Electronic cigarettes are marketed as being less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but new research shows that even nicotine-free e-cigarettes can still damage the lungs.
Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK conducted experiments on the impact of a common nicotine-free e-cigarette on human lung cells and found that oxidative stress still occurred.
The harm of using electronic cigarettes goes beyond just lung damage, affecting overall health in various ways. (Photo: Mauro Grigollo/Getty Images).
Oxidative stress occurs when the natural balance of cells reacting to oxygen is disrupted, leading to cell degradation, dysfunction, and abnormal activity. This stress is also accompanied by increased inflammation and blood vessel rupture, resulting in lung damage.
The research team stated that the liquid in nicotine-free e-cigarettes has been shown to contain chemical components similar to those found in nicotine-containing liquids. Exposure through the use of this type of e-cigarette still causes oxidative damage and inflammation to human microvascular endothelial cells.
By comparing nicotine-free products and nicotine-containing e-cigarettes from the same manufacturer, researchers found that even in the absence of the addictive substance, these products were not any better for lung cells.
In nicotine-free e-cigarettes, they identified an abnormal protein called ARF6. This protein has been linked to lung tissue damage according to laboratory studies. Previously, this protein was not considered related to smoking or lung damage, but it disrupts normal functioning of blood vessels in the body.
Previous studies and investigations into the harm of e-cigarettes focused primarily on the dangers posed by nicotine, but in the future, ARF6 will be of greater interest for research. Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes have been banned in dozens of countries, but these preventive measures have had limited effectiveness.
One of the issues researchers are keen to explore is how much e-cigarettes increase the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as this is a common problem among smokers due to vascular damage in the lungs.
Even smoking e-cigarettes just once can immediately affect blood vessel function and circulation. This indicates that its potential harm extends beyond just lung damage.
Currently, there are tens of millions of e-cigarette users, and concerns about its consequences remain contentious due to limited tracking data.
Researchers indicate that smoking e-cigarettes is a significant health concern as the number of users continues to rise, particularly among teenagers, while studies on this issue are still in their early stages.
