Vaping gets a demerit from research published last week in the journal Radiology.
The small-scale study, conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, found that even a single e-cigarette can be harmful to the body's blood vessels, according to a summary in a news release from the school.
The harm exists even if the vapor is entirely nicotine-free, according to the study.
The researchers came to their conclusion after performing MRI exams on 31 healthy, non-smoking adults before and after vaping a nicotine-free e-cigarette. They discovered reduced blood flow and impaired function in the artery that supplies blood to the thigh and leg.
The e-cig liquid itself may be relatively harmless, principal investigator Dr. Felix W. Wehrli said, but the vaporization process can transform the molecules into toxic substances.
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"Beyond the harmful effects of nicotine, we've shown that vaping has a sudden, immediate effect on the body's vascular function, and could potentially lead to long-term harmful consequences," Wehrli said.
