death and menthol

[notime4nooky]

does menthol juice crystallize in the lungs the same way menthol cigarettes do? i read a stat somewhere that menthol smokers die on average, 10 years earlier than comparable non-menthol smokers, do to the menthol crystals becoming lodged in the alveoli and bronchial tubes, and growing, damaging the lungs, and making them more susceptible to bronchitis, asthma, emphysema and cancer. if this is true, y wouldn't the menthol liquid behave in the same way, causing similar negative effects?

 

[phunky_guido]

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[xg4bx]

I'm no doctor but maybe it has something to do with the way the menthol and tar,etc combine and are carried into the lungs.

 

[KILLERkpd]

I would not think that the menthol would crystallize in your lungs. My only real reason for this is the body's internal temperature might not be conducive to having the menthol change it's state to a solid....from a gas....

Of course I could be totally wrong....

But I would olove some confirmation either way, I smoked menthols my whole life and I vape only menthol now....

 

[JonnyVapΣ]

I vape a lot of menthol myself and I DIY my own juices. One thing I have noticed on my concentrated liquid menthol flavorings is that it tends to crystallize under the caps. I haven't noticed this in dilution, though. I also haven''t noticed any buildup at all in any of my cartomizers or atomizers. I would also like to see a definitive (not speculative) answer on the effects of menthol in lungs.

 

[StormFinch]

Here's what I've found so far;

The pharmacological effect of menthol on the respiratory tract
has also been studied. In a 71-79-day study with young albino Sherman
rats, inhalation of (-)-menthol vapour at 0.087, 0.15, or 0.26 ppm
caused no gross changes. Histological examination showed effects on
lung tissue only at the highest dose, at which irritation also
occurred (Rakieten et al., 1954).

and;

Menthol has been tested in humans mainly for its potential
pharmaceutical properties, such as enhancement of lung and airway
volume (e.g. Bowen & Cubbin, 1992). The usual human oral dose is
60-120 mg menthol per person. It can be estimated from unreferenced
citations in pharmaceutical texts, such as Gleason et al. (1969), that
the lethal human dose is 50-500 mg/kg bw. In section 2.1.1, the
maximum doses tested were 180 mg (Kaffenberger & Doyle, 1990) and 1 g
(Quick, 1928).

The airway hyperresponsiveness of 23 human subjects with chronic
mild asthma was tested by use of a nebulizer containing menthol twice
a day for four weeks. As measured by expiratory flow rates, vital
capacity, and forced expiratory volume, menthol improved airway
hyperresponsiveness at doses as low as 20 mg (Tamaoki et al., 1995).

from 930. Menthol (WHO Food Additives Series 42)

 

[t9c]

Stormfinch, those statements seem to indicate that menthols may actually be good for vaping, huh? That's certainly good news for me as I get asthmatic this time of year for the last few years. I've got some menthol flavoring; think I'll be whuping up a small test batch tonight.

EDIT- I vaped about 6 hits of a 10% menthol in 80% PG/10% VG mixture after which I had a good lung cough that expelled a bit of phlegm similar to what I get after 2 shots on my emergency inhaler. Good news!

 

[JonnyVapΣ]

That's pretty awesome!
Can't wait to take a big menthol hit this winter while snowblowin my driveway when it's 4 below...LOL

 

[illuxion]

being as menthol comes in bulk in crystalline form, its a possibility for it to recrystallize.

 

[5cardstud]

You know that's odd because when they came out with menthol it was called a medicated cigarette and supposed to be better for you. I remember, when I was young, my neighbor had some that were labeled as medicated.

 

[LowThudd]

being as menthol comes in bulk in crystalline form, its a possibility for it to recrystallize.

Not as I see it. I have some menthol drops I made, and the Air conditioning does cause it to crystalize. However, after sitting on my laptop keyboard for an hour or so it is completely liquified, and no warmer than human body temp. FWIW, I have never heard of menthol crystalizing in the lungs before, but I have heard of and experienced lung damage(often called crystalization) from smoking clove cigarettes. Also, the amounts of menthol they were testing on humans in the stated examples or what about 100mls of e-juice might have in it. I vape alot, but the most I've gone through in a day of any e-juice is 10mls. To make 10mls of highly concentrated menthol drops takes 1/8th OZ of crystals. And that high of a concentrated menthol only requires a few drops in 10ml of juice to make a nice strong menthol/tobacco flavor.

 

[illuxion]

this is the scary stuff I'm talking of menthol crystals - Google Search I have a bag of crystals that I played with trying to make some super menthol smokes as well as some other menthol flavored smoking substances lol. I got some bulk tabacco and broke the crystals down with with distilled water then heated it to get enough menthol in there to super saturate it. After it cooled I drizzled the solution like a light vinaigrette on the tobacco then sun dried it. A few times the solution freaked out and instantly crystallized. My first batch I used way too much and it made me gag when I tried to smoke it, eventually I just gave up lol.

 

[LowThudd]

this is the scary stuff I'm talking of menthol crystals - Google Search I have a bag of crystals that I played with trying to make some super menthol smokes as well as some other menthol flavored smoking substances lol. I got some bulk tabacco and broke the crystals down with with distilled water then heated it to get enough menthol in there to super saturate it. After it cooled I drizzled the solution like a light vinaigrette on the tobacco then sun dried it. A few times the solution freaked out and instantly crystallized. My first batch I used way too much and it made me gag when I tried to smoke it, eventually I just gave up lol.

Again though, in a liquid solution w/ no tar in it. This is a completely different situation. I also have no doubt that if I tried to vape straight menthol drops, not only would it not be healthy, but it would burn the crap out of my throat. Completely different analogy.

 

[StormFinch]

Menthol found in some inhalers and especially in the nicotrol and nicorette brands. It's also found in some nasal sprays.

The FDA is currently putting menthol cigarettes under the microscope. If they can find enough ammo, menthols will be removed from the market. I would imagine that if the rumors about crystallization were true, they would have already jumped on it.

If it still bothers someone though, peppermint is a perfect substitute, since it's one of the mints that natural menthol can be derived from.

@t9c; Glad to know that menthol is working for you.

 

[KILLERkpd]

That's pretty awesome!
Can't wait to take a big menthol hit this winter while snowblowin my driveway when it's 4 below...LOL

LOL, I love doing that, it definitely wakes you up!!!

 

[notime4nooky]

Menthol found in some inhalers and especially in the nicotrol and nicorette brands. It's also found in some nasal sprays.

The FDA is currently putting menthol cigarettes under the microscope. If they can find enough ammo, menthols will be removed from the market. I would imagine that if the rumors about crystallization were true, they would have already jumped on it.

If it still bothers someone though, peppermint is a perfect substitute, since it's one of the mints that natural menthol can be derived from.

@t9c; Glad to know that menthol is working for you.

not necessarily. it seems that the BIG TOBACCO companies get what they want for the most part. if there is a demand they r allowed to sell whatever. as for the several billion dollars they have paid out in settlements that is just a tiny drop in their collective buckets. afterall even after they were "discovered" to cause cancer in the 60's, BT was still allowed to not only sell cigarettes, but were allowed to add the chemicals which contain the 1600+ toxic compounds. the scum.
but i digress. sorry for the diatribe.
peppermint is a descent replacement, though too sweet naturally for my taste.

 

[StormFinch]

Well whether the BT is able to pull this one off or not, there have been tons of studies reviewed and commissioned by a FDA scientific panel since 2009, and what was to have been their final meeting was held on the 8th and 9th of this month. The investigation was required by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, and the panel has until March 2011 to report their findings to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. They've looked at everything from the effects of menthol on smoking and physiology to the ever popular "does menthol increase the rate of youth smokers". If this was all the FDA's doing I'd say that BT would win hands down, but with the FSPTCA involved, I'm not so sure.

I do DIY peppermint which isn't sweet at all unless I add sweetener or Maltol to it. The premixed straight mints I've had from several suppliers aren't really sweet either, so those might be an option for someone worried about menthol but looking for a non sweet flavor.

 

[Neon]

I found that Menthol crystals WILL form again if left in the fridge. I started dissolving the crystals in vodka first and then I add it to the mix. I have not seen any crystals form since.

I used to dissolve them in PG but found that vodka is best.

Neon.

 

[Buckeye Gal]

You do all realize that menthol in cigarettes "recrystallizing" in the lungs is a myth. Google it if you don't believe me.