One heated tobacco session harmed blood vessels in small study
Just one session of using a heated tobacco product caused measurable changes to blood vessels and blood cells, a small study published on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found.
Heated tobacco products warm tobacco instead of burning it, and are often sold as less harmful than ordinary cigarettes. Researchers led by Dr Lea Strohm at the University Medical Center Mainz in Germany tested what happens right after use.
The study involved 30 adult smokers, average age 34, who were otherwise healthy. Each used two heated tobacco sticks, one after the other, over eight to 12 minutes. The team tested blood pressure, blood samples and blood vessel function before and after.
Blood vessel function fell by 11%, measured by how much the artery widened when blood flow increased. Systolic blood pressure, the top number in a reading, rose by about 3 points. Oxygen in blood returning to the heart fell from around 71% to around 46%. The researchers also found damage to the DNA of blood cells and signs of oxidative stress.
Why it matters
The findings challenge the idea that heated tobacco is much kinder to the heart and blood vessels than smoking in the short term. Co-author Professor Thomas Münzel said: “No nicotine-containing product, whether smoked, heated, vaped or absorbed, can be considered safe for the heart and blood vessels.”
That matters because heated tobacco is growing in popularity, and many users may believe the products carry little risk. The study does not prove that one session causes a heart attack or lasting disease, but it shows the products are not harmless in the moment.
What happens next
The researchers said larger, longer studies are needed to learn how long these effects last. They also called on policymakers to regulate all nicotine products under one set of rules, rather than treating heated products as a separate, safer category.
The study had limits: it was small, looked at only one session, and did not compare heated tobacco with ordinary cigarettes, so it cannot say whether heated tobacco is more or less harmful than smoking.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.escardio.org/news/press/press-releases/one-session-of-heated-tobacco-use-injures-blood-vessels-and-damages-dna/ (European Society of Cardiology, 27 October 2026)
- https://www.drugs.com/news/heated-tobacco-new-trend-raising-heart-health-concerns-131820.html (Drugs.com / HealthDay, 30 October 2026)
- https://en.sedaily.com/culture/2026/10/31/heated-tobacco-impairs-blood-vessel-function-study-finds (Seoul Economic Daily, 31 October 2026)
