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Many tobacco smokers have switched to electronic cigarettes to help quit the habit and lower their risk of cancer.
However, a new study claims that these devices may be doing more harm than good as regular vapers are believed to be more likely to suffer from a stroke than tobacco users.
In a study carried out by researchers from Texas Tech University, mice were exposed to smoke from tobacco and vapor from e-cigarette. The subjects were assessed after both 10 and 30 days.
Results revealed that regular use of e-cigarettes decreased the amount of glucose in the brain, which is essential to boost neurons. Moreover, they also discovered that vapors damaged a chemical vital for clotting. As a result, the occurrence of haemorrhage is more likely.
“E-cigarette exposure decreased glucose uptake in the brain. Glucose fuels brain activity,” said study author Ali Ehsan Sifat.
“Both e-cig and tobacco smoke exposure for 30 days significantly impaired circulating levels of an enzyme required for clotting – potentially increasing the risk for stroke and worsened secondary brain injury.”
Still, more rigorous studies must be conducted to determine the effects of exposure to e-cigarettes on the brain.
Regarded by many as “gateway” to smoking, e-cigarette is an electronic device which vaporizes a flavored liquid that is usually made of nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine and flavorings.
However, not all e-liquids contain nicotine.
Several major studies claim that e-cigarettes are far safer and less toxic than smoking tobacco but its long term health effects have not been established. Although e-cigarettes can help tobacco smokers quit, some studies claim that the use of e-cigarettes among non-smokers can lead to nicotine addiction.
Researchers at University College London recently found that smokers who switched to e-cigarettes saw the levels of cancer-causing toxins in their body decrease by 97.5% in six months.
