Puffs, these single-use electronic cigarettes with sweet tastes and colorful packaging, have more than 12 million consumers in the United States. However, according to a recent American study, puffs can cause inflammation in the brain, colon and damage the tissues of the heart.
Sweet tastes, colorful packaging, all ready to use. The puffs have everything to please and attract a young clientele. Among the 12 million American consumers, 18-24 year olds are particularly represented, note researchers from the University of California at San Diego. The latter have studied the effects of these cigarettes on health. They focused on the JUUL LABS brand, one “of the most popular companies in the business.
To carry out their study, the specialists exposed mice to JUUL brand products three times a day for three months. The particularly popular mint and mango flavors were chosen for the experience.
Neuroinflammation
In their study published in the journal e-life, the specialists find that “daily inhalation of JUUL for 3 months is associated with neuroinflammation”. The area of the brain particularly concerned is the nucleus accumbens, “a region of the brain essential for motivation and the processing of rewards”, specify the specialists.
“Many JUUL users are teenagers or young adults whose brains are still developing, so it’s quite terrifying to learn what can be going on in their brains considering how it might affect their mental health and behavior at long-term,” said Dr. Laura Crotty Alexander, associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and author of the study.
The researchers noted inflammation in the colon, “which could increase the risk of gastrointestinal disease”, they explain. In contrast, the heart shows reduced levels of inflammatory markers. According to the authors, this could make heart tissue more vulnerable to infection.
Distinct effects depending on the flavor
The inflammatory response of the organs concerned is different depending on the tastes tested. “The hearts of mice that inhaled mint aerosols were significantly more sensitive to the effects of bacterial pneumonia than those that inhaled mango aerosols,” the researchers explain.
“If a person who frequently uses menthol-flavored JUUL e-cigarettes were infected with COVID-19, their body may react differently to the infection,” Laura Crotty Alexander warns. “This shows us that chemical aromas themselves also cause pathological changes,” concludes the specialist.