Sorbitol?

[SuziesMom]

Has anyone else tried using sorbitol along with glycerin to make DIY juices? It's similar to glycerin, but it pulls more water from the air than glycerin does. By itself it doesn't really vape, but a little bit along with glycerin is really nice.

I did some research, and I think it's safe to inhale- or at least as safe as VG or PG. I saw a study where they were using it as a vehicle in inhalers, but that's just a few short duration hits- not like vaping all day.

Yesterday I cut some 100 mg/ml juice down to 15 mg with a mixture that was about 90% VG, and 10% sorbitol. Today I'm loving it. The harshness of the throat hit is gone, I don't have cotton mouth, my lungs feel great. I don't feel dehydrated the same way I did with just VG juice.

Has anyone else tried it? I know there are some medical folks here- is what I'm doing stupid or dangerous?

 

[NCC]

I haven't tried it. But, I'm eager to hear other responses. Thanks for posting.

 

[Krisb]

sorbitol is pretty sweet, too, right?

 

[SuziesMom]

Yes, it's a little bit sweeter than glycerin- but not sugary sweet. The lab that I work in uses it because it's not as thick or sticky as glycerin. Glycerin has a tendency to pull moisture from your body if you live in a dry climate, but sorbitol doesn't- it's what gave me the idea.

 

[Nightseer]

I don't actually know, but I was under the impression that sorbitol was bad for you in large ammounts?

 

[SuziesMom]

Eating a lot of it can cause a laxative effect- the same way glycerin, or any sugar alcohol can. It takes about 20 grams a day to produce that effect. At the rate that I vape I'll inhale about .1 grams a day- or less.

 

[NCC]

Sorbitol is used as a base for many sugarless candies.

Sorbitol is a sugar substitute. It may be listed under the inactive ingredients listed for some foods and products. Sorbitol is referred to as a nutritive sweetener because it provides dietary energy: 2.6 kilocalories (11 kilojoules) per gram versus the average 4 kilocalories (17 kilojoules) for carbohydrates. It is often used in diet foods (including diet drinks and ice cream), mints, cough syrups, and sugar-free chewing gum.

It also occurs naturally in many stone fruits and berries from trees of the genus Sorbus.

I seem to be unusually intolerant of the taste of most artificial and low calorie sweeteners, including sucralose. But, sorbitol doesn't give me that nasty taste in my mouth like the others do.
Thus, my interest in it with regard to vaping.

 

[TL1000RSquid]

Sounds interesting might give it a go in my DIY mixes, its available in Walmart or Michaels?

 

[SuziesMom]

You might be able to get it at Walgreens or a drug store. Give me a few more days to see if I die from doing this- I'll report back!

 

[TL1000RSquid]

Ok If we don't hear back in 5 days cross it off the shopping list

 

[asti]

Just took a gander for it, seems readily available - theres seems to be two different kinds, an alcohol based one and another is artificially produced...? the prices are a little odd though, lol seems to be quite the range lets say...

 

[TL1000RSquid]

Just took a gander for it, seems readily available - theres seems to be two different kinds, an alcohol based one and another is artificially produced...? the prices are a little odd though, lol seems to be quite the range lets say...

Mostly ranging $4-$10 for 16oz it looks like, I see it listed as a 70% solution and a syrup, I'm guessing the solution is the correct one?

 

[SuziesMom]

The jug that I have is labeled sorbitol...it's USP, and we use it topically in the lab, so I hadn't put much thought into the other forms. I have an email into the supplier to see what exactly is in the jug.

Still breathing BTW

 

[Krisb]

LOL, laxative effect, yes! I'm a nurse and I've used it at the nursing homes quite a bit, LOL (just never tasted it myself). Quite curious, this may be a great idea. I would give 30ml/d, but that's ingested, not inhaled...hmmm

 

[whiskey]

How will this effect the atomizers???

 

[Springbird]

Try reposting this in the DIY subforum. There are some folks over there who might be able to give you their opinion.

 

[debb]

How will this effect the atomizers???

i am curious too...

 

[Krisb]

NCC, your avatar is umm...disturbing, LMAO

 

[SuziesMom]

Reporting back!
I'm in love with sorbitol. I started vaping a week ago Sunday, so I don't have a whole lot of experience with vaping in general. I do formulate products for a living, so that part, I'm good at, but vaping is very new to me.

For me, the sorbitol has been the difference between vaping and not vaping. The regular VG juice just feels dehydrating (pg doesn't work at all for me- it burns too much)- the juice made with sorbitol is yummy, and smooth. There's almost no throat hit- I know a lot of people like the throat hit, but I'm not a fan. I won't vape anything without sorbitol in it.

Safety wise- it's used as a vehicle in some inhalers, as a humectant in some analogs, as a flavoring for candy, and as an enema. When you think about it- that's some pretty delicate tissue, so if it's safe to use in that way, I think it's safe to use for vaping.

Our bodies actually make sorbitol as well. I was worried about too much causing lung edema, but at our usage rates, I think we're fine. It takes a lot to cause that. I vape about 3 ml per day- so it's about .3 ml of sorbitol- less than you'd get from a piece of sugarless gum.

I've been using a water based 70% liquid solution at about 10% in all of my juices. It produces huge plumes of vapor, and hasn't clogged an atty. It's a bit thinner than VG, and I don't think it will kill them any faster. Anything over about 10% is relatively pointless, and by itself sorbitol doesn't really vape- it just sort of tastes burned, and produces almost no vapor. There's something about the combination of the VG and the sorbitol that produces more vapor than just regular VG.

So, if you're healthy, don't like a huge throat hit, find regular juices to be dehydrating, and you can find some sorbitol I recommend trying it. I'm really hesitant to suggest this to anyone who has any sort of health issues- diabetes, and heart issues- especially congestive heart failure because it is sort of experimental right now.

Suppliers- maybe it's something to look into a bit further? DH, and a coworker tried my 501 with a commercial juice just after I started- both of them coughed, and didn't like it. With some of my ejuice they're converts.

 

[asti]

Glad to see your still kickin' suziesmom!
Thanks for being the guinea vaper and for coming up with the idea, sounds like a good one!