Why Consumers Should Pass on the Vitamin Vape Trend

Vaping cartridges that contain vitamins, herbs, or essential oils are advertised to boost energy or calm the mind, among other health claims. Some are even promoted as an alternative to traditional cigarettes or nicotine-containing vapes. However, experts warn that this new vape trend is just the latest trick by the vape industry to hook new users under the guise of wellness.

Experts have been debating the potential public health impacts of nicotine-containing E-cigarettes or vapes since they first hit the United States market in 2006. While e-cigarette vapor has fewer toxic substances than tobacco smoke, it still contains potentially harmful chemicals like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, and, of course, nicotine.

Moreover, since vaping is a relatively new phenomenon, the short and long-term health effects are relatively unknown.

The primary concern has been the popularity of vaping among young people. Though e-cigarette use among teens has declined since 2023, recent Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) data suggests that 1.63 million middle and high school students are still using these products.

Despite a slight downturn in use among youth, data shows that among adults, e-cigarette use is on the rise — increasing from 3.7% in 2020 to 4.5% in 2021. Still, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that 60.1% of adults who currently use e-cigarettes report having plans to quit in the future.

Concerns about the potential health implications of e-cigarettes may play a role in the decline in use reported among teens and the desire to quit among adults. Since quitting can be challenging, some people may seek “healthier” nicotine-free options in an effort to ditch nicotine-containing vapes.

Recently, the vaping industry introduced a new player to the game — nicotine-free vapes that contain vitamins, herbs, or essential oils.

Manufacturers market these products as a healthier option for people who want to quit traditional cigarettes or vapes. Some companies target consumers who don’t currently vape, promoting their products as a way to boost health naturally, help with sleep, and increase energy, among other claims.

However, despite convincing marketing tactics, consumers should be aware that vitamin and essential oil vapes are not the ticket to wellness. Instead, these products may pose significant risks to lung health.

What are ‘wellness’ vapes?

Many vitamin or essential oil vapes look like they belong in a health food store alongside organic gum and candy.

Depending on the product, vitamin vapes marketed as "inhalers" or "vitamin delivery devices" may contain ingredients such as vitamin B12, L-Theanine, melatonin, and herbs like Valerian root and passionflower. Some even include caffeine.

Other vapes, like essential oil-infused products advertised as "flavored air devices," may contain a variety of essential oils depending on the product. This type of vape is battery-free and does not heat the oils like battery-powered aromatherapy vape pens or diffuser sticks, which work like e-cigarettes.

While they can be chock full of "natural" ingredients, these devices don't typically contain nicotine, and many are marketed as a strategy to boost vitamin intake or as a "safer" alternative to cigarettes and traditional nicotine vapes.

However, despite the multitude of health assertions and alluring packaging, vitamin and essential oil vapes may carry serious health consequences and are not a safe alternative to traditional e-cigarettes nor the gateway to health and wellness as manufacturers advertise.

Vitamin vape safety

While recent research suggests that lungs can absorb nutrients from the air, the safety of vaping vitamins is virtually unknown.

For example, most studies investigating vitamin inhalation were conducted in the 1950s and 1960s, and these focused on vitamin B12 distributed via a nebulizer, not a heating device.

Even back then, scientists had doubts about this practice. The study authors of one paper published in 1967 concluded that inhaling B12 is not superior to injections and, therefore, is considered to have no therapeutic application. The scientists also noted that inhaling vitamin B12 could potentially induce lung damage.

While the FDA doesn't regulate vitamin or essential oil vapes like food or drugs, the Agency has issued warning letters to several "wellness" vape manufacturers over the years due to unproven wellness claims. These include:

• Eagle Energy USA, Inc., for "Caffeine Pen" products
• NV Nutrition LLC for "Vaporizer" and "diffuser" products
• VitaCig, Inc. for "VitaCig" products
• Vitamin Vape, Inc. for “B12 VITAMINVAPE”
• VitaStik, Inc. for “VitaStik” products

Along with unproven health claims, the FDA says the ingredients in these vaping products may cause breathing difficulties, coughing, and potentially permanent lung damage.

Are essential oil vapes safe?

According to the American Lung Association, essential oil vapes are particularly concerning since they are oil-based products. When a person vapes essential oils, the vaping device heats the oily plant extracts to a point where they form an aerosol, which enters the lungs and is absorbed by the bloodstream.

However, the chemical composition of the essential oil can change during this heating process, creating harmful VOCs. These compounds can cause lung irritation and inflammation, resulting in symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Although rare, vaping essential oils could potentially lead to lipoid pneumonia, a severe lung condition caused by inhaling oil-based substances.

Since the FDA does not regulate essential oil products, the quality of oils used by essential oil vape manufacturers is not guaranteed. Moreover, some people may be sensitive to specific oils and could experience an allergic reaction after inhaling them.

Brian Townsend, a retired Supervisory Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and founder and principal of Eagle 6 Training, tells Wellnesspulse that vaping vitamins is not an effective way to deliver nutrients to the body. Moreover, there is no evidence that essential oil vapes are an effective alternative to smoking.

Townsend asserts that these products are not safe and pose several health concerns.

"Essential oils are highly concentrated and can be toxic when heated and inhaled (which is exactly what vaping is)," Townsend explains. "They can cause severe lung inflammations and chemical pneumonia and even produce dangerous compounds when heated. There are reports these have caused asthma attacks and difficulty breathing."

Wellness vapes are the latest tricks of the vaping industry trade

In a 2019 editorial published in the American Journal of Public Health, scientists warn that marketing vitamin vaping products as healthy represents a potentially new phase in misleading e-cigarette advertising.

"In the past, e-cigarette companies claimed that their products were less harmful than cigarettes or even completely harmless, but now some marketers are positioning their products as health-promoting on the basis of unsubstantiated claims," the authors wrote.

Townsend is concerned that some company's marketing tactics may target young people looking for "healthier" alternatives to traditional vapes or those influenced by wellness trends.

Vitamin and essential oil vapes are the latest tricks by the vaping industry to hook new users — especially young people — under the guise of wellness. They use trendy packaging, make false claims, market to young people, and are doing everything they can to trick young people and hide the risks.

-Townsend

Townsend adds that these products are unproven and potentially dangerous and recommends that consumers be aware of the risks and not purchase them.

"In my opinion, the safest way to consume vitamins is through your diet. Second, supplements. Vaping doesn't make my list," Townsend concludes. "If you want to stop smoking, talk to a professional or look at the proven alternatives."

The bottom line on wellness vapes

While vitamin and essential oil vape companies claim their products have many health benefits, none of these claims are proven. Since research is limited, and it's unclear what the short- and long-term health effects may be, consumers might want to steer clear of trendy "wellness" vape products.

People who want to quit traditional cigarettes or nicotine-containing vapes should also consider avoiding this trend, as these products are not a "healthier" alternative. Instead, making an appointment with a healthcare provider to discuss strategies to quit, which may include FDA-approved smoking cessation products, might be a better option for overall health.