E-cigarette use linked to faster biological aging in US survey
In a US survey of 8,595 adults aged 20–79, current e-cigarette use was associated with 1.20 years higher PhenoAgeAccel than never use, after adjustment. This cross-sectional association does not show causation. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
This cross-sectional study included 8,595 participants aged 20–79 from two NHANES cycles (2015–2016 and 2017–2018). [1]
In the fully adjusted model, current e-cigarette use was associated with 1.20 years higher PhenoAgeAccel than never use. [1]
The authors say future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Cross-sectional study (abstract)
- Population / context
- 8,595 US participants aged 20–79 in NHANES 2015–2016 and 2017–2018.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- October 6, 2026
E-cigarette use and PhenoAgeAccel in 8,595 US adults
The study asked whether e-cigarette use is associated with biological aging acceleration. It used a nationally representative sample of 8,595 participants aged 20–79 from two National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2015–2016 and 2017–2018). Biological aging was measured with PhenoAge, described as a validated epigenetic biomarker of aging. Its acceleration, PhenoAgeAccel, was the residual of PhenoAge regressed on chronological age. Participants were grouped as current (417), former (1,253) or nonuse (6,925).
Supporting source [1]
Current vaping showed 1.20 years higher PhenoAgeAccel
Linear regression models adjusted for combustible cigarette use, sex, race/ethnicity, education, body mass index, alcohol use, other tobacco product use and secondhand smoke exposure. In the fully adjusted model, current e-cigarette use was associated with 1.20 years higher PhenoAgeAccel (95% confidence interval: 0.41 to 2.10) than never use. Current cigarette use was associated with 1.50 years higher PhenoAgeAccel (95% confidence interval: 1.00 to 2.00) than having never smoked at least 100 cigarettes in a lifetime.
Supporting source [1]
Cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions
The authors describe this as the first epidemiologic evidence of an association between e-cigarette use and accelerated biological aging after adjusting for smoking status. Because the design is cross-sectional, it cannot establish whether vaping preceded or caused the measured aging difference. The authors state that future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms. The abstract does not report follow-up time or whether the full text was reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The cross-sectional design cannot establish timing or causation, and the abstract reports no follow-up period.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Ni Y, Argos M, Rule AM. · europepmc.org · October 6, 2026