People Are Now Using E-Cigarettes To Vape Their Vitamins

Forget smoking nicotine, cannabis, and even Viagra. The latest fad is to vape vitamins. That's right – the tobacco industry is now rebranding itself with a new, "healthy" image to appeal to a wellness-orientated generation.

When e-cigs first hit the market, they were sold as healthy alternatives to traditional cigarettes with one study in 2015 claiming they were "around 95 percent less harmful". The jury is still well linked to inflammation, cancer, immune system repression, and windpipe damage.

And so, while the consensus is that they are probably better for you than regular cigarettes, the vaping industry is changing tack. Eucalyptus is now selling concoctions made from vitamins and essential oils, and skipping nicotine.

So, what's the medical verdict?

"To me, [using vitamins and nutrients] is a marketing ploy to sell this product and make it look healthier. Consumers associate vitamins with health, "Regan Bailey, a nutritional epidemiologist at Purdue University, told Scientific American. These products might be completely safe, but they might not be. We know literally nothing about the safety or efficacy of inhaling vitamins. "

Even the vape companies discuss the relative merits (and safety) of inhaling different vitamins, picking and choosing scientific studies like they are at your local booth at your local cineplex.

Take George Michalopoulos, who started his vitamin to provide vitamin B supplements to vegans like himself. He told Scientific American he does not specifically include vitamin D in his products because "inhalation of vitamin D might be toxic".

Avi Kwitel, who is co-founder and CEO of Sparq, thinks differently. Vitamin D is incorporated into his products because of research he says shows that "inhaling vitamin D is a potential promising and safe strategy". That was one study – and it was on neonatal rats.

The moral of the story? There is not enough evidence to either prove or disprove the health benefits (and dangers) of inhaling various vitamins but it is not worth the risk. The language used by these companies in the field of health and nutrition – wave, misleading, and sometimes downright false statements as scientifically credible facts.

For example, Michalopoulos' companies, Breathe and VitaminVape, even include a "science" page, which makes various unsubstantiated claims like "vitamin B12 is NOT sensitive to the heat associated with vaporizing" and "[B12 inhalation] is more efficient than pill absorption, and comparable only to injections. "

As always, the best way to make sure you are getting daily doses of vitamins is to eat them, as in the case of vitamin d, get some sunlight, unless you are specifically told to take them by your medical practitioner (ie you have a deficiency or are pregnant). Most healthy adults should be able to get the nutrients they need through their diet, not through pills, not through IV drip, and definitely not through vaping. Let's just say, it's incredibly telling when even Dr. Oz – known for his endorsement of certain questionable "health" practices – is telling readers "Do not be fooled!"

[H/T: Scientific American]