Do you know the effects of smoking on our muscles? Take note. Sometimes, the importance of not having healthy lifestyle habits is underestimated. Smokers may not feel fit, may experience shortness of breath when exerting themselves, may not improve their strength, speed, etc., despite consistent training, or may find it harder to build muscle mass, to name a few examples. We all surely know someone who has this problem, whether personally or not.
This post was written using several scientific studies, as well as other more general-interest articles. Analyzing the results, it has been confirmed that the acute and chronic effects of its consumption on muscle function, among other well-known harmful health effects, have been extensively studied for some time.
Effects of tobacco smoke on our muscles
No matter what type of tobacco is consumed, it are all harmful.
Some of these changes are (Petersen et al., 2007):
- Lower and slower protein synthesis, up to 50%.
- Higher risk of sarcopenia or loss of muscle strength.
- Worse functionality during activities of daily living.
- Vascular damage and inflammation.
- Increased cellular toxicity
- It inhibits growth and increases muscle breakdown.
Smokers’ muscles tire more quickly
On the other hand, it was shown that the muscles of smokers tire faster than those of non-smokers, regardless of the daily amount consumed, especially in the legs or lower limbs (Rob Wust et al., 2008).
The effect of tobacco on muscles is immediate and likely a consequence of a reduction in the oxygen supply to muscle fibers. Similarly, tissue vascularization is decreased, meaning blood flow is impaired (Nogueira & Cols, 2018).
Other studies have shown that simply being exposed to or in contact with smoke (even in low doses) results in lower performance in hand grip strength tests (Carrasco-Ríos et al., 2019).
“Passive smokers also lose strength.”
Therefore, we can conclude that smoking impairs the protein synthesis process, which is related to muscle mass, accelerating its deterioration. This makes our muscles less functional and weaker when performing physical activity, even everyday activities of varying intensity. It will also affect athletic performance and post-exercise muscle recovery.
Today, it’s a widespread habit; we often see amateur and even professional athletes engaging in this harmful practice, sometimes daily. This can be the reason why, in some cases, athletes don’t achieve their desired goals when competing, and if we add other toxic habits (alcohol consumption, lack of rest, etc.), the situation can be even more negatively impacted.
All sources consulted agree on the need to increase public health interventions to reduce and even eliminate tobacco use, as well as exposure to secondhand smoke. This would not only prevent lung problems and the risk of developing various types of cancer, among other issues, but would also significantly improve our ability to perform activities, exert ourselves, or exercise, thereby increasing our overall quality of life.
