The use of e-liquids is growing in popularity. There are hundreds of vaping products to meet the increased demand. While vaping offers a healthier alternative to smoking tobacco, some e-liquids may contain harmful chemicals and pose a risk to your health. If you want to avoid respiratory issues and health complications, look for the use of specific additives to choose the safest vaping liquids on the market.
Popcorn Lung Is a Type of Lung Infection
Popcorn lung is another name for bronchiolitis. It is a lung infection common among infants. However, studies determined adults can develop bronchiolitis from exposure to a chemical used as an additive in food products and vaping liquids. The additive you want to avoid is called diacetyl.
Symptoms of bronchiolitis include coughing and difficulty breathing. While the condition typically goes away on its own within two or three weeks, those with respiratory issues may experience more severe symptoms.
Pay Attention to the Contents of the Liquid
If you want to know which eliquids to avoid, look at the contents of vaping liquids. The primary ingredients are often listed in the product description. There are safe ingredients found in most liquids as well as a few ingredients you may want to avoid.
Most liquids are created with a combination of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG). Both ingredients are completely safe and responsible for creating the smooth base for the vaping liquid. Flavours are added to this base. This includes both natural and artificial flavours such as blueberry, red cherry, vanilla, peach, and even cheesecake.
Avoid Harmful Additives in Vaping Liquids
Additives are generally used to add flavour to food products, including vaping liquids. While examining the ingredients, look for the use of specific additives that are potentially harmful to vapers. The additives to pay attention to include diacetyl, acetoin, and acetyl propionyl.
Most of the liquids currently available do not contain diacetyl. The chemical was originally used to provide microwave popcorn with its buttery flavour. Doctors now know that a high level of exposure to diacetyl over a prolonged period can cause bronchiolitis. This condition is often referred to as popcorn lung.
The use of diacetyl was often replaced with acetoin or acetyl propionyl as vaping companies became aware of this condition. The safety of these two additives is unknown. However, vapers who want the healthiest products tend to avoid these chemicals. Small amounts of diacetyl may appear when acetoin or acetyl propionyl is used and potentially still poses a health risk.
Purchase your liquids from a trusted vaping company to avoid the use of diacetyl and other potentially harmful additives. Examine the contents of the liquids and look for healthy products containing a blend of PG, VG, and natural flavours.