Electronic Cigarettes May Damage Lung Surfactant Layer

Research has uncovered another health hazard related to electronic cigarettes.

Inhaling electronic cigarette products may harm the critical layer of the lungs known as the surfactant. The surfactant is made up of lipids and proteins and works by reducing surface tension, allowing for effortless breathing. Researchers suggest that without this layer, breathing would require more effort and may even require mechanical assistance.

Ruud Veldhuizen, a scientist and researcher at the Lawson Health Research Institute in Ontario, Canada, stated that while vaping remains popular, little is known about the effects of aerosols entering the lungs.

In a press release from the research institute, he stated that "we have realized that the first thing that steam aerosols come into contact with in the lungs is pulmonary surfactant, which is a field that our team specializes in.

Researchers studied the effects of electronic cigarettes by placing a surfactant film inside a syringe and then using an electronic cigarette device to push aerosol into the syringe.

Next, the steam can directly interact with the surfactant. Researchers simulated inhaling and exhaling steam 30 times in an injector, similar to a standard electronic cigarette session.

Emma Graham, a joint research fellow at the Schuich School of Medicine and the School of Dentistry at Western University in Ontario, Canada, stated, "We're specifically researching surface tension of surfactants. After inhaling electronic cigarettes, we observed high surface tension, suggesting that surfactants may not be as effective in supporting normal lung function.

The team conducted further research on the effects of electronic cigarettes using different devices, flavors, additives, and nicotine.

In the press release, Graham stated that nicotine does not have a worse impact on surface tension of surfactants compared to other e-liquids, but some flavorings such as menthol e-liquids do have such an effect.

Veldhuizen suggests that these findings may indicate why individuals who use e-cigarettes are more prone to lung damage, including those who are infected with respiratory viruses such as COVID-19.

Veldhuizen stated, "We aim to gather this information for the purpose of raising awareness about the potential harm electronic cigarettes may cause to the lungs. Moving forward, we hope to conduct further investigation into the effects of electronic cigarettes on the lungs, as well as identifying treatment options for any resulting injuries." These findings were recently published in the journal PLOS ONE.