A germ-killing vapor

[frankie1]

dee5: Hook em up with 0 nic mentholyptus from Decadent Vapors! LOL that outta get rid of those sniffles!

 

[leaford]

I thought that with the advent of the flu season it would be a good idea to keep bumping this thread so as to keep the benefits of vaping foremost in our minds. I started vaping in March and normally by now I would have had some kind of respiratory illness at least once since then. So far, I'm good! Colds and flu have come and gone in my household and at work and in the past being a smoker would have put me at the front of the line to get sick too but I haven't. It's so galling to believe that we have found a simple remedy (can't say c***) for one of the worlds dread diseases and it isn't recognized as such by any government or health organization. We just have to spread the word ourselves people! I think I will get some PG just to have on hand so my family can vape next time they get sick.

Nice thought, but while it may help cut down on the airborne viral and bacterial load, most cold and flu viruses are spread via contact, either through contaminated surfaces infected persons have touched, or by contact with airborne microdroplets coughed or sneezed out by infected persons. PG wouldn't help with either of those, only with pathogens that are themselves airborne.

My advice, get the vaccine. I did. No way I was going to chance getting influenza in China.

interesting "From previous clinical trials with aerosolized CsA propylene
glycol (CsA-PG), it has been concluded that a CsA-PG
peripheral lung deposition of approximately 5 mg or higher
would be beneficial in preservation of lung function..."
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. - Cookie absent

Your link was broken, was it this study, by any chance? Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. - Journal of Aerosol Medicine - 20(4):417

 

[Vocalek]

Just received this from FDA Medwatch:

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Please find attached the Dear Healthcare Professional letter from Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of Food and Drugs, thanking healthcare providers for their efforts during the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak. The letter also addresses questions of vaccine safety and availability. [/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Maybe we should let her know that vaping PG may help prevent the flu?[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]
[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]

 

[bassn99]

Well, I just have to chime in on this one. When I smoked ananlogs, I have a minimum of 6-8 sinus infections a years. Usually starting around Sept when the weather starts to change a little on the cooler side. It may be because I stopped the analogs, or it may be the vaping. Who knows, who the heck cares, all I know is it's now November and I have not had a sinus infection. I do tend to sneeze a lot more since starting to vape and maybe that keeps them clear........... Just saying

 

[leaford]

Just received this from FDA Medwatch:

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Please find attached the Dear Healthcare Professional letter from Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of Food and Drugs, thanking healthcare providers for their efforts during the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak. The letter also addresses questions of vaccine safety and availability. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Maybe we should let her know that vaping PG may help prevent the flu?[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]

Yeah, I like to mention that to people too, but realistically most viruses are passed by contact, and PG only reduces airborne infections. So, nice thought, but let's not go prime-time with it.

 

[ZeroNullity]

That's good info.... There still needs to be long term testing. Also it doesn't mean it will have the same effects in humans.... Just like chocolate to dogs. There needs to be more precise long term testing of all the chemicals found in e-liquid that could/would be added.... in vapor form.

 

[Katmar]

Then how do we explain the earlier studies regarding PG and viruses?

 

[Nestran]

What about the effect of PG in your body? Does it help inhibit the virus from spreading, giving your body an edge to fight it?

There have been 3 rounds of illness at work so far this year and I have been touched twice. But rather than get sick, I would start to feel symptoms for a day and the next day feel fine.

I WILL credit this partially to not smoking but I also think PG may be playing a part here. There are plenty of non smokers here that did get sick and I am a Supervisor so I have MUCH more interaction then the staff.

In the past I was guaranteed to get sick at least once out of 3 passes.

Just saying.

Nestran

 

[e-pipeman]

I hope nobody's saying that an e-cig will ward off the common cold because I vape all the time (except when asleep) and my nose has decided that its new role in life will be outrunning a fast-flowing fountain. Bah humbug!

 

[leaford]

Then how do we explain the earlier studies regarding PG and viruses?

Explain what? They showed reduction of airborne pathogen counts, and in airborne infections. It IS an effective anti-septic against airborne viruses. But the flu mostly spreads by contact. Different transmission method.

 

[leaford]

What about the effect of PG in your body? Does it help inhibit the virus from spreading, giving your body an edge to fight it?

I wouldn't really expect it to. Basically it acts on viruses and bacteria that are suspended in the air, killing them before you can inhale them. I can't see how it could have an active effect on pathogens already in your body. It gets absorbed by the lungs, and metabolized into phyrric acid and lactic acid, it doesn't circulate through your system.

And let's also remember, in the studies they were pumping lots of PG into the rooms through the ventilations systems. They were using FAR greater quantities than we are dealing with.

These studies go a LONG way towards proving PG safe to inhale, but the germ-killing properties are more of a small extra bonus, rather than anything we should really expect to practically benefit from.

 

[Brandonl]

Really clears the air on what everything does no pun-intended

 

[Nestran]

Yeah, I don't know enough about all of the medical so my 2c on it is really just that.

 

[Scooter Bob]

I have just spent a lot of time reading about tooth regeneration, tooth looseness and causes of gum disease, and one of the things repeatedly warned against was glycerine, which is added to most toothpastes. Glycerine supposedly leaves a coating on the tooth and pushes away the gum line. I've been vaping for about 4 months, using PG based juice, and draw off of the right side of my mouth, now I notice that I have more recession of the gum line on those teeth right in line with the vapor during draw. Another thing brought up again and again is the drying out conditions in the mouth causing gum hygiene to suffer, and we all know that vaping does dehydrate you. As much as I hate to ask a counter productive question about vaping, "Is it attacking out teeth and gums, especially the VG base?" If so, is there methods to counteract whatever dings the vapor might inflict?

I know it's a bad time to be suggesting anything but the positive of vaping and health, but I had to ask this question. Bob

 

[leaford]

It's a darn good question. I don't have an answer for it. I haven't noticed any receeding gums. Does anyone else know anything about this?

 

[ChrisC85]

Read the entire post, way too tired but couldn't stop reading. Trying to get used to my e-cig, and I'm not fully switched over to it yet.

I read a couple of posts that caught my eye. In the discussion of whether or not PG can help prevent disease, I think Tropical Bob has more than shown adequate evidence to support that idea. However, more than one user reported becoming sick when a person that they lived with brought the agent home with them.

It appears to me that the germicidal effect of PG only helps to prevent airborne transmissions of infectious bacteria and virii (sp?), Which isn't to say that airborne transmission is impossible, just that it is less likely for someone inhaling PG vapors. ie, what about between puffs, if someone were to cough on you. The woman that said she got sick from her husband, likely had close personal contact with him, sleeping in the same bed, sharing a bathroom, sex, etc.

So I suppose, reading this thread that PG vapors can be shown to reduce the incidence of airborne transmission of infectious agents, especially in a crowded or confined space, and it appears that it is more effective the higher the concentration of PG, but its still a good idea to keep your lips off your loved ones if you ARE sick already

PS - I'd also second a request to see if other e-liquids that produce much more visible vapor have a higher concentration of PG exhaled by the "vaper"

 

[ChrisC85]

I would imagine that for an e-cig user to be fully protected from airborne transmission of a bacteria or virus they would have to use the personal vaporizer at a very regular interval, and to be protected they would have to use it everywhere, and more than a few bars frown on "vaping."

I still smoke mine like a traditional cigarette, taking several puffs and then leaving it be for a while..

for the germicidal effects to work there would have to be at least one person in the bar/on the plane/pick-any-enclosed-space to be vaping, exhaling enough PG to sterilize the air of that space (enough to keep the PG concentration at 5 PPM, or whatever it was). but I love that my e-cig has some apparent benefit, other than being a nicotine delivery system which keeps, among other things, arsenic and ammonia out of my lungs

 

[Pendarus]

I have just spent a lot of time reading about tooth regeneration, tooth looseness and causes of gum disease, and one of the things repeatedly warned against was glycerine, which is added to most toothpastes. Glycerine supposedly leaves a coating on the tooth and pushes away the gum line. I've been vaping for about 4 months, using PG based juice, and draw off of the right side of my mouth, now I notice that I have more recession of the gum line on those teeth right in line with the vapor during draw. Another thing brought up again and again is the drying out conditions in the mouth causing gum hygiene to suffer, and we all know that vaping does dehydrate you. As much as I hate to ask a counter productive question about vaping, "Is it attacking out teeth and gums, especially the VG base?" If so, is there methods to counteract whatever dings the vapor might inflict?

I know it's a bad time to be suggesting anything but the positive of vaping and health, but I had to ask this question. Bob

From another thread about possible dental problems:

Hi everyone. Dr Steel23 here.
I just found this thread and would like to comment. As in all medical fields, there is often a large discrepancy between the "holistic approaches" and true evidence-based clinical practice.

The information you have been reading is, unfortunately, anecdotal at best and drivel at worst. The man with the PhD who preaches it is a joke who I'd guess holds stock in the soap that he wants you to brush with.

Glycerin in toothpaste does NOT recede your gumline or ruin your teeth. Nor does it leach fillings or loosen teeth. Glycerin in oral products is used mainly for its lubricating properties with no ill effect. As one small example, my oral surgeon colleague and I often treat radiation patients suffering extreme dry mouth due to a complete loss of their salivary gland function. We supplement their treatment with a water/glycerine mixture and combined with proper hygiene, their oral improvement is rapid.

But glycerin is not the demon you believe it to be. Your loosening tooth and receding gum line are from other problems. See your dentist.

On the suggest of vaping, I can’t give you long-term data because there is none. I am also unaware that vaping would dehydrate you. But if you insist on vaping and find that it dries your mouth severely, ask your dentist for a bottle of Biotene (which coincidentally, also has PG in it) and rinse with it periodically. It won't hurt you.

Hope this helps.
Steel23