Researchers are still working to understand the full long-term health effects of vaping
A new simulation has taken a closer look at what may happen inside your body if you vape every single day for 30 days.
Vapes were once marketed as a safer option for people trying to quit smoking. However, experts now say that our understanding of these nicotine-based devices is still developing, and many questions remain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that while e-cigarettes are generally viewed as less harmful than traditional cigarettes, they are not without risk.
Because of this uncertainty, health experts continue to warn about the possible dangers of vaping. A viral simulation video has added to that conversation by outlining several effects users should be aware of.
The clip, posted by Untold Healing, explains how your brain chemistry shifts after just one puff of a flavored vape.
“Nicotine floods your brain receptors within seven seconds, triggering dopamine release,” the video explains. “Your brain is rewiring itself to need that hit.”
A study from 2012 found that when nicotine is inhaled, it can reach the brain in as little as 10 to 20 seconds.
The CDC also notes that nicotine can interfere with brain development until around age 25. Use during teenage years may affect areas linked to attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
The simulation also suggests that signs of lung irritation can start within three days. After about three weeks of daily vaping, symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath may appear.
The University of Utah Health reports that vaping can lead to short-term inflammatory damage in the lungs. This condition is known as e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury, or EVALI.
Symptoms may include chest pain, trouble breathing, and persistent coughing. These can show up quickly or develop over a longer period of time, depending on the individual.
The simulation also highlights potential heart-related effects. It claims that vaping can raise your heart rate by about four beats per minute and may increase your risk of a heart attack.
The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute states that vaping has been shown to increase systolic blood pressure and raise heart rate for roughly 45 minutes after use.
Researchers also link vaping to arterial stiffness and damage to the lining of blood vessels, both of which can affect heart health over time.
According to the simulation, after 30 days of daily vaping, a person may become “fully dependent,” making it harder to quit.
Vaping can impact your heart, brain, and lungs Getty stock images
Are there any long-term risks of vaping?
Long-term effects are still being studied, but some research points to a possible higher risk of chronic lung disease and heart problems, including heart failure. EVALI may also leave lasting scarring in the lungs.
Michael Blaha, MD, told Johns Hopkins Medicine that people “need to understand that e-cigarettes are potentially dangerous to your health.”
“Emerging data suggests links to chronic lung disease and asthma, as well as associations between dual use of e-cigarettes and smoking with cardiovascular disease,” he says. “You’re exposing yourself to all kinds of chemicals that we don’t yet understand and that are probably not safe.”
Dr. Andrew Freeman, speaking with the University of Utah Health, explained that our lungs “are not a good organ to absorb substances for recreational use.” He added: “They are an incredible organ, providing our bodies with vital oxygen and exchanging carbon dioxide, all while protecting us from infections and other harmful elements from our environment.”
“We all begin to slowly lose lung function after about our early to mid-20s, and yet they must last us a lifetime. If people don’t take care of their lungs, they really suffer more difficulties breathing later in life due to habits such as vaping.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.thatviralfeed.com/simulation-effects-of-vaping-every-day-30-days/109701.
