Does vaping make you lose weight? The effects, risks, and alternatives for a healthy weight loss

In a nutshell

Can you lose weight by vaping? Vaping is a smoking simulator that doesn’t produce tar, ash, and smoke like regular cigarettes but contains nicotine. Due to nicotine content, vaping might result in:

• Enhanced metabolism
• Suppressed appetite
• Adjusted fat accumulation

Studies show that nicotine consumption may stimulate the weight loss process. Yet, given the health risks, vaping should not be considered a healthy weight loss solution.

For many women, weight loss is a lifelong journey filled with multiple challenges and downs. The situation can get even worse under certain health challenges like PCOS or endometriosis that hinder the inner hormonal balance and can make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. Given the numerous issues waiting for women on their weight loss path, no wonder why many of them start seeking non-traditional solutions, such as restrictive diets, supplements, and even vaping, which is commonly thought to help the process.

But does vaping cause weight loss in real life?

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Understanding Vaping and Its Components

So does vaping make you lose weight? - In order to answer this question, we should first understand what it is and how it works.

Vaping is basically a smoking simulator. A vape stands for an electronic, battery-powered device that can be filled with special liquids and smoked.

The device produces vapor instead of smoke. Although it doesn’t produce the same tar, ash, and smoke that traditional smoking does, vaping isn’t entirely harmless. It still contains nicotine, which is the primary component of cigarettes. Additionally, it contains:

• Propylene glycol
• Flavorings
• 30+ other chemicals

Nicotine and Your Body: Understanding the Potential Effects on Weight Loss

Now that you know what it is, the big question is - can vaping make you lose weight? In order to answer this question, it’s important to explore the primary element found in vapes (nicotine) and the impact it makes on your body.

Generally, there are three points thought to stand by vaping weight loss results:

Faster Metabolism

The process of weight loss happens when your body uses more calories than you consume. The role of metabolism in this process is huge–your metabolic rate basically defines how much energy you spend at rest and during physical activity. The higher it is, the more calories you burn and, respectively, the more weight you can lose.

If you’re wondering “Does vaping make you lose weight,” the first thing you need to know is that multiple studies have shown that nicotine has the power to boost your basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories you spend without added activity). Moreover, it has been shown to enhance fat metabolism, in particular, which could mean that nicotine consumption can make you burn fat faster.

Appetite Suppression

Clearly, the amount of food you consume every day plays a massive role in the weight loss process. It helps regulate your rate of energy consumption and expenditure. However, it's important to note that the amount of food you consume might be hard to control if your appetite is strong, which might be associated with dieting, larger body mass index, stress, and many other factors. Moreover, some factors can also affect what your body craves, leading to unhealthy food choices and, as a result, issues with weight loss. For example, if you're diagnosed with PCOS, you may experience regular and strong sugar cravings that can get in your way.

Nicotine has been shown to provide extra aid to this problem. When it enters the body, nicotine interacts with your nicotinic receptors that are found across nearly all brain regions and involved in the regulation of numerous functions. Namely, these receptors can regulate appetite, causing you to feel less hungry and consume less food.

Fat Accumulation and Storage

While the amount of energy you consume and spend matters the most for the weight loss process, your body’s unique fat accumulation and storage patterns also matter. A body fat pattern defines how much fat your body will cling to and where it will go. In females, it’s most frequently concentrated in their lower bodies and bellies, which is the type of fat that can be rather hard to get rid of.

Studies show that nicotine consumption has the potential to prevent weight gain and reduce the percentage of abdominal fat. At the same time, it doesn’t have any effect on lean mass, which means that it can potentially adjust your body’s fat accumulation and storage patterns.

The Psychological Factors of Using Vape to Lose Weight

Now that you know about the physical vaping nicotine weight loss effects, it’s important to take a quick look at psychological factors as well. 

We all know that the weight loss process is often accompanied by side effects like mood swings, fatigue, brain fog, and others. These are your body’s and brain’s natural reactions to the discomfort you’re causing them. Yet, though these reactions can be absolutely normal, they often complicate the weight loss journey, causing breakdowns.

According to the UK Mental Health Foundation, the nicotine you receive from smoking reaches the brain in roughly ten seconds, causing:

• Improved mood
• Better concentration
• Stress relief
• Decreased anger
• Muscle relaxation

These psychological effects of nicotine can potentially help you withstand the complications of the weight loss process. On top of that, other studies have shown a temporary reduction in mental illness symptoms among smokers. However, there is also a downside to it.

Regular consumption of nicotine continues bringing the aforementioned psychological results, making your brain get used to them. Hence, if you stop receiving nicotine, you will likely face withdrawal symptoms, which cause adverse effects. Furthermore, quitting smoking is also associated with improved mental health in the long term.

Does Vaping Cause You to Lose Weight: A Comparison of Cigarettes and Vaping

So does vape make you lose weight? - As you now see, there are a number of potential effects that nicotine can have on weight loss. However, nicotine is present not only in vapes but in regular cigarettes as well. So what’s the most effective source of nicotine?

In order to see the difference, we have to address the amount of nicotine found in cigarettes and vapes. Though its concentration can vary, 200 vape puffs, on average, contain 14.4-32.8 mg of nicotine, which is equivalent to 13-30 cigarettes. From there, the total amount of nicotine your body receives depends on your smoking patterns. Yet, it’s important to note that your body will gradually create tolerance for nicotine, requiring you to get more to feel good and receive the desired effect (including weight loss).

Generally, both vapes and cigarettes can potentially aid in the weight loss process. However, while both options can be harmful to your health, vapes are generally less studied at the moment.

Do Vapes Make You Lose Weight: The Risks and Downsides

Does vaping help with weight loss? - Studies on nicotine effects show that it might. Nevertheless, obviously, we can’t say it is a fully harmless and healthy option.

Before relying on weight loss vape, it’s important to understand the possible implications, such as:

• Health risks. The first and most prominent risk is the possibility of developing smoking-related health issues, such as lung diseases. It’s also important to note that the long-term effects of vapes are less studied than those of cigarettes, so there might be some health risks we don’t know about yet.
• Nicotine addiction. The more nicotine your body gets from the outside, the more dependent on it you become. Eventually, long-term vaping can cause nicotine addiction with cravings and tangible withdrawal effects.

Healthy Alternatives for Effective Long-Term Weight Loss

As revealed by studies, nicotine consumption can result in a metabolism boost, suppressed appetite, and reduced food intake, which can stimulate weight loss (either for a very short or longer period of time). Nevertheless, the health implications clearly make it a bad strategy to stick to if you want to build your dream body. Besides, if you wonder “Does vaping make you skinny,” the real answer is that it can assist the process and won’t bring the tangible long-term results you’re looking for.

Effective and long-term weight loss requires more effort than just vaping. Namely, there are a few core healthy strategies that you should consider as alternatives:

• Adjust your food choices and follow a healthier diet, for example, a Keto diet to create an energy deficit.
• Support your energy deficit by incorporating regular training and physical activity.
• Diagnose and address any possible underlying health issues that might be complicating the weight loss process.
• Consider using natural supplements and appetite suppressants to complement your efforts but be sure to consult a healthcare provider.

FAQ

Does vaping help lose weight?

While it might not be vaping, in particular, the nicotine contained in it has been linked to potential weight loss effects.

How does vaping help you lose weight?

According to studies, nicotine can speed up your basal metabolism, suppress appetite, and change fat accumulation and storage patterns. Additionally, it might provide temporary psychological aid.

Does vaping make you lose your appetite?

Yes. The nicotinic receptors in your brain have the power to regulate your appetite. Hence, when you vape, you can engage these receptors, which may result in a suppressed feeling of hunger and reduced food consumption.

Can vaping help you lose weight without diet or exercise?

Nicotine may boost your metabolism and reduce appetite, causing you to lose some weight with its help. Nevertheless, it’s important to understand that it’s not an effective standalone solution. Effective long-term weight loss always requires healthy eating and physical activity.

Conclusion

Can you lose weight from vaping? Although numerous studies confirm the potential effects of nicotine and thus, vaping on metabolism, appetite, and fat storage, vaping can never be referred to as a healthy and safe way to manage your weight. The potential health risks, as well as the undiscovered long-term effects of vaping, make it a dangerous strategy to follow.

Instead, if you want to lose weight, it’s recommended to follow healthy strategies, such as eating nutritious food and exercising.