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Does Vaping Break a Fast? Important Information for Smokers
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Vaping is all the rage at the moment. Between people trying to quit smoking and people looking for a trendy way to relax, vapes have become a staple of modern society. However, there may be some concerns over fasting and vaping.
Fasting is a great way to regulate your metabolism for weight loss and other reasons. In the same way, it might be a deeply spiritual matter depending on your faith. However, some people who fast might not be very clear on whether or not vaping affects a fast.
Although e-liquid uses sweeteners and flavoring agents, the sweeteners are non-caloric and contain zero carbs as there is no added sugar. This means that e-smoking generally will not affect blood sugar when you consume them. However, faith-based fasting (e.g., during Ramadan) may forbid vapes entirely, regardless of sugar content.
Keep reading to find details on whether or not vapes will break a fast, as well as answers to frequently asked questions regarding vaping, intermittent fasting, and weight loss.
Does Vaping Break a Fast?
Vaping does not break a fast under normal circumstances. E-liquid does not affect caloric intake enough to affect an intermittent fast when you consume it. However, e-liquids may break religious fasts, such as fasting during Ramadan.
While e-liquid does contain calories that are absorbed by the body during e-smoking, the amount of calories is very low (around 5kcal per 1ml of e-liquid).
Due to the appetite suppressing qualities of nicotine, this may help continue fasting while getting a lower caloric intake. Likewise, research has shown that fasting and e-smoking together have a positive effect on a smoking habit if you’re a smoker.
However, there are many other potential health risks associated with vapes. In addition to being highly addictive, these include lung disease, nerve damage, higher pulse rate, increased blood pressure, and heart disease.
Another important consideration related to fasting is the problem of faith-based fasts. Muslims, Hindus, and various other religious folks observe periods of ritualistic fasting for religious reasons. Vapes may violate these rituals depending on your religion.
Does Vaping Have Calories?
The short answer is that vaping does have calories. However, the amount of calories in e-juice is very low (about 5kcal per 1ml of juice). Furthermore, most of the caloric value in e-juice will not be absorbed by the body.
E-juice typically uses zero-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose or ethyl maltol rather than sugar. The calories in e-juice instead come from other flavoring agents used. Different additives and flavoring agents will have varying amounts of calories.
Many adults who vape to lose weight also report regular calorie restrictions. While reducing calories is a huge part of weight loss, there is not enough research on the caloric value of vape juice to draw any meaningful conclusions.
Does Vaping Suppress Appetite?
Vaping does suppress appetite. Most e-juices contain nicotine, which is an appetite suppressant. However, the appetite-suppressing and weight loss qualities of nicotine may vary from person to person.
The effectiveness of nicotine for appetite suppression to lose weight depends mostly on each individual’s tolerance to nicotine, as well as the intensity of their food cravings.
A cross-sectional study of former tobacco smoke consumers who were considering e-smoke as an alternative showed that new evidence for weight loss and vaping would increase their likelihood of switching to e-smoke.
Does Vaping Make You Lose Weight?
Vaping does not make you lose weight. However, most e-juices contain nicotine, and habitual nicotine use may reduce food cravings, leading to weight loss and some health benefits over time.
Although the appetite suppressing effects of e-smoke may lead to weight loss, qualitative studies have concluded that further evidence is needed to judge effectiveness. Studies have even shown that vaping is less effective than tobacco for weight loss.
Aside from the appetite-suppressing effects of nicotine, there may be other harmful health effects of vaping that make it unsuitable for long-term weight loss, especially for teenagers and young adults.
Does Vaping Break Your Fast During Ramadan?
Vaping does break your fast during Ramadan. According to Muslim religious laws, sawm (fasting) includes all addictive substances such as tobacco, shisha, and e-cigarettes. However, these substances may be permissible after sunset.
Reduction of vape consumption during the daylight hours of Ramadan may actually have positive health effects on the overall health of the Muslim community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nicotine does not have calories. Nicotine is an alkaloid that naturally occurs in plants from the family Solanaceae (nightshades). It is widely used as a recreational stimulant that is primarily metabolized in the liver and has no caloric value. Nicotine replacement therapy is one of the more popular reasons people switch to e-cigarettes.
The short answer is that vaping does not make you hungry. Most vape juices contain nicotine, which is an appetite suppressant. Some e-juices may contain other substances, such as THC, which may cause an increase in appetite and weight gain.
Vaping does not affect ketosis. The e-liquid used in electronic cigarettes does not contain any carbs. The sweetness in e-liquid comes from artificial sweeteners, which will not have any effect on a ketogenic diet, blood sugar, diabetes, or insulin resistance. However, the relationship between vapes and insulin resistance has not been studied extensively.
A Word From a Nutritionist
Smoking a vape affects many things in a positive way for people looking to lose weight or stop smoking. Vapes have been evaluated as a relatively safe alternative to tobacco for those addicted to cigarettes. However, there are still many negative effects on the body associated with vapes.
To use a vape as safely as possible, it is a good idea to follow a few simple suggestions:
- Make sure you are vaping at a low temperature. This will ensure that the compounds in the e-juice do not break down into other chemicals.
- Avoid e-juices that contain diacetyl. Although research is inconclusive about the levels of diacetyl found in e-cigarettes, larger doses have been found to cause lung damage.
- Do not allow the coil on your vape to “dry burn.” Heating the coil without anything for it to vaporize may damage the metals, potentially leading to traces being inhaled.
- Limit the size of your puffs. “Cloud chasing,” or blowing as much vapor as possible, is associated with a greater risk of injury.
- Vape less often. This is one of the more important considerations. Inhaling vapor constantly exponentially increases your risk of damaging your lungs.
Vaping for the purpose of weight loss may be effective for some people, but it is not a realistic replacement for proper diet and exercise. Individuals should always make sure to eat their recommended caloric intake daily, with a balanced supply of nutrients.
Using a vape and intermittent fasting simultaneously has reduced both food cravings and cigarette withdrawal symptoms. Greater awareness of this phenomenon in the e-cigarette community could have a positive effect on addictive substance use in society.
Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that e-cigarettes are a relatively new phenomenon. Many of the long-term effects on the body from e-smoking are not entirely understood and require further studies.
Conclusion
You can vape without “kicking” your body out of ketosis. E-smoking also should not break your fast during intermittent fasting since e-juice has minimal calories.
However, if you are part of a religion that practices ritual fasting, using a vape will likely break your fast. An example of this is Muslim fasting during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. If you are concerned, then consulting a local religious leader will give you more information.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss this topic further, feel free to leave a comment below.
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