Vapers And Non-Smokers Have The Same Gut Bacteria, Study Finds

A new study led by researchers from Newcastle University has found that vapers and non-smokers have the same mix of gut bacteria, something that can’t be said for smokers.

The pilot study, which was published in the journal PeerJ, is the first to compare the bacteria found in the digestive tracts of tobacco smokers and electronic cigarette users, the latter of which are sometimes referred to as “vapers” for short.

During the course of their research, the team of researchers behind the study collected samples from 10 vapers, 10 tobacco smokers, and 10 non-smokers used as a control.

With the smokers, the researchers documented significant changes in bacteria in comparison to non-smokers, changes including a loss in Bacteroides, which are a beneficial bacteria. Notably, lower levels of Bacteroides have been previously associated with both obesity as well as Crohn’s disease.

On the other hand, when it came to the vapers, the researchers found no such differences in their analysis as they concluded that the bacteria found in the mouth, saliva, and gut samples of vapers were similar to those of non-smokers.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Christopher Stewart with Newcastle University’s Institute of Cellular Medicine, was quoted by MedicalXpress as having said that while additional research is necessary, “to find that vaping is less-damaging than smoking on our gut bacteria adds to the incentive to change to e-cigarettes and for people to use them as a tool to quit smoking completely.”

“More investigation is needed but to find that vaping is less-damaging than smoking on our gut bacteria adds to the incentive to change to e-cigarettes and for people to use them as a tool to quit smoking completely.”

In other vape news, new evidence suggests that secondhand vapor may very well be harmless.