Vaping damages physical fitness and blood vessels to the same extent as smoking especially in young adults with a new study reveals.
Research led by Manchester Metropolitan University found that young adults who vape regularly experience the same level of breathlessness and reduced cardiovascular health as traditional smokers. The findings are published in ERJ Open Research, challenge the popular belief that e-cigarettes are a safe alternative to tobacco.
The study monitored 75 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 30, dividing them equally into three groups: vapers, smokers and non-users. After tracking their habits for at least 18 months researchers tested the participants on exercise bikes.
The results showed that vapers and smokers performed identically poorly compared to non-users. Vapers scored 42% lower on blood vessel function closely mirroring the 44% drop seen in smokers. Overall fitness levels for both groups were about 15% lower than those of non-users with participants tiring and becoming breathless much faster.
Dr. Azmy Faisal, the study’s lead author stated that vaping directly leads to harmful cardiovascular changes and significantly reduces lung efficiency during physical exertion.
This data aligns with growing international health concerns. Recently, South Korean scientists found that switching from smoking to vaping does not significantly reduce lung cancer risks compared to quitting entirely.
While health guidelines have historically framed vaping as a "less harmful" stepping stone to quitting tobacco experts warn that the normalization of the habit poses a serious public health threat. In Britain, the number of vapers surpassed traditional smokers last year with almost one in five teenagers having tried e-cigarettes.
In response to the rising health risks the UK government introduced a ban on disposable vapes last June and passed legislation prohibiting the sale of vapes to anyone under 18. Researchers now plan to use MRI scans to further investigate exactly how e-cigarettes damage the heart, lungs and muscles.
