New Delhi: Heated tobacco products, often marketed as less harmful alternatives to conventional cigarettes, may cause immediate damage to blood vessels and blood cells, according to a new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
The study, titled “Cardiovascular and metabolic acute effects of heated tobacco products in healthy smokers”, found that using heated tobacco products was associated with impaired blood vessel function, increased systolic blood pressure and signs of oxidative DNA damage. The findings challenge claims that these products substantially reduce cardiovascular harm.
Researchers from the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany examined 30 healthy adult smokers before and after they used two heated tobacco sticks with an IQOS device. The participants underwent tests measuring blood vessel function, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, metabolic markers and cellular damage.
The researchers found that blood vessel function deteriorated significantly after a single session of heated tobacco use. The participants also experienced an increase in systolic blood pressure, while blood tests indicated reduced oxygen availability and increased carbon dioxide levels in venous blood.
The study also identified higher levels of methaemoglobin, a form of haemoglobin that is less effective at transporting oxygen, alongside changes in glucose and lactate levels. These findings suggest that heated tobacco exposure may trigger stress responses affecting the cardiovascular and metabolic systems.
In addition, tests of peripheral blood cells revealed significant oxidative DNA damage following exposure. Oxidative stress occurs when reactive molecules overwhelm the body’s ability to neutralise them and can damage cells and their genetic material.
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‘Not biologically inert’
The researchers concluded that heated tobacco products are “not biologically inert”, emphasising that even brief exposure can trigger measurable changes in the body. They argued that the findings warrant continued attention to all nicotine-containing products in cardiovascular disease prevention and public health regulation.
Heated tobacco devices heat processed tobacco rather than burning it, producing an aerosol containing nicotine and other chemicals. Although manufacturers and industry-backed research have highlighted the reduced levels of certain harmful substances compared with cigarette smoke, a lower number of emitted chemicals does not necessarily mean lower biological toxicity.
However, the researchers cautioned that their study examined only the immediate effects of a single exposure in a small sample. The study concludes: “This study provides a clear, controlled look at the immediate cardiovascular impact of heated tobacco use, but larger long-term studies are still needed to understand how long these effects last.”
(Edited by Janaki Pande)