A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania has revealed the harmful effects of vaping on the body’s vascular system, even when using e-cigarettes without nicotine. The study examined 31 participants aged 21 to 49, who underwent MRI scans before and after smoking traditional cigarettes, vaping nicotine e-cigarettes, and vaping non-nicotine e-cigarettes. Researchers also compared their results to scans of non-smokers.
The findings showed a significant reduction in blood flow velocity in the superficial femoral artery, which supplies oxygenated blood to the lower body, after each smoking session. While nicotine-containing e-cigarettes caused the most pronounced effects, non-nicotine vapes also led to decreased oxygen saturation in the blood. This indicates that both forms of vaping compromise oxygen delivery to tissues, potentially leading to long-term vascular issues.
Dr. Marianna Nabbout, lead author and radiology resident at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, emphasized the study’s implications: “This study serves to highlight the acute effects smoking and vaping can have on a multitude of vascular beds in the human body. Chronic use could conceivably cause vascular disease.”
The study concluded that refraining from vaping and smoking entirely is strongly recommended, regardless of whether nicotine is involved. As vaping continues to be perceived as a safer alternative to smoking, these findings underline its immediate and potentially severe impact on cardiovascular health.
