Some people have asked, “Does vaping make you lose weight?” Their reasoning is that since nicotine is a known appetite suppressant, vaping might be able to help them lose weight.
Today we are going to briefly look at vaping and what impact it might have, if any, on your weight. We will look at why people might be asking this question, and we will provide answers to other frequently asked questions about the relationship between vaping and weight loss.
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Why Are People Asking Questions About Vaping And Losing Weight?
Starting in the 1920s, it became trendy for women to smoke cigarettes, and as it became more popular, these women believed smoking kept them from gaining weight. In fact, this belief was so common that in 1934, Lucky Strike launched its famous ad campaign with the slogan "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet." This was the first time a cigarette company openly linked smoking to weight management in a large-scale marketing campaign. The message that smoking could help you stay slim caused a stir at the time, but it was also effective, and sales increased significantly.
There was some truth behind that belief, but we have since learned that smoking cigarettes comes with many health risks. Some of the reasons smoking was tied to weight loss include:
1. Nicotine Can Suppress Your Appetite
Nicotine is a stimulant and can reduce hunger, so smokers often ate less.
2. Nicotine Slightly Boosts the Metabolism
Smoking can raise your resting metabolic rate a little, so your body burns a few extra calories, but not enough that it would make a huge difference.
3. Smoking as a Habit Replaced Snacking
Many people smoked when they were bored or stressed out instead of reaching for food, which helped them cut calories, but in an unhealthy way.
4. People Often Gained Weight after Quitting
This added to the myth because when someone quit smoking and they gained weight, it was assumed that the cigarettes had been keeping them thin. Obviously, they were substituting smoking for snacking or emotional eating, so once they stopped smoking, they used eating to fill that gap.
By 1964, tougher regulations and the surgeon general increased public awareness of the dangers of smoking, and this advertising message fizzled out.
Of course today, we know the risks of smoking and that they outweigh any small amount of help it might have had on appetite or weight. That being said, we also know that it is the tobacco in cigarettes that is the most harmful, which is why people are wondering if vaping (which is free from tobacco) will make you lose your appetite and help with weight loss.
Can Vaping Help You Lose Weight?
Vapes usually have nicotine but no tobacco, which makes them less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but they are not harmless. Nicotine can help suppress your appetite in a small way, but the data we have on vaping raises health concerns similar to smoking and with very little evidence that it actually helps with weight loss.
So, some people might feel less hungry when they vape, leading to a minor decrease in calorie intake. However, relying on vaping as a weight loss method is not considered effective or safe.
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Vapes Still Contain Nicotine
Nicotine is a stimulant drug found naturally in tobacco and is absorbed into your bloodstream very quickly. The reason people like it is because it triggers the release of dopamine in your system and temporarily makes you feel good.
The big problem is that it is very addictive, and your body craves more and more of it, but it is dangerous to your heart, it can significantly raise your blood pressure, and it can negatively affect your brain. Once you become addicted to nicotine, it rewires your brain and causes a significant decrease in the natural dopamine your body produces and releases. Your body begins to rely on the nicotine to induce “good feelings,” and if it does not get the nicotine, you become:
- Irritable
- Anxious
- Sad
- Distracted
- Tired or sluggish
Nicotine can cause even more serious side effects in individuals 25 and under, including:
- It can impair your memory and attention.
- It can make you more impulsive.
- It increases your risk for anxiety and depression.
- It makes your brain more susceptible to other addictions later on (like alcohol, drugs, or gambling).
Vaping Should Not Be Included In Your Weight Loss Journey
Vaping may have a minor effect on your appetite and metabolism due to the nicotine it contains, but it is not a safe or effective method for weight loss. The potential health risks associated with vaping far outweigh any minimal benefits in weight control.
Some of the risks vaping poses include
- It damages your lungs (especially with certain additives or flavors.)
- It keeps you addicted.
- It can affect your heart and blood vessels.
- It has long-term risks that are not fully understood yet.
If you want to lose weight safely and keep it off for good, you should focus on implementing healthy lifestyle changes such as eating balanced and nutritional meals, getting regular physical activity, staying properly hydrated, getting enough sleep, managing your stress level, etc.
Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center Can Help You Reach Your Weight Loss Goals
Many people have a very hard time losing weight without some type of medical intervention. They may have an underlying condition that is thwarting all of the weight loss efforts and strategies they are using. Many people do not understand how complex the process of weight loss actually is or how their body responds to the different strategies they are using to lose weight.
The team of professionals at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center have dedicated their lives and careers to helping people improve their health and regain their quality of life through weight loss. They offer a variety of solutions that do not require surgery and can help you navigate through the challenges of losing weight and successfully reach your goals. Set up a consultation today and learn more about how we can help you safely lose weight and maintain a healthy weight long term.
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FAQs About Vaping And Weight Loss
Does Vaping Burn Calories?
Nicotine can slightly boost your resting metabolic rate, but the number of extra calories your body burns is only about 50 calories per day, which is not enough to make a significant difference regarding weight loss.
What Happens When You Quit Vaping?
Some people gain weight after they quit vaping, which can happen because the nicotine was helping to suppress their appetite a bit, and so they were not feeling as hungry. Depending on the nicotine content in your vape, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms like irritability, trouble sleeping, issues with focusing, cravings, anxiety, etc., but these will gradually resolve.
Can Vaping Make You Gain Weight?
Vaping itself does not cause weight gain, but depending on the type of liquid you use, it can influence your brain and indirectly encourage weight gain.
Some people say sweet or fruity vape flavors actually make them crave food. The flavor can trick your brain into thinking about snacks, even if you are not actually hungry. It is like smelling cookies baking in the oven. You were not thinking about them before, but the moment that smell hits you, suddenly you want one. If you had never smelled them, you probably would not have thought about cookies at all.
Also, if vaping becomes a habit that replaces physical activity or healthy eating, it could contribute to weight gain.
Does Vaping Cause Belly Fat?
There is no direct evidence linking vaping to increased belly fat, but lifestyle changes associated with vaping, such as reduced physical activity or increased calorie intake, could cause weight gain which may accumulate in the abdominal area.
Does Vaping Make You Puffy?
Some people feel puffy or bloated when they vape, and there are a few reasons why this can happen. Nicotine may cause your body to retain extra water, which can make your face or belly look swollen. Vaping can also affect how well you sleep, and when you are not well rested, your body does not get rid of fluids as easily, which can add to the puffiness.
Also, some vape ingredients, like propylene glycol or flavor chemicals, can trigger mild inflammation in people who are sensitive to them. Vaping also can cause cravings for salty snacks, and eating foods containing sodium can cause water retention as well.
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