Anyone who is looking for vaping tips for beginners will, at some point, definitely seek scientific studies about the benefits of electronic cigarettes and vape products. Unfortunately, searching on Google for vaping studies will provide you with loads of anti-vaping articles, most of which are duplicative in content. Lucky for you, we at Vape HQ have scoured the Web to find you some of the relevant e-cig studies which will take your worries away about vaping.
Debunking the high formaldehyde level claim
Farsalinos, Konstantinos E., et al. “E-Cigarettes Emit Very High Formaldehyde Levels Only in Conditions That Are Aversive to Users: A Replication Study under Verified Realistic Use Conditions.” Food and Chemical Toxicology, vol. 109, 2017, pp. 90–94., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2017.08.044. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.
This study debunks a prior study in 2015 that stated formaldehyde emissions are 5-15 times higher when using e-cigs than tobacco cigarettes. The newer study concludes that the reported emissions from the previous study were due to unrealistic usage conditions which create unpleasant “dry puffs” vapers won’t even want to inhale.
Prior studies on e-cig carbonyl emissions are inconsistent
Farsalinos, Konstantinos E., and Gene Gillman. “Carbonyl Emissions in e-Cigarette Aerosol: A Systematic Review and Methodological Considerations.” Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 8, 2018, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.01119. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.
Farsalinos, the lead author in the study that debunks the high formaldehyde level claim mentioned in the previous paragraph, performed a systematic review of 32 prior studies available on PubMed related to carbonyl emissions from e-cigarettes. It’s revealed that the methods used are inconsistent, most of which related to the dry puff issue in the formaldehyde case, which means that the results are not realistic and applicable to real-life vaping.
Non-smokers/vapers vs. non-smoker vapers
Polosa, Riccardo, et al. “Health Impact of e-Cigarettes: A Prospective 3.5-Year Study of Regular Daily Users Who Have Never Smoked.” Scientific Reports, vol. 7, no. 1, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14043-2. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.
If you haven’t smoked cigarettes in the past, then this study is perfect for your search for vaping tips for beginners. While vape antagonists argue that vaping gives the same harm to the health as smoking, this study levels the playing field by comparing a sample of young adults who actually have never smoked or vaped with vapers who never smoke. In short, current and former cigarette smokers were excluded in the study.
The results revealed that there’s no significant difference in terms of both circulatory, heart and lung health throughout 3.5 years between the two groups. Although this uses a small sample size, the results can lead to a wider study to confirm that vaping doesn’t lead to significant health concerns especially among young users.
Vaping doesn’t lead to teenage smoking
Kozlowski, Lynn, and Kenneth Warner. “Adolescents and e-Cigarettes: Objects of Concern May Appear Larger than They Are.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 174, 2017, pp. 209–214., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.01.001.
The study explains that teenagers who vape are less likely to increase the number of cigarette smokers in the future. In fact, e-cigarettes may even lead these young potential smokers to avoid burning tobacco altogether.
Switching to vaping may reverse COPD in smokers
Polosa, Riccardo, et al. “Health Effects in COPD Smokers Who Switch to Electronic Cigarettes: A Retrospective-Prospective 3-Year Follow-Up.” International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Volume 13, 2018, pp. 2533–2542., https://doi.org/10.2147/copd.s161138. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.
The three-year study reveals that smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) showed improved health and reduced COPD effects when they switched to e-cigs. The lead author also discusses that electronic cigarettes can be a safe and effective alternative to tobacco smoking. This is a valuable study considering that smokers find it hard to quit smoking even after being diagnosed with COPD.
Switching to e-cigs may improve oral health
Holliday, R., et al. “Electronic Cigarettes and Oral Health.” Journal of Dental Research, vol. 100, no. 9, 25 Mar. 2021, pp. 906–913., https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345211002116. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.
A close look at the evidence provided by previous clinical studies on e-cigs and oral health reveal certain improvements on the dental health of cigarette smokers who switched to e-cigarettes. Other clinical studies revealed that the oral cell damages of e-cig users are somehow similar to those seen in those who never smoked. Damage is most evident in cigarette smokers. However, the evidence base is limited, and thus, further studies are warranted.
A look into the current state of the vaping industry
Marques, Patrice, et al. “An Updated Overview of e-Cigarette Impact on Human Health.” Respiratory Research, vol. 22, no. 1, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-021-01737-5. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.
The authors acknowledge that e-cigs can be a good alternative to the traditional tobacco cigarettes. However, further research is warranted to implement stricter sale control and proper product regulations to provide global standards, and protect overall human health and safety. For one, the differences in the countries’ attitudes towards vape products may be due to the different restrictions being imposed.
In addition, further studies are needed to explore the long-term effects of electronic cigarettes on health including effects on the immune system and on the cardiovascular system, as well as on respiratory complications derived from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Bottom Line
Vaping is relatively new, and thus, there is still limited evidence to come with a definite conclusion on the real effects of vape products to health. Results from current studies can serve as initial results and references to conduct a larger study in the future to confirm the benefits of e-cigarettes especially as a smoking cessation method and to debunk prior studies with misleading anti-vaping results.
Browse through our blog further to discover practical and insightful vaping tips for beginners and advanced users alike.
