E-Cigarettes Alter Your Body's Vital Organs, UC San Diego Research Finds

Researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine have found that e-cigarettes alter the state of multiple organs in the body. According to a report published in eLife this week, the daily use of pod-based e-cigarettes alters inflammation in multiple organ systems including the brain, heart, lungs, and colon.

They also found that effects vary depending on the e-cigarette flavor, and can influence how organs respond to infections like coronavirus, reports City News Service. The study is also the first to examine JUUL devices and their flavorants in a multi-organ fashion.

"These pod-based e-cigarettes have only become popular in the last five or so years, so we don't know much about their long-term effects on health," said Dr. Laura Crotty Alexander, senior study author and associate professor of medicine at UCSD School of Medicine. "Many JUUL users are adolescents or young adults whose brains are still developing, so it's pretty terrifying to learn what may be happening in their brains considering how this could affect their mental health and behavior down the line."

Researchers saw the most striking effect in the brain, where several inflammatory markers were elevated in the brain region critical for motivation and reward processing. This is especially concerning since inflammation in the region has been linked to anxiety, depression, and addictive behaviors.

To read the full report, click here.