Many researchers believe that E-cigarettes are a fantastic alternative for smokers who cannot or do not want to quit nicotine. However, e-cigarettes are not perfect. When you switch from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes, you may experience some side effects. Fortunately, these side effects are well known and most are mild and temporary. It does help, however, to know which side effects are caused by e-cigarettes and what can sometimes be done about them.
Researchers say that most side effects are related to throat irritation and coughing. This is not serious and is also temporary. Many e-cigarette studies found no serious side effects, and the result is usually that the health benefits are substantial. Many vapers themselves report both physical improvements and mild discomfort.
Common side effects
Coughing
Coughing is especially common when you use e-cigarettes for the first time, particularly if you have a very powerful model. Coughing has also been observed as a minor side effect in some studies.
Dehydration/Sore throat/Dry throat/Dry nose
These side effects are probably caused by the e-juice ingredient propylene glycol. They may also be caused by nicotine, but it is unlikely that nicotine is the reason for these complaints since 99% of all vapers have smoked before and would be accustomed to nicotine use.
Limited oxygen uptake
One study claimed that e-cigarettes can temporarily cause limited oxygen uptake. Many researchers have disputed this; however, it is important not to confuse it with lung damage. (Many things can cause limited oxygen uptake; high humidity is one example.)
Stomach ache
Some vapers have experienced stomach aches after switching to e-cigarettes, but there are no studies that highlight this. It also appears to be a temporary problem in ordinary cases.
Asthma
There are people who report that their asthma worsened due to e-cigarette use. However, there are also vapers who claim that their asthma improved after switching to e-cigarettes. Research on asthma actually appears to indicate that most smokers' asthma improves after switching to e-cigarettes. Read more here.
Do the side effects come from quitting smoking or from the e-cigarette?
Have you experienced problems with other side effects? It is actually possible that they do not come from the e-cigarette but from quitting
smoking regular cigarettes.
For example, there are vapers who have complained about mouth ulcers, a typical side effect of quitting smoking.
Propylene glycol
Propylene glycol, a substance that absorbs water, appears to be the cause of most side effects (dehydration, sore throat, dry mouth). Fortunately, there is quite a lot you can do to avoid these side effects.
Solutions:
There are a couple of things you can do:
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and dry mouth.
- Find out how much PG and VG are in your e-liquids. If you use an e-liquid with a lot of VG, you may be able to reduce side effects.
- Buy an e-liquid made entirely of VG.
Using a 100% VG juice is not a perfect solution. E-liquids with a lot of VG can clog the clearomizer, strain the coil and produce a weaker “throat hit”. However, all of that is still better than starting to smoke again. Clearomizers and tanks with large airflow holes, such as the Aspire Atlantis tank, can handle an e-liquid with a lot of VG better than a regular tank. At Elekcig.se you will find a range of e-liquids with 70% VG. These are suitable for vapers who have problems with PG.
Nicotine side effects
Although nicotine has some side effects, around 99% of all vapers are former smokers. This means that they are accustomed to nicotine, so it should not cause new side effects.
Nicotine addiction
Nicotine is well known as an addictive substance. However, e-cigarettes deliver less nicotine than regular cigarettes, and other substances that contribute to cigarette addiction are not present in e-cigarettes. It is therefore possible that e-cigarettes are less addictive than regular cigarettes.
Blood pressure
Nicotine can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure. However, it is unclear whether this remains the same over the long term or not. Some studies have actually shown that smoking leads to a long-term reduction in blood pressure and that quitting smoking causes an increase. Other studies have shown exactly the opposite.
Cancer
Many people believe that nicotine causes cancer, but this is not true. Cancer is caused by inhaling smoke. There are differing opinions on whether nicotine speeds up the development of cancer or not.
Other side effects of nicotine
Other common side effects of nicotine include:
- Irritation around the mouth
- Burping
- Headache
- Increased hunger (even though nicotine usually reduces appetite)
- Increased saliva production
- Pain in the jaw area
- Sore throat
Nicotine overdose
Nicotine overdoses are rare among smokers and vapers. The reason is that nicotine users regulate themselves. They only consume as much nicotine as they need and no more. However, if you overdo it with your e-cigarette, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Increased heart rate
- Nausea or vomiting
- Weakness
If you experience one or more of these symptoms, stop vaping immediately and lie down. The symptoms usually pass fairly quickly.
Unproven side effects of vaping e-cigarettes
E-cigarettes have been linked to lipoid pneumonia. There was an isolated case in the United Kingdom in which a vaper died of lipoid pneumonia, but there are two reasons to be skeptical:
- An isolated case of lipoid pneumonia in a population of over two million vapers does not prove that the e-cigarette caused the disease.
- Researchers have pointed out that the e-juice used by the patient was glycerin-based. It is therefore impossible that it caused lipoid pneumonia.
Positive side effects
Of course, there are not only negative side effects. Otherwise, millions of smokers would not have switched to e-cigarettes. Here are some of the positive effects people have experienced:
- Better physical health overall
- Improved breathing
- Improved ability to exercise (endurance)
- Improved sense of smell
- Improved sense of taste
- Improved sexual performance
- Less coughing
- Improvement in asthma and other diseases
Some of these positive effects have also been reported in surveys. One can therefore conclude that you may experience some side effects. However, most of the negative effects are temporary and mild. Researchers conducting studies on e-cigarettes also believe that all the positive effects will ultimately outweigh the negative ones when switching from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes.
