If you think of vaping as a harmless alternative to smoking, you may want to think again.
Researchers at the Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry have discovered more potential health risks associated with using e-cigarettes.
During a preclinical study, the London-based research team found evidence that inhaling e-liquids could negatively affect “pulmonary surfactant” - a critical layer of the lungs that allows breathing to happen with minimal effort. Without surfactant, breathing would become so strenuous that “a person would need mechanical help to do so,” according to Lawson Health Research Institute.
The researchers wanted to find out what happens when vapor first enters the lungs and comes into contact with pulmonary surfactant. They inserted a layer of surfactant into a syringe, then pumped aerosol from a vaping device inside. With both substances in the syringe, they then mimicked the process of inhaling and exhaling, similar to what would happen inside the lungs during a vaping session.
“In particular we were looking at the surface tension in the surfactant,” said Emma Graham, a graduate student at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and key member of the research team. “After vaping, we saw high surface tension which suggests the surfactant would not be as effective at supporting proper lung functioning.”
The researchers tested various types of vaping devices, flavours, additives, and levels of nicotine to identify any differences in effects. Graham said that most e-liquids performed the same across the board, but those containing flavorings like menthol could wreak even more havoc on pulmonary surfactant.
Dr. Ruud Veldhuizen, a Lawson scientist and professor at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, says these findings could help explain why e-cigarette users tend to be more susceptible to lung injury.
“We would like to get this information out there so that people know vaping may be damaging to the lungs,” Dr. Veldhuizen shared. “As a next step, we hope to further investigate the effects of vaping on the lungs and how we can treat resulting injury.”
Lawson Research shared information about this study via Twitter:
https://twitter.com/lawsonresearch/status/1603028534208905216
The study was published in the PLOS ONE journal.