Vaping Vitamin C

[Derrick]

1.0 gram l-ascorbic acid (1/4 tsp)

20 ml warm water (1 tbsp + 1 tsp)

20 ml glycerin (VG) (1 tbsp + 1 tsp)

Add l-ascorbic acid to warm water (I use distilled water brought to boil in microwave and then allowed to cool). Stir or swirl until completely dissolved. Add glycerin, stir until homogenous. Store extra in refrigerator.

I have vaped this many times, and I have discovered that it is remarkably helpful when I have a cold with a bad cough. Take big drags and inhale deeply. During the first few puffs, I cough up a lot of mucous. The vitamin C seems to break up the mucous in my lungs and makes it easier to cough it up. Take more big drags and inhale deeply. After a short while, coughing subsides and for a very relieving period of time, the urge to cough is completely suppressed. This lasts an hour or two, and the amount of time seems directly related to how many big puffs I inhale. Also helps with sinus congestion if I exhale through my nose.

Myths and Facts:

I’ve seen a few threads about vaping Vitamin C and invariably there are statements claiming that it is dangerous because Vitamin C is too acidic, or that Vitamin C will all be oxidized by the heat and therefore can’t do any good. Sometimes people state the opinion that this is a politically bad idea because it will lead the FDA to further regulate or ban E-cigs. None of these statements have been supported by any evidence however, so I decided to do some research and experiments.

Is inhaling Vitamin C dangerous? This appears to be a myth. In addition to my own personal experience, inhaling Vitamin C in amounts much greater than I use has been reported in many clinical studies without any reported significant side effects. For example, in this study Clinical Trials Using Ascorbic Acid Aerosol to Aid Smoking Cessation subjects inhaled up to 300 mg each day for 5 weeks without any reported problems. In this study Evaluation of a New Mucolytic Agent 119 patients with diseases like emphysema, bronchitis and asthma inhaled Vitamin C 3 or 4 times each day for up to 6 months without any side effects. This study, Oxidants, Antioxidants, and Respiratory Tract Lining Fluids shows that ascorbic acid is a normal component of respiratory tract lining fluids. And in regard to acidity, subjects in this study Citric Acid Aerosol as a Potential Smoking Cessation Aid inhaled 15% citric acid (a stronger acid than ascorbic acid) without any reported problems. It appears that the small amount of acid provided by inhaling ascorbic acid is something the body handles easily, and I figure if people with emphysema and other lung diseases can inhale Vitamin C without problems, that I probably can too.

Is Vitamin C destroyed by the E-cig vaporizer? This appears to be partially true. I couldn’t find any literature, so I decided to test it myself. I’m a lab scientist with both the knowledge and access to the equipment and supplies needed to measure ascorbic acid in solutions. I prepared the solution described above, and put it through my current E-cig (an ECG Model “Element-E” with a 1.6 ml cartomizer). I collected the vapors by drawing them through tubing into a Pyrex condenser until I had collected sufficient fluid to test (which took about 2 hours!). I measured the absorbance of ascorbic acid in the fluid before it had been through the E-cig as well as after, using a published method that utilizes UV spectroscopy at 260 nm wavelength. The measurements indicate that about 70% of the ascorbic acid was oxidized by the E-cig vaporizer, since about 30% was still measurable in the collected vapors. Although a large amount is lost, it appears that sufficient Vitamin C is still available to be useful.

Will posting instructions about how to inhale Vitamin C cause the FDA to ban E-cigs? This appears to be speculation that isn’t supported by rational thinking or knowledge of the FDA's regulations or purpose. The FDA’s stance on the E-cig industry is clear and posted on their website. They have concerns, and like it or not, some of those are valid. Their concerns range from whether or not inhaling nicotine is actually effective for smoking cessation to whether the solutions and devices deliver controlled doses of nicotine, and include concerns about the purity and potential contamination of the multitude of nicotine solutions and flavorings being marketed today. They have not turned a blind eye to this industry, and do not think it’s “OK” that you inhale nicotine so long as you don’t inhale something else with your E-cig. Frankly, whether or not some people choose to inhale something else, be it a vitamin or something illegal, is so far down on their list of concerns that it isn’t even on the radar screen. And, it appears that there is a least one brand of vitamin solutions distributed in a vaporizing device for inhalation that is currently being marketed completely legally in this country.

[Mike]

A big glass of orange juice will give you more than the recommended dose of vitamin c for the day. Just like coffee or soda will give you caffeine(there was talk about caffeine in e-liquid). I only want flavor and some nicotine in my juice but that's just me.

[Derrick]

I don't experience any cough relief when I drink orange juice, but I do when I vape vitamin C.

Likewise, thousands of people report that they are able to quit smoking by vaping nicotine, whereas they don't experience the same effect when they consume nicotine by chewing gum or applying a patch to their skin.

Apparently the route of adiministration makes a big difference with many things.

[Mike]

That's all good if it seems to help you. I have experienced cough relief just by not smoking but vitamin c is something that we all need whether we eat it, drink it or vape it.

[mse12]

True story...I prefer my vitamin c to be orange and in a glass! Hehe

[lazymorulz]

Hey I'm gonna try this. Relief would be nice. I'll try with Vitamin C and my usual espresso mix next time my nose acts up..

[ArnieH]

This is a great topic. I firmly beleive that adults of legal smoking age should have the right to vape anything they wish, particularly in the privacy of their homes. Especially things which are perfectly legal (like ascorbic acid). Has anyone experimented with herbal extracts, tinctures, or anything of the sort?