to ban the use of the chemical in vape products. States like Massachusetts are considering a ban on flavored tobacco and vape products, and in New York, Manhattan is expected to become the largest city to ban all vaping flavors except tobacco. Other states that have already banned the use of vitamin E acetate in vape products include Colorado and Ohio. Greater public awareness of this deadly condition helps with implementing comprehensive, population-based interventions for this preventable disease.
Is vaping dangerous?
CDC has detected vitamin E acetate as a chemical of concern among people with the lung injury. Vitamin E acetate is a condensing agent in vaping products, and all injured lung fluid samples appear to harbor this agent. The mysterious outbreak is identified in individuals vaping within the 90 days, ranging over a few days to developing over several weeks. There is growing evidence that vaping is hazardous to your health including immediate health dangers such as death from respiratory causes, long term health effects, cardiovascular events, depression which increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide. This review article summarizes the growing knowledge of acute respiratory complications associated with vaping.
Does vaping cause lung injury?
The New York Times recently reported an analysis of lung fluid samples from 29 patients with vaping-related illnesses (including two who died), and the analysis suggests that vitamin E acetate is a "very strong culprit" in causing lung injuries. The lung fluid samples were collected from patients across the United States so that these findings may have implications nationwide. Moreover, Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, explained, “For the first time, we have detected a potential toxin of concern, vitamin E acetate, from biological samples from patients… The analysis provided evidence of vitamin E acetate at the primary site of injury in the lungs” [15]. Vitamin E acetate is sticky, giving it the ability to remain in the lungs. THC was also reported to be found in 82% of samples from 28 patients, which was remarkable as THC tends to leave the lungs quickly [16].
What Do Industry Experts Have to Say About Vitamin Vaping?
Here's what some of the industry's leading experts are saying about the topic on social media:
Is it safe to inhale vaporized vitamins?
In assessing these results, it seems that there was at least some benefit associated with inhaling vaporized vitamins. However, the issues with each of these studies is that they were relatively short-term and were conducted in diseased individuals or animals. Consequently, it is not clear whether or not inhaling may cause any damage to the lungs or would necessarily have the same results in healthy individuals as in diseased patients.
Is vaping legal?
Regarding legality, there is no question that the FDA does not view vitamin vaping as a legitimate form of nutrient supplementation. The only FDA-recognized route for nutrient supplementation is the gastrointestinal tract—in other words, the supplement has to be swallowed, not inhaled. Consequently, the sale of vitamins and supplements in vapor form is not legal.
Does vaping cause bronchitis?
According to Dr. Norman Edelman, a senior scientific adviser at the American Lung Association, it is establihsed that smoking e-cigarettes causes irritation of the airways and bronchitis, but it is difficult to gauge the long-term effects of vitamin vaping because it is a relatively new fad.
Is vaping your vitamins safe?
Verdict: Vaping Your Vitamins Is Not Advisable. Until there is more science on about the safety and efficacy of vitamin vaping in healthy populations, it is my considered opinion that the supplementation of vitamins is best achieved via the oral route.