All smokers are at risk for serious health problems, but athletes especially should be wary because physical training requires speed and endurance -- two areas in which smoking has a detrimental effect. Athletes who smoke often find they can't reach their potential, causing them to fall behind their competitors and fail to meet their fitness goals.
Heart and Blood Vessel Problems
The chemicals in tobacco smoke cause your blood vessels to narrow. Your heart has to work harder to deliver blood to your muscles, which need a continual supply of oxygen to maintain peak athletic performance. The result is, your muscles can't perform as well, and your heart strains harder to pump blood than it should have to, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC.
Decreased Lung Performance
Strong lungs are vital for athletes, who need the oxygen to maintain a high level of performance during games and practices. Smoking destroys your lungs, decreasing their effectiveness and possibly leading to dangerous breathing diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Even if you don't contract these dangerous conditions, your performance still suffers: Smokers are three times more likely to experience shortness of breath than nonsmokers, according to the CDC.
Effects on Performance
The combined effect of lowered lung and cardiovascular capabilities is decreased speed and endurance. During practices, you fall behind others. During games, you probably aren't able to compete at your best. That's why sports coaches typically ban tobacco use, on or off the playing field. They know that players who smoke are limiting their potential. If you take a sport seriously, quit smoking immediately to improve your performance as well as to reap the many other health benefits of a smoke-free life.
Long-term Damage
The longer you smoke, the greater the chance you will have to quit your sport entirely due to health complications. Smokers risk developing a host of serious health conditions, including cancers of the lung, mouth and sinuses. Strokes can result from the narrowing of blood vessels that deliver oxygen to the brain. For a full list of negative health conditions associated with smoking, use such smoking cessation resources as the American Cancer Society's website, which provides detailed health information and advice for those trying to quit.
