A new study indicates vaping increases the level of zinc in the body, suggesting that e-cigarettes and cardiovascular disease are more closely linked than among cigarette smokers.

Prue Talbot, professor of cell biology at the University of California Riverside, led the team of researchers that compared biomarkers and metal concentrations in the urine of e-cigarette users, nonsmokers and cigarette smokers.

Biomarkers reflect exposure, effect and potential harm of a substance.

“Our study found e-cigarette users are exposed to increased concentrations of potentially harmful levels of metals — especially zinc — that are correlated to elevated oxidative DNA damage,” Talbot told TechnologyNetworks.com.

The study was published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research. It is the first study to examine and quantify urinary biomarkers’ effect and potential harm from metals in e-cigarette devices.

An electronic cigarette runs on a battery. Atomizers heat the vaping juice, also known e-liquid. The resulting aerosol – the “vape” – comes from the metal parts of the atomizer, which sends contaminants into the lungs of users.

Despite many youth believing they are only inhaling water vapor, they are actually inhaling an aerosol made up of tiny particles, says the American Cancer Society. Those particles include other metals besides zinc. Tin, aluminum, copper and others may be used in the manufacture of e-cigarettes. When heated, the metal particles can mix with the aerosol.

Researchers said the study shows that e-cigarettes are not risk-free and that repetitive use could cause disease.

Zinc is a dietary nutrient, but too much of it can cause oxidative stress of cells, leading to DNA damage. Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), coronary heart disease, pulmonary damage, lung cancer and leukemia can be side effects of too much zinc in the body.

The right amount of zinc helps with cellular growth, immune function and wound healing.

Initial signs of too much zinc can include pronounced intestinal discomfort, nausea, diarrhea and headaches.

E-cigarettes and Cardiovascular Disease Fears

According to the American Cancer Society,e-cigarettes may contain some of these ingredients:

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are organic chemicals that easily become vapors or gases. VOCs can cause short-term side effects including eye irritation, throat and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual problems and memory issues. Long-term exposure may cause nausea, fatigue, loss of coordination, cancer and damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s Tox Town website.
• Flavoring Chemicals: Certain flavoring chemicals are more dangerous than others. Some e-juice flavors contain an artificial butter flavoring called diacetyl, which was linked to the development of “popcorn lung” among employees at microwave popcorn manufacturing plants. The medical term for this lung disease is bronchiolitis obliterans.
• Formaldehyde: Linked to cancer development, formaldehyde may be produced when an e-liquid becomes too hot or when not enough liquid is getting to the heating element, a circumstance called “dry-puff.”
• Nicotine is the addictive chemical found in cigarettes and e-cigarettes. According to the American Cancer Society, Juul brand e-liquids contain a much higher volume of nicotine per puff than some other brands.

E-cigarettes and cardiovascular disease will continue to be studied because vaping and e-cigarettes have not been around that long, and record numbers of middle school and high school students throughout the country have become addicted to the new-fangled nicotine delivery system.