Is there sugar in Lost Mary vapes? Understanding e-liquid ingredients

December 6, 2025 •

3 min read

Across the vaping industry, it is a well-established fact that no commercially produced e-liquid, including those found in Lost Mary vapes, contains traditional table sugar. The perception of a sweet taste is instead achieved through artificial sweeteners and other components, for specific reasons related to the vaping process.

Quick Summary

Lost Mary vapes do not contain traditional sugar. The sweet flavors are created with artificial sweeteners like sucralose and neotame, which are used instead of sugar because the latter would burn and damage the heating coil.

Key Points

No Traditional Sugar: Lost Mary and other commercial vape e-liquids do not contain real sugar (sucrose).
Sweetness from Additives: The sweet flavor is created using potent artificial sweeteners like sucralose and neotame.
Avoids Coil Damage: Sugar is avoided because it would caramelize when heated, ruining the coil and producing a burnt taste.
VG Provides Natural Sweetness: The base ingredient, Vegetable Glycerin (VG), also contributes a natural, mild sweetness.
Research on Alternatives: Lost Mary has reduced sucralose in favor of neotame, based on research suggesting it may be a safer alternative when heated.
Sucralose and Coil Gunk: Heavily sweetened vapes using sucralose can cause residue buildup that significantly shortens coil lifespan.
Other Health Concerns: Concerns exist regarding the inhalation of heated sweeteners, potential toxic byproducts, and impacts on oral health.

The Short Answer: No Traditional Sugar

Many people are surprised to learn that no commercially manufactured e-liquid, including that in Lost Mary vapes, contains real sugar (sucrose). This is a misconception fueled by the sweet, candy-like flavors that are so popular today. The primary reason for omitting sugar is a practical one: when heated to the high temperatures necessary for vaporization, sugar would quickly caramelize and burn. This burning process would produce a highly unpleasant, burnt taste and, more importantly, create a sticky, dark residue known as "coil gunk". This buildup would quickly ruin the device's heating coil, rendering the vape unusable far sooner than intended. The flavor would also be inconsistent and harsh.

What Makes Lost Mary Vapes Taste Sweet?

Since sugar isn't the source, the sweetness in Lost Mary vapes comes from other ingredients. The two main contributors are the e-liquid base and added artificial sweeteners.

E-Liquid Base: Vegetable Glycerin (VG)

One of the main components of e-liquid is Vegetable Glycerin (VG), which has a natural, slightly sweet taste. E-liquids with a higher VG percentage will naturally taste a bit sweeter and produce larger vapor clouds. This inherent sweetness contributes to the overall flavor profile but is not solely responsible for the intense candy-like flavors.

Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose and Neotame

The heavy lifting for creating a potent sweet flavor is done by artificial sweeteners. The most common one historically has been sucralose, the same ingredient found in the commercial sweetener Splenda. It is significantly sweeter than sugar, so only a tiny amount is needed to create a strong flavor. However, sucralose is known to cause significant coil gunk.

In a move to improve product safety and quality, Lost Mary (under its parent company ELFBAR) has been actively researching and minimizing its reliance on sucralose. According to research published in the scientific journal Frontiers, Lost Mary is now shifting toward neotame, a different type of artificial sweetener, which was found to produce fewer harmful heavy metals and have lower cellular toxicity when heated. This shows a trend within the brand to improve ingredient safety. You can read more about this research on Lost Mary's official blog.

Potential Health Considerations

While the elimination of sugar from e-liquids avoids some problems, the use of artificial sweeteners is not without potential concerns. When inhaled after being heated, some sweeteners can break down into potentially harmful byproducts, such as aldehydes. Research into the long-term effects of inhaling heated sweeteners is still ongoing, and more data is needed.

Additionally, there are some specific health factors to consider:

Dental Health: Some research suggests that vaping, particularly with sweetened e-liquids, can increase the risk of tooth decay and plaque buildup. The sticky residue from sweeteners can cling to teeth, and the dehydrating effect of vaping can reduce saliva production.
Blood Sugar and Diabetes: For individuals with diabetes, it's crucial to understand that the minimal calories from VG and PG are not the primary concern. The nicotine found in many vapes, however, can cause blood sugar levels to rise by reducing insulin sensitivity. This is a significant risk factor for those managing diabetes.

Sugar vs. Vape Sweeteners: A Comparison


Feature	Traditional Sugar (Sucrose)	Vape Sweeteners (e.g., Sucralose, Neotame)
Use in Vaping	Not used; would burn and ruin coil	Used to provide sweet flavor without burning
Effect When Heated	Caramelizes and produces foul-tasting, coil-clogging residue	Produces vapor; some may break down into potentially harmful byproducts
Potency	Standard sweetness level	Dramatically sweeter than sugar, requiring only tiny amounts
Caloric Impact (Digested)	High calories, affects blood sugar	Minimal to zero calories; does not affect blood sugar directly upon digestion
Health Impact (Inhaled)	Not inhaled	Under ongoing research; concerns about long-term effects and inhaled byproducts

Conclusion

In summary, the sweet taste you get from a Lost Mary vape is not a result of traditional sugar, which would be unsuitable for vaping devices. Instead, the sweetness is derived from artificial sweeteners, primarily sucralose and increasingly neotame, along with the natural sweetness of the vegetable glycerin base. While this avoids the issues of burning sugar, it introduces other considerations related to inhaled sweeteners and their potential impact on long-term health, particularly dental hygiene and respiratory function. Understanding these ingredient differences is key for any vaper seeking to make informed choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Lost Mary vapes do not contain traditional sugar. The sweet flavors are produced by artificial sweeteners and the natural sweetness of the e-liquid's base ingredients.

Sugar is unsuitable for vaping because it would caramelize and burn at the high temperatures used by vape devices. This would damage the heating coil and create a foul, burnt taste.

Lost Mary vapes traditionally used artificial sweeteners like sucralose. However, the company has recently shifted towards using neotame, which research suggests is a safer alternative when heated.

The long-term health effects of inhaling heated sweeteners are still being researched. Some studies suggest potential concerns, such as the formation of toxic byproducts and increased risk of dental problems.

While the sweeteners in e-liquid don't directly affect blood sugar levels when inhaled, the nicotine often present in vapes can. Nicotine can reduce insulin sensitivity, which is a concern for individuals with diabetes.

Coil gunk is a dark, sticky residue that builds up on the heating coil. It is primarily caused by sweeteners like sucralose caramelizing and condensing onto the coil, which reduces its lifespan and degrades flavor.

Yes, all commercially produced e-liquids are sugar-free in the traditional sense. Some brands also offer unsweetened or 'clear' flavor options for those who want to avoid artificial sweeteners altogether.

If your vape tastes intensely sweet or leaves a sugary coating in your mouth, it likely contains added sweeteners like sucralose. E-liquids with a very simple flavor profile or those marked 'unsweetened' are less likely to contain added sweeteners.