Sports and smoking are not mutually exclusive activities. A person who smokes may well be an amateur or a professional in sports activities.
He may even be successful in his own profession. Much depends on the individual capabilities of the body, on its innate endurance.
Physical activity while smoking is perceived by the body not as training, but as additional stress . Let's look at this issue.
Will a smoker be able to get pumped up?
Beautiful abs, sculpted and massive muscles. Many people today strive to make their figure an example to follow. But is it possible to swing and smoke? And most importantly, will this be of any use?
Scientists have discovered how cigarettes can affect muscle development:
- Nicotine triggers the production of myostatin, which interferes with the growth of muscle cells.
- After cigarettes, an enzyme is released into the bloodstream that breaks down proteins into amino acids. This slows down the process of building muscle mass.
- As weight increases, it becomes difficult for the body to supply all cells with oxygen, so symptoms of hypoxia such as weakness and fatigue may appear.
- After consuming cigarettes, a person feels a lack of appetite. It does not reach the daily calorie intake, which also increases the time it takes to achieve results.
If a person decides to engage in bodybuilding professionally, then he needs to quit smoking. This is necessary to constantly stay in shape and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The fact is that the greater the body weight, the more nutrients and oxygen the body needs.
If a person wants to get pumped up and smoke, then he needs to follow a protein diet.
How smoking affects strength training
The effect on strength training is not as pronounced as in the case of endurance sports. Smokers even have a slightly increased ability to voluntarily tense their muscles. Although this ultimately does not affect the ability to produce force.
Scientists have not found Skeletal muscle properties and fatigue resistance in relation to smoking history, differences in maximum strength, amount of Skeletal muscle morphology, metabolism and function in smokers and non-smokers. A study on smoking‑discordant monozygous twins. muscle mass, its ability to contract, muscle capillary volume and short-term muscle endurance in smokers and non-smokers.
The differences come when strength endurance—the ability to produce force over time—comes into play. Here smokers lose to non-smokers: their muscles tire faster.
Scientists suggest that this effect is explained by a decrease in the activity of cytochrome oxidase, an enzyme that is involved in the creation of energy in cell mitochondria. This is confirmed by the study Skeletal muscle morphology, metabolism and function in smokers and non-smokers. A study on smoking‑discordant monozygous twins. , conducted with the participation of twins: with the same genetic profile, amount of muscle mass and strength, siblings who smoked had muscles fatigue faster than those who did not smoke.
Thus, if you do a set with a high weight and a small number of repetitions, smoking will not provide a negative effect, but if you work for high repetitions, you will do less than if you did not smoke.
The effect does not depend on gender, number of cigarettes per day or length of smoking. If you smoke, your muscles will tire faster.
But there is good news: cytochrome oxidase activity comes Effect of smoking cessation on mitochondrial respiratory chain function. returns to normal within 7–28 days after quitting cigarettes.
Hookah smoking and bodybuilding
A hookah is a special smoking device that allows you to moisturize and cool the inhaled smoke. The biggest misconception at the moment is the opinion that smoking a hookah is less harmful to the body than smoking regular cigarettes. In fact, everything happens exactly the opposite. Due to the high humidity of the smoke, hookah smoking causes less throat irritation, which creates a feeling of false security. According to studies, compared to one cigarette, a hookah produces 125 times more smoke, 25 times more tar, 10 times more carbon monoxide and 2.5 times more nicotine. If you compare a cigarette and a hookah, it’s about the same as a AA battery and a car battery.
Smoking a hookah usually takes about 40 minutes. During this time, about 50-200 breaths are taken through the mouthpiece. In total, this amounts to approximately 0.15 to 0.50 liters of smoke inhaled inside. Thus, in an hour of hookah smoking, the average person consumes approximately 150 times more smoke than he could get from smoking one cigarette. In the case of hookah, smoking and bodybuilding is the same as taking out a loan and being happy that you have a lot of money. At first, it seems that the whole world is in your pocket, but this usually does not last long. Nicotine, tar and sulfur oxide, which enter the body in large quantities, not only undermine health, but create conditions under which hookah smoking is a time bomb.
The special tobacco used to fill the hookah contains 25 mg of nicotine per standard 50 gram pack. One such pack is usually enough to fill a hookah 4 times. Purely mathematically, it turns out that one hookah refill contains 6.25 mg of nicotine, while one cigarette, as a rule, contains no more than 0.8 mg of nicotine. Thus, it will not be difficult to calculate that one hookah refill contains almost 8 times more nicotine than one cigarette. This also includes an increased incidence of gum disease, the risk of developing chronic bronchitis and, most importantly, a 5-fold risk of developing lung cancer compared to a non-smoker. Is hookah smoking worth the risk? Of course not.
Bodybuilding and electronic cigarettes
Another popular alternative to smoking classic cigarettes today is vaping, which is also called “vaping.” Translated from English, “Vape” means steam. This name is due to the design of the electronic cigarette. It involves installing a cartridge with liquid inside, which, under the influence of an incandescent coil during inhalation, allows you to inhale steam, that is, atomized liquid. This is precisely the obvious advantage of electronic cigarettes over classic ones, because in this case you, in fact, smoke steam, not smoke. Research has shown that this so-called vapor is 95% safer than cigarette smoke. This is what makes e-cigarettes so popular.
But let's talk about how smoking and bodybuilding are combined in the case of electronic cigarettes. As mentioned earlier, a sprayed aerosol is obtained from a heated aromatic liquid. There are currently a great variety of such cartridges with aromatic liquid being produced - tens, hundreds and even thousands. However, they all contain propylene glycol, glycerin and flavorings. In their ordinary form they are safe, but the situation changes dramatically when they are heated and inhaled. When heated, these components produce acrolein and formaldehyde, which are toxic to the body. With prolonged smoking, these substances can provoke mutagenic reactions in the body.
Acrolein, settling in the bronchi and lungs, causes irritation of the respiratory tract, as well as a decrease in the elasticity of the lung tissue, which leads to a decrease in the vital volume of the lungs. Its mutagenic properties can lead to the formation of cancer. Formaldehyde, in turn, has a detrimental effect on the central nervous system and significantly reduces immunity. Also, regular smoking of electronic cigarettes leads to vasoconstriction, which increases blood pressure, worsens tissue respiration and disrupts the functioning of the entire cardiovascular system. Smoking and bodybuilding in such a situation are simply contraindicated, since reduced immunity with increased stress on the heart and lungs can lead to very disastrous consequences.
Opposite effects
Sports and smoking have opposite effects on the human body:
- Exercising makes the human body stronger, improves the condition of muscles and joints, activates metabolic processes, promotes better oxygen saturation, and helps maintain weight at the desired level.
- Smoking causes muscles and joints to become worse, metabolic processes are inhibited, and oxygen saturation slows down.
Many people assume that if they engage in sports, the exercises will neutralize the harmful effects of nicotine and no deterioration will occur. Some people have the same opinion about neutralizing the harm from drinking alcohol. This is a dangerous misconception.
In 1989, the American scientist Kenneth Cooper proved that in non-smoking people, when exercising, the level of good cholesterol in the blood increases by 2-3 times, and oxygen saturation improves by 25%. If a heavy smoker does the same exercises, then the indicator of oxygen saturation and good cholesterol remains at the same level as before playing sports. Thus, if you smoke and exercise, the harm from cigarettes does not decrease.
When is it less harmful to smoke before or after exercise?
Combining smoking with running, swimming or strength training is harmful in any case, since with increased blood circulation, the absorption of carbon monoxide by the body increases. If we talk about what is more harmful, smoking before or after training, then a cigarette smoked the day before it is more dangerous.
If a person smokes even 1.5-2 hours before visiting the gym, classes will be accompanied by shortness of breath, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure. Training in such conditions can provoke the occurrence of serious pathologies in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
To minimize the risk of complications, it is better to quit smoking not only before, but also after playing sports, since the next few hours after running or swimming the body will recover, and it considers removing toxins and neutralizing the harmful effects of nicotine to be secondary tasks.
Optimal sports for smoking athletes
To avoid health problems, doctors and trainers recommend that smokers choose their sports activities responsibly. It is necessary to exclude cardio, strength and aerobic exercise, bodybuilding, jumping, and exhausting jogging.
At the initial stage, the athlete is recommended to do yoga, swimming, Pilates, walking, and light gymnastics.
Smokers need to drink a lot of water before and after physical activity, because due to poisoning of the body with toxic resins, water is less absorbed, and replenishing fluid reserves in the body is vital.
How to quit smoking[edit | edit code]
Personal experience of smoking forces us to fully recognize the high degree of psychological dependence on nicotine, and even a high level of willpower does not always allow us to give up cigarettes. However, there is an optimal solution - switching to electronic cigarettes. This product of modern technology is a device that consists of a battery, a vaporizer and a cartridge for a solution with nicotine. The solution does not contain harmful tars and makes it possible to eliminate withdrawal symptoms, while within 1-2 weeks you can quite easily give up regular cigarettes and block the pathological stereotype (ritual). Then gradually switch to a low concentration of nicotine until you completely quit smoking.
A 2020 study proved[1] that e-cigarettes produce benzene, a powerful carcinogen with high biological and mutagenic activity.
There are other options for replacement therapy (Nicorette cartridges, nicotine patches, chewing gum, etc.), but subjectively quitting smoking with their help is much more difficult.
In order to completely quit smoking, it is recommended to read the book “The Easy Way to Quit Smoking” by Allen Carr.
Harm of smoking to health
Let's start with the most important thing, with the fact that tobacco contains more than 4,000 different types of chemicals that have a negative effect on the human body. The most harmful components of plant origin are nicotine, carbon monoxide and well-known tars. Moreover, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that we are talking specifically about tobacco, and not about cigarettes. As for cigarettes, they are made not so much from tobacco itself, but from tobacco production waste - pods, stems, cake, paper and other processed products. This explosive mixture contains urea (causes addiction), ammonium nitrate (improves combustion) and concentrated tar (gives tobacco taste and aroma).
Nicotine, as has been repeatedly proven by scientists around the world, is a narcotic substance that causes both mental and physical dependence. Nicotine, like many other drugs, enters the body through the blood. Literally 8-10 seconds after taking a puff, it causes a response from the brain. Long-term use of nicotine (that is, smoking) often affects a person’s mental state. In addition, a smoker’s heart rate increases, the body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol increases, blood pressure increases, blood clotting decreases, and adverse changes in metabolism occur, which affects overall health.
Carbon monoxide also deserves special attention. It is a poisonous gas. In a smoker, up to 15% of the blood contains carbon monoxide instead of oxygen. It is important to focus on this, since oxygen during sports is necessary for the effective functioning of cells and nutrition of tissues. When smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the body, problems begin with muscle growth, recovery, and the absorption of essential nutrients. The main one of these substances is protein, which plays a key role in bodybuilding. As for tars, about 70% of the liquid tar inhaled during smoking damages the lung tissue, which leads to respiratory failure, cough, and even chronic bronchitis.
Is it possible to smoke and play sports?
If you can quit, quit. This will be good for your productivity and overall health. But if you can’t do it yet, play sports.
Physical activity reduces Physical activity trajectories and mortality: population based cohort study the risk of deadly diseases increased due to smoking: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, stroke.
Even though exercise of any kind doesn't help. Can exercise help people quit smoking? quit smoking, at least you will reduce your risks a little.
Bone and muscle system of smoking athletes
In general, these two systems are called the musculoskeletal system. Tobacco products are clearly opposed to the development and normal functioning of this complex mechanism. Earlier in the article, the effect of cigarettes on muscle tissue was described (slowing the growth of new muscles and destroying existing ones). Let’s now consider how smoking has “annoyed”
us in the bone area. Bones only at first glance seem static. Every year, from 4 to 10 percent of bone tissue is renewed in the body of a healthy individual. Free radicals, which smokers have in abundance, are especially dangerous for her. In the bones, they suppress the production of a certain type of cell responsible for bone regeneration. As a result, bones become fragile, and even a seemingly minor injury can result in a fracture. Hormonal levels that regulate bone tissue renewal are also disrupted. Blood saturated with toxins stops transporting mineral elements and vitamins, which are also necessary for the full functioning of the skeletal system. According to research, smoking athletes often experience diseases such as inflammation of the joint capsules and tendon degeneration. Their recovery from injuries tends to take longer and they are more likely to have complications. All this greatly affects the sport and achievements of the athlete-smoker, since he is almost constantly in a state of injury.
Smoking-related diseases
The consequences of long-term smoking can be very diverse. They catch up with some earlier, while others are given more time to stay healthy. The most common diseases of smokers and athletes in particular include:
- oncological diseases (a large number of free radicals can directly cause cancer; the larynx, oral cavity, and lungs most often suffer from cigarette smoke);
- cardiovascular diseases (tachycardia, hypertension, angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack, thrombosis, in advanced cases of gangrene);
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system (osteoporosis, brusitis, tendonitis, artiritis, back pain, increased susceptibility to injury - femurs and shoulder girdle are especially susceptible to fractures)
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) - includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema;
- Impotence and infertility are also common consequences for those who like to “tar.”
A healthy lifestyle is a great alternative to bad habits. As a rule, people who begin to actively and seriously train begin to feel the harmful effects of tobacco smoke on the body more acutely and they themselves give up cigarettes.
Recovery
It is known that muscles grow during rest, not training. But what kind of rest can we talk about if at this time the body must “give up” most of its available resources to eliminate the negative impact of a smoked cigarette.
I think that the above arguments speak for themselves. Conclusion: if you want to get the full benefit from your training and see results, it is better to quit the habit of smoking, as well as the attempt to “combine” alcohol and fitness. And if for some reason you cannot or do not want to do this, then be prepared for the fact that the effectiveness of your classes drops significantly.
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The cardiovascular system
The cardiovascular system suffers the most. In a smoker, the heart muscle almost always works at an increased rate, blood pressure is increased compared to normal, and the walls of blood vessels are narrowed. When these negative factors are combined with physical activity, the heart begins to work at its limit. And this does not help strengthen the heart muscle; rather, it leads to its rapid and pointless wear. In the most extreme case, such an attitude towards your heart can lead to myocardial infarction. Smoking also constricts the blood vessels of the brain, just like others.
And during sports activities, narrowed blood vessels and high blood pressure can lead to a stroke. During smoking, the blood vessels narrow and remain in this state for some time. During sports activities, on the contrary, blood vessels require a sharp expansion to increase blood flow. What happens? Unhappy vessels experience unprecedented stress. Such constant chronic shocks lead to rapid wear and tear of the body. And it turns out that the smoking athlete gets the opposite result of what he went to the gym or treadmill for. Is it worth combining smoking and sports?
