E-Cigarettes Linked to Increased Brain, Heart, Lung and Colon Inflammation

We know from multiple studies that conventional tobacco can cause different adverse effects on our health. But information about vaping devices, including one of the most popular e-cigarettes which also has high nicotine levels, is less established. 

The use of e-cigarettes or ‘vaping’ has become widespread, particularly among young people and smokers trying to quit. One of the most popular e-cigarette brands is JUUL, which offers appealing flavors and a discrete design.

Many e-cigarette users believe these products are healthier than traditional tobacco products. One JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes (41.3 mg). 

In a recently published study by Monshensky and colleagues, researchers showed that daily exposure to JUUL aerosols increases the expression of genes encoding inflammatory molecules in the brain, lung, heart, and colon of mice. 

The team used a mice model, exposing mice to JUUL mint and JUUL mango-flavored aerosols for 20 minutes, 3 times a day, and for 3 and 12 weeks. 

The researchers found that daily use of pod-based e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes containing high levels of nicotinic salts over months to years may cause inflammation in various organs, increasing the risk of disease or poor health outcomes. 

Other than increasing the levels of inflammation in the brain, the team saw that they did on the brain’s reward pathways. 

Source:

Alex Moshensky, et al. Effects of mango and mint pod-based e-cigarette aerosol inhalation on inflammatory states of the brain, lung, heart, and colon in mice. 2022. eLife. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.67621 

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