Popular 'ice' vape flavors may have dangerous hidden side effect, research finds

A popular 'ice' flavor of vape has been found to have dangerous and silent side effects according to a new study, as scientists warn they 'should be considered for regulation'.

It's thought that around eight percent of US adults now use e-cigarettes or vapes - nearly double the rate recorded in 2020.

And among young adults, the numbers are even more striking, with roughly 1 in 6 Americans aged 21 to 24 vaping regularly.

But as its popularity continues to surge, so too does the growing body of research highlighting its potential health risks.

And a new study has shed light on a particular flavor that is thought to be extremely popular, that may be causing issues.

The research focuses on the dangers in the chemicals that produce a cooling effect in vapes, typically found in menthol or 'ice' flavoured e-cigarettes.

Around eight percent of US adults now use e-cigarettes or vapes. (Getty Stock Images)

The flavour is especially popular because the chemicals used help to make the vapour smoother and less irritating to inhale. However, until recently, little was known about their potential health effects.

During the study, tests on mice and human heart cells in a lab found they reacted badly to the chemicals.

They showed that the ingredients used changed heart rate variability, which is the gap between heartbeats.

Scientists concluded that this could, in turn, raise the risk of serious heart issues including high blood pressure, a high heart rate, or even deadly cardiac arrest.

It could raise the risk of serious heart issues. (Getty Stock Images)

Study author Dr Alex Carll said: "Synthetic coolants create a chilling sensation without flavour so they fall outside of e-cigarette restrictions that focus on flavours.

"These findings suggest they could cause arrhythmias by making the heart electrically ready too soon or too late for the next beat."

The expert added: "In general, we’ve seen tobacco-flavored vapes do not disrupt cardiac conduction in mice as much as vapes with either menthol or synthetic coolants.

"Coolants are added to e-cigarettes at very high levels so they should be considered for regulation."

But it's not the first time health experts have issued warnings about vaping, which is often marketed and perceived as a less harmful alternative to smoking cigarettes.

Common side effects reported by the NHS include a throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick, tooth decay, lung disease, and slow brain development.

GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun: "In a nutshell, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping at all."