Can Vaping Help You Lose Weight?

And is it true that quitting smoking can lead to weight gain?

6 September 2022 | Hannah Rubery

One of the common problems that stops many smokers from quitting cigarettes, is the fear of gaining weight. Most know that quitting smoking often results in gaining weight so some make the switch to vaping in the hopes of keeping off those extra pounds. But does vaping actually help with losing weight? People tend to look for easy and quick options when it comes to losing weight, so some have taken up vaping in the hopes of this being true. Let’s look at whether there’s any actual weight behind the notion of weight loss with vaping.

Where does the idea that vaping helps with losing weight, come from?

No doubt the idea that vaping can help with weight loss, stems from the use of nicotine. Nicotine is one of the key ingredients in cigarettes and E-Liquids, which works as an appetite suppressant among other things.

The fact that vaping flavoured E-Liquids which are essential zero-calories may also help to satisfy some cravings for flavours like sweets and desserts. But in short, vaping does not help with losing weight, and neither does smoking. In fact, there have been studies that have found a correlation between gaining weight and heavy smoking. Either way, it is certainly much better for your health to quit smoking, and vaping offers a better means of doing so.

Nicotine and appetite suppression

So how does nicotine work with weight? Nicotine is an addictive substance found in tobacco, which is extracted and added into E-Liquids for vaping. Although its side effects are mostly mild, one of the things it does is suppress appetite. It’s for this reason why many smokers find themselves snacking/eating less. Smoking itself can often impair your tastes, dulling the senses that make food seem more appetising. That’s why those who quit smoking notice they may enjoy food once more.

Now it’s not totally on the head of nicotine, that smokers who quit may gain weight. One of the common side effects of smoking is that the unhealthy habit creates an unhealthy lifestyle, one in which you don’t exercise as much as you normally would. So up until the nicotine has cleared your body and your health and energy improve, then it is likely you would gain weight.

Does vaping help you lose weight?

In short, no, vaping does not help you lose weight. Although E-Liquids contain nicotine that can suppress your appetite, it does not actively take part in helping someone lose weight. But, in the event a smoker looking to quit cigarettes, chooses to swap vaping, they may notice that it helps them maintain their weight.

This is great for those who may be put off quitting for fear of gaining pounds and allows smokers to reduce nicotine at their own pace. Vaping should not be used as a weight-loss tool, especially for those who have never smoked, due to there still being some harm involved.

Final thoughts

Overall, putting on a few pounds should be the least of your worries when it comes to quitting smoking. The potential health benefits of quitting cigarettes far outweigh the costs of a couple of pounds that you can shift afterwards.

It’s also important to remember that although vaping can potentially help smokers maintain their weight, you do not lose weight with vaping. There is no easy or quick way to shed the pounds, it requires hard work and dedication, and finding what helps you the best. Whether that’s signing up to the gym or simply going for a long walk each day, you’ll notice the benefits of quitting smoking will certainly help with creating a healthy lifestyle.