Harmful metals in e-cigarettes linked to DNA damage

 E-cigarette users are exposed to increased concentrations of potentially harmful levels of metals that are linked to elevated oxidative DNA damage, a new study has found.

For the study, published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research, researchers found that the biomarkers, which reflect exposure, effect, and potential harm, are both elevated in e-cigarette users compared to the other groups and linked to metal exposure and oxidative DNA damage.

"Our study found e-cigarette users are exposed to increased concentrations of potentially harmful levels of metals -- especially zinc -- that are correlated to elevated oxidative DNA damage," said the study's lead researcher Prue Talbot from University of California in the US.

Zinc, a dietary nutrient, plays key roles in growth, immune function, and wound healing. Too little of this essential trace element can cause death; too much of it can cause disease. Its deficiency, as well as its excess, cause cellular oxidative stress, which, if unchecked, can lead to diseases such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, pulmonary fibrosis, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and lung cancer.

Electronic cigarettes consist of a battery, atomizing unit, and refill fluid. Metals in e-cigarette aerosols come mainly from the metal components in the atomizer-- nichrome wire, tin solder joints, brass clamps, insulating sheaths, and wicks -- as well as the e-fluids that the atomizers heat.

For the study, researchers have examined and quantified urinary biomarkers of effect and potential harm in relation to metals in e-cigarette users.

According to the study, a biomarker is a quantifiable characteristic of a biological process. Biomarkers allow researchers and physicians to measure a biological or chemical substance that is indicative of a person's physiological state.

Previous e-cigarette studies with humans have examined biomarkers of exposure -- for example, nicotine or nicotine metabolites -- but none have studied biomarkers of potential harm or shown how this harm correlates with metal exposure.

The biomarkers studied by the researchers were 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage; 8-isoprostane, an indicator of the oxidative degradation of lipids; and metallothionein, a metal response protein.

All three biomarkers were significantly elevated in e-cigarette users compared to the concentrations in cigarette smokers, the researchers said.

"Pregnant women, especially, should not be encouraged to use e-cigarettes," Talbot said.

"Excess of zinc in their bodies can lead to nausea and diarrhea. Given the recent deaths and pulmonary illnesses related to e-cigarette usage, everyone should be made aware of the potential health risks linked to e-cigarette usage," Talbot added.This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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E-cigarette vapours laden with toxic metals

It has come to light that e-cigarette vapours contain a significant amount of toxic metals, which can be dangerous.

According to a study, significant amounts of toxic metals, including lead, leak from some e-cigarette heating coils and are present in the aerosols inhaled by users.

In the study, the scientists examined e-cigarette devices owned by a sample of 56 users. They found that significant numbers of the devices generated aerosols with potentially unsafe levels of lead, chromium, manganese and/or nickel.

Chronic inhalation of these metals has been linked to lung, liver, immune, cardiovascular and brain damage, and even cancers.

"It's important for the FDA, the e-cigarette companies, and vapers themselves to know that these heating coils, as currently made, seem to be leaking toxic metals--which then get into the aerosols that vapors inhale," said senior author.

Vaping, the practice of inhaling this aerosol as if it were cigarette smoke, is now popular especially among teens, young adults and former smokers.

Vaping is popular in part because it provides the nicotine "hit" and the look and feel of tobacco-smoking but without smoking's extreme health risks. Evidence that vaping isn't entirely safe continues to accumulate, however.

For the new study, the team, recruited 56 daily e-cigarette users from vaping conventions and e-cigarette shops during the fall of 2015.

Working with participants' devices, which they brought to the researchers' lab, the scientists tested for the presence of 15 metals in the e-liquids in the vapers' refilling dispensers, the e-liquids in their coil-containing e-cigarette tanks and in the generated aerosols.

Consistent with prior studies, they found minimal amounts of metals in the e-liquids within refilling dispensers, but much larger amounts of some metals in the e-liquids that had been exposed to the heating coils within e-cigarette tanks.

The difference indicated that the metals almost certainly had come from the coils. Most importantly, the scientists showed that the metal contamination carried over to the aerosols produced by heating the e-liquids.

Of the metals significantly present in the aerosols, lead, chromium, nickel and manganese were the ones of most concern, as all are toxic when inhaled.

Almost 50 per cent of aerosol samples had lead concentrations higher than health-based limits defined by the Environmental Protection Agency. Similarly, median aerosol concentrations of nickel, chromium and manganese approached or exceeded safe limits.

"These were median levels only," the author said. "The actual levels of these metals varied greatly from sample to sample, and often were much higher than safe limits".

E-cigarette heating coils typically are made of nickel, chromium and a few other elements, making them the most obvious sources of metal contamination, although the source of the lead remains a mystery.

Precisely how metals get from the coil into the surrounding e-liquid is another mystery. "We don't know yet whether metals are chemically leaching from the coil or vaporizing when it's heated," Rule said.

The researchers did observe, however, that aerosol metal concentrations tended to be higher for e-cigarettes with more frequently changed coils--suggesting that fresher coils give off metals more readily.

The researchers also detected significant levels of arsenic, a metal-like element that can be highly toxic, in refill e-liquid and in the corresponding tank e-liquid and aerosol samples from 10 of the 56 vapors. How the arsenic got into these e-liquids is yet another mystery--and another potential focus for regulators.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.    

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Beware! Cell phones can cause skin allergies

Mobile phones have actually made our lives easy, but it has also brought with it a lot many troubles. A new study has found that cellphones release metals which can induce skin allergies.
 
Researchers have warned that cell phones release metals like nickel and chromium which can cause can cause skin irritations.
 
Called allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), the prolonged cell phone exposure can cause dermatitis of the face, neck, hands, or anterior thighs - common places exposed to cell phones, researchers warn.
A team of researchers led by Jacob Thyssen from Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte reviewed the current literature on mobile phone dermatitis in both children and adults.

They found that nickel sensitisation is common in children, resulting in ACD prevalence levels of up to 33 percent.

The authors have provided important diagnostic tips for practitioners and strategies to raise awareness of nickel- or chromium-induced mobile phone ACD.

Previous studies have identified mobile phones and related devices as sources of metal sensitisation and potential causes of ACD.

Despite efforts to control allergen release in phones, many phones on the market release levels of metals, such as nickel and chromium, which are sufficient to induce ACD, said the paper published in the journal Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonology.

The study has been published in the journal Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology.

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Metals that are wrecking you

Two laboratories come up with shocking results. Experts 

blame pollution, construction activity and ayurvedic 

medicines for toxicity.

It's been 10 years since lead-free petrol was introduced. Lead 

in pencils is gradually being replaced by graphite and clay, 

and most paint and cosmetic companies are now going out 

of their way to convince consumers that their product is 

'metal-free'. And yet, lead poisoning continues to top the 

chart of heavy metal toxicity in humans. Medical experts 

claim extreme level of pollution, construction activity and 

haphazard use of ayurvedic medicines are the culprits.

Figures from the city-based laboratories reveal the 

worrisome trend. Of the 600 odd samples received every 

month by a diagnostics centre for Atomic Absorption 

Spectroscopy, which detects metal content in body fluids, 

about 350 contain lead. It is followed by copper (125), zinc 

(50) and other metals such as arsenic, mercury, aluminium 

and chromium.

Even a small amount of exposure to lead can lead to long-

term health hazards, especially in children. It is known to 

cause anaemia, hypertension, impaired fertility and so on. 

Doctors say foetuses can be affected by lead exposure, as it 

reaches them through the placenta.

In addition, lead does not allow other metals such as zinc 

and copper to be flushed out of the body, leading to their 

build-up as well. The dangerous metal can remain inside the 

body for more than 45 years.

Apart from being carcinogenic or toxic, most metals 

adversely affect the central nervous system, kidneys, liver , 

skin, bones and teeth.

"The number of samples with metal content has gone up 

over the years. We started in 2010 with about 250 samples 

monthly and today we screen around 600," said  a Dr. 

Another laboratory, tests about 250 samples in a month, of 

which 150 contain lead. "Most samples are from people 

working in industrial set-ups, which expose them to such 

metals on a daily basis. Samples with arsenic generally 

come from people who use ayurvedic drugs containing 

heavy metals," said a Dr. 

While advanced technology is available to test the metal 

content, many metals generally go undetected. That is 

because the process to detect each metal is different and 

doctors check only for that metal which is producing 

adverse symptoms. Ayurvedic medicines have been blamed 

for high amount of metals in them. The practitioners, 

however, claim that their medicines were always made with 

various metals but qualified practitioners know how much 

to prescribe.

According to a consultant physician , these metals are 

present in food, water, even the very air we breathe in. 

"They first enter the blood stream. Liver tries to process 

these metals out of our body, which puts pressure on it. It 

can cause jaundice and liver cell disease. These metals can 

cause renal failure and neurological problems too," said 

a Dr.

According to the Dr., if detected in the initial stages, patient 

can be provided with metal chelationtherapy, which helps 

remove these toxins in two-three months.

Heavy metal poisoning 

Heavy metals may enter the body by ingestion, inhalation or 

absorption through the skin or mucous membranes. They 

are then stored in the body's soft tissues. Once absorbed, they 

compete with other ions and bind to proteins, impairing 

enzymatic activity and damaging many organs.