Have been wondering if there might be a blood test for absorbed nicotine levels, perhaps using a simple pin ..... as with those cholesterol test kits. Seems there is indeed, and quite cheap (just came across these links, which are well worth a read) :
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/nicotine/24062-home-test-nicotine-blood-levels.html
On the aborbed (blood) nic levels :
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/nicotine/30623-blood-test-lab-results-nicotine-levels.html
Some real blood test numbers therein.
So we have many people successully off analogs although the nic in the blood is a lot lower than for a smoker (suggesting a large behavioural/psychological aspect*). And many others for whom high strength nic vaping is required (to get near analog levels). And some more for whom even that leaves something missing (likely MAOIs, and perhaps others).
Summarising a little now, we know now that about 45% of the nicotine in e-liquid makes it into the vapor** (more efficient in fact than the unchanged release from analogs, but far short of the perfect conversion that had been assumed; this raises some concerns about what happens to the rest and shows that vaporisation, in air, is far from a simple boiling). It will not all be cotinine.
Probably because the nicotine is mostly in a liquid carrier by the time it reaches the body, the rate of absorption seems to be much slower (that's my long-held theory anyway); possibly there is greater further loss, perhaps by exhalation, than with analogs.
Interestingly, cotinine levels are relatively high with vaping, despite the higher freebase nature of nic in e-cig vapor. The advatgae is lost by the carrier; not only can the nic in glycol condensate not be so readily absorbed, but is also more likely to be deposited in the mouth and throat than in the lungs (owing to larger particle size). Both oral enzymes (and gastro-intestinal ones too, as some of the nic laden glycol is swallowed), combined with the slower absorption, would allow greater conversion of nicotine to cotinine (eesentially an oxidation reaction). Thanks to Kurt for that insight (in this thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/nicotine/30361-mao-inhibitors.html - another good read).
Having blood figures (over time to see the cumulative values) will fill-in another part of the picture tracing the nicotine from e-liquid to blood. The most important matter is filling in the understanding of what happens to the nicotine 'lost' in the atomiser, because this is no trivial amount, and what health implications there might be; at the least, we need to be in the know.
~~
* Behavioural aspects are not 'all in the mind'; there are 'real' physiological changes activated by activities and sensations that have become associated with past pleasures. In a former-smoker who quickly changes to zero nic, there will be some dopamine release just by the activity of handling the e-cig, blowing out the vapor, etc. This is surly part of the e-cig's ability to succeed as a smoking replacement.
** Back in the spring, at the height of the 'elephant in the room' thread, I had begun to wonder about this possibility, and looking at the blood level data made me feel that loss in the atomiser would be part of the answer. But even I was surprised that it was so great a loss.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/nicotine/24062-home-test-nicotine-blood-levels.html
On the aborbed (blood) nic levels :
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/nicotine/30623-blood-test-lab-results-nicotine-levels.html
Some real blood test numbers therein.
So we have many people successully off analogs although the nic in the blood is a lot lower than for a smoker (suggesting a large behavioural/psychological aspect*). And many others for whom high strength nic vaping is required (to get near analog levels). And some more for whom even that leaves something missing (likely MAOIs, and perhaps others).
Summarising a little now, we know now that about 45% of the nicotine in e-liquid makes it into the vapor** (more efficient in fact than the unchanged release from analogs, but far short of the perfect conversion that had been assumed; this raises some concerns about what happens to the rest and shows that vaporisation, in air, is far from a simple boiling). It will not all be cotinine.
Probably because the nicotine is mostly in a liquid carrier by the time it reaches the body, the rate of absorption seems to be much slower (that's my long-held theory anyway); possibly there is greater further loss, perhaps by exhalation, than with analogs.
Interestingly, cotinine levels are relatively high with vaping, despite the higher freebase nature of nic in e-cig vapor. The advatgae is lost by the carrier; not only can the nic in glycol condensate not be so readily absorbed, but is also more likely to be deposited in the mouth and throat than in the lungs (owing to larger particle size). Both oral enzymes (and gastro-intestinal ones too, as some of the nic laden glycol is swallowed), combined with the slower absorption, would allow greater conversion of nicotine to cotinine (eesentially an oxidation reaction). Thanks to Kurt for that insight (in this thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/nicotine/30361-mao-inhibitors.html - another good read).
Having blood figures (over time to see the cumulative values) will fill-in another part of the picture tracing the nicotine from e-liquid to blood. The most important matter is filling in the understanding of what happens to the nicotine 'lost' in the atomiser, because this is no trivial amount, and what health implications there might be; at the least, we need to be in the know.
~~
* Behavioural aspects are not 'all in the mind'; there are 'real' physiological changes activated by activities and sensations that have become associated with past pleasures. In a former-smoker who quickly changes to zero nic, there will be some dopamine release just by the activity of handling the e-cig, blowing out the vapor, etc. This is surly part of the e-cig's ability to succeed as a smoking replacement.
** Back in the spring, at the height of the 'elephant in the room' thread, I had begun to wonder about this possibility, and looking at the blood level data made me feel that loss in the atomiser would be part of the answer. But even I was surprised that it was so great a loss.
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