Cinnamon-Flavored e-Cigarettes May Pose a Health Risk

The naturally occurring organic compound that gives cinnamon its characteristic flavor and odor is called cinnamaldehyde. It's approved by the FDA as a food additive and is considered to be completely safe in foods. More recently, it's also been used as a flavoring in e-cigarettes, but that just may be a problem. Recent preliminary research suggests that cinnamaldehyde may be harmful when inhaled, according to a report in HealthDay.

In the research, which must be considered preliminary because it has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, human lung cells in cell cultures showed reduced cilia activity when exposed to cinnamaldehyde either in e-liquids and e-liquid vapors. In intact humans, lung cell cilia are responsible for helping to clear the lungs of mucus, dust, and bacteria. If cinnamaldehyde affects the activity of lung cell cilia in intact lungs the same way as it does in cell cultures, it's just possible that it could increase the risk of lung infections.

To be clear, though, an increased risk to your health of vaping cinnamon-flavored e-cigarettes has not yet been proven. So YOU have to decide whether the potential of risk is worth it, if you're ever choosing e-cigarette flavors.