Vitamin E acetate is the main cause of lung disease

The CDC, in conjunction with states, local health agencies, and federal partners such as the FDA, continues to investigate lung disease (EVALI) related to the use of vape or aerosolized products.

Washington, DC, and 49 states in the United States have reported 2,051 cases of lung disease. Unfortunately, as of November 5, 39 people have died of EVALI, and our investigation is ongoing. Although the trend is downward, some regions are still in trouble.

Based on all currently known methods, we look for potential risks in vape or aerosolized products in the laboratory, such as extracting potential toxins from bronchoalveolar infusion fluid samples from patients with lung injury. Today's report describes the test results. At the end of October, a large number of THC and a potential toxin, vitamin E acetate, were detected in liquid samples from 29 patients submitted to CDC in ten different states. Of the 28 samples tested, 23 contained THC. 61% of the test samples contained nicotine (16). And vitamin E acetate was found in all samples.

These new findings are important because we have previously detected a worrying potential toxin, vitamin E acetate, from biological samples from patients with lung injury. These findings directly demonstrate that vitamin E is the main cause of lung damage and reflect that this is happening in patients across the United States.

To date, some state public health laboratories, including the FDA, which have completed e-liquid testing, and the Woz laboratory in New York State have reported vitamin E acetate in product samples used by EVALI patients. The CDC tested a variety of substances that may be found in vape, including vegetable glycerin, petroleum distillates such as mineral oil, medium chain triglyceride oil (or MCT oil), and various liquid samples with impurities in it. No other potential toxins were detected.

Vitamin E is a vitamin found in many foods and is also used as a raw material in skin care products and cosmetics. Vitamin E is a known additive used to dilute liquids in vape or to extract products containing such substances. Consumption of vitamin supplements when applied specifically to the skin usually does not cause harm. But previous non-CDC studies have suggested that vitamin E intake in the lungs may interfere with normal organ function.

This type of research and validation takes time. However, we want to share the results as soon as possible, and this depends on our CDC scientists working closely with epidemiologists, clinicians and public health personnel across the country. It is important to pay attention to other compounds and ingredients that may cause EVALI. These findings helped us compare the epidemiological and product test data with biological data from clinical samples obtained from testing patients with EVALI.

In short, the findings tell us that some patients have suffered this type of injury. Our job is to assist the FDA and certain state public health laboratories in ongoing research and testing to describe the situation with smoke fluids and to emphasize collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies.

The conclusion supports and reinforces the earlier recommendations of the CDC, suggesting that vape or aerosolized products containing vitamin E are not recommended, especially from informal purchase sources such as online distributors or underground black market products. Before clarifying the relationship between vitamin E and lung health issues, it is very important that vitamin E cannot be added to vape or aerosolized products.

Vitamin E acetate was commonly detected in these 29 case-related samples, and further research is needed to determine whether a causal relationship exists. And the possible reason is not just this one, there are many different products and additives that are still under investigation, including tests performed on these samples. Use extra caution when replacing vitamin E with other additives.

What is Vitamin E Acetate?

Without discussing the molecular formula, according to relevant data, acetate is a common additive in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and nutritional products. Appearance is light yellow viscous liquid, easily soluble in chloroform, ether, acetone and vegetable oil, etc., it is a fat-soluble additive. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used to prepare intermediates such as synthetic caffeine, epinephrine, aminoacetic acid, vitamin B6, and chlortetracycline.

If used as a medicine, vitamin E acetate can improve cardiovascular disease and treat symptoms such as inertia abortion. As a food, because it contains a component called tocopherol, it has a strong reducing ability and can clear the body. The function of oxygen free radicals protects cells, and it can also protect the light from radiation. So it is often used in health foods, medicines, and even skin care products.

However, because concentrated THC oil is more expensive and the production cost is far more than nicotine salt e-liquid, some unscrupulous companies will purchase large quantities of low-cost and easily available vitamin E acetate to dilute THC oil in exchange for rich profits. . The problem is that although vitamin E acetate has a boiling point of 200 to 250 ° C, it will not be absorbed and metabolized after inhalation into the lungs, which will cause clogging or inflammation of the lungs. In severe cases, it will also cause lung function to stop A first aid situation happened.

This is why the CDC will emphasize that this is a very important finding. Even if they are temporarily unable to determine whether other substances can cause EVALI, they can know that vitamin E acetate will definitely cause lung damage, and 29 cases of samples have been analyzed for this potential toxicant, which indicates the United States vape lung disease The biggest killer is not related to the simultaneous presence of vitamin E acetate in all samples.

On the other hand, I believe that someone will doubt about nicotine vape. Because the main ingredients of e-liquid are propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine (or nicotine salt) and food flavor, propylene glycol is often used as a food additive. Although it is hydrophilic, it is as fat-soluble as glycerol. Vitamin E acetate is used to dilute nicotine e-liquid.

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