A new study suggests vaping may pose more risks to health that traditional cigarettes, increasing the risk of dementia, heart disease, and organ failure for long-term users.
The Mirror revealed how the ongoing research at Manchester Metropolitan University has found that the arteries in both vapers and smokers suffer similar levels of damage – a sign of future cardiovascular problems.
Dr Maxime Boidin, who is leading the study, believes the damage is due to inflammation caused by nicotine, as well as the metals and chemicals found in vapes, which include propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine. Substances in the chemical flavourings such as carbonyl compound are known to cause inflammation and oxidative stress, which can lead to artery inner wall damage and cell death.
But damage to the arteries isn’t the only harm vaping can cause. Studies have shown many other negative effects on heath, from lung damage to fertility problems. Here are some…
Lung injury
At least 40 children in England last year were admitted to hospital with vaping-related lung and breathing disorders – up from just 11 the previous year.
They range from worsening asthma symptoms to hypersensitivity pneumonia (HP), a form of pulmonary fibrosis, and lung failure.
The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined the lungs of patients with vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI), and found vitamin E acetate – a thickening agent often used in THC vaping products – in all the samples of their lung fluids.
Research from The Johns Hopkins University on vape ingredients published in October 2021 also revealed thousands of chemical ingredients in vape products, most of which are not yet identified.
Among those the team could identify were several potentially harmful substances, including caffeine, three chemicals never previously found in e-cigarettes, a pesticide and two flavorings linked with possible toxic effects and respiratory irritation.
Heart disease
A 2023 study found that vapes overstimulate the cardiovascular system, raising heart rate, the heart’s contraction force and blood pressure and increasing the risk of heart failure. It also found that the chemicals in e-cigarettes may contribute to to fatal cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeats that can be too fast, to slow, or which is not steady.
The new study at Manchester Metropolitan University also found that vapes can damage blood vessels and cause inflammation which can lead to heart disease, organ damage and cognitive dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction (ED)
Healthy men between the ages of 20 and 65 who vaped nicotine daily were more than twice as likely to report experiencing erectile dysfunction than men who did not vape, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.
Dr. Omar El Shahawy from New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, said his team were able to pinpoint vaping by excluding people with a history of smoking of other health issues that can caused ED.
He said: “We adjusted for all that and still we found a very strong and significant association between vaping and ED. It is possible that daily e-cigarette vaping may be associated with higher odds of erectile dysfunction regardless of one’s smoking history.”
He said there are two main reasons for this effect. “One is the fact that nicotine and other chemicals in vapes can reduce the ability of arteries to get larger and dilated, and that is what causes erectile dysfunction. These chemicals can also depress testosterone levels, another main cause of ED,” he said.
Fertility problems
Smoking is already known to cause fertility problems, with the chemicals found in cigarettes are known to damage eggs and sperm and increase the chance of miscarriage and serious health problems for a child.
New research suggests vaping has the same effect. Recent animal studies have shown that E-cigarettes, even when nicotine free, include many harmful substances that disturb the hormonal balance and reduce the implantation of embryo in women. It also negatively affects the structure and function of the sperms in men.
And in another study published last year, analysis of blood samples from 8,340 women revealed that people who vape or smoke tobacco had lower levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which indicates how many eggs women have left in their ovaries.
Dr Helen O’Neill, the author of the study by women’s health firm Hertility, said: “This is the first piece of evidence to show a link between fertility and vaping across a large population. It shows that AMH is suppressed in vapers compared to non-vapers, in a similar way to what has already been shown in smokers. AMH is a hormone used to assess ovarian [egg] reserve, and therefore fertility.”
Impaired brain development and function
Studies suggest that vaping while the brain is still developing – up to the mid-20s – can cause long-lasting harm.
Nicotine dysregulates activity in the brain regions involved in reward processing and cognitive control, which are crucial for regulating emotion, motivation and impulses.
Adults and young people who vape are also more likely to experience ‘cognitive function interference’, or brain fog, impacting concentration, remembering things and decision making.
The research also found that teenagers and young adults into their mid-20s who vape are more likely to become addicted, and even if they stop for long periods are more likely to relapse, as nicotine’s effects on the brain mean specific environments, emotional staes or cues can suddenly trigger a craving.
Mental health problems
New studies show the links between vaping and mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and eating disorders.
A study of more than 2,500 people ages 13-24 by the American Heart Association found that vapers were more likely to report anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts when compared with their peers who did not use e-cigs.
And another study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence which polled over 29,000 students in 36 American universities found that students who reported past-month vaping were 1.9 times more likely to have suffered psychotic experiences than those who hadn’t
Dr Babak Ashrafi, a GP and clinical lead for Superdrug Online Doctor, said vaping can impact mood regulation and increase anxiety because it is more addictive than smoking.
He said teenagers are most at risk: “Some electronic vapes can deliver nicotine more rapidly to the bloodstream compared to cigarettes, which can make them more addictive. Nicotine can temporarily improve mood and make you feel relaxed, however these are short-term effects which lead to dependence.
“Fluctuations in nicotine levels due to vaping can potentially impact mood regulation and increase anxiety. Adolescence is a critical period for brain development, making younger people more susceptible to anxiety and stress as a result of withdrawals.”