Smoking puts you at risk for serious health complications, such as lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. If you smoke and engage in a regular exercise program, keeping physically fit does offer some protection against smoking-related illnesses. However, your endurance level and physical performance may not be on par with someone who exercises and does not smoke.
Physical Effects
Smoking has numerous effects on your heart and lungs during exercise. The carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke enters your bloodstream quickly, decreasing the amount of oxygen your body can absorb. During any aerobic activity, your need for oxygen increases as your heart beat quickens and you breathe more deeply. Carbon monoxide prevents oxygen from reaching your muscles. Due to its restrictive effects on your airway, the amount of oxygen you get during exercise is also decreased. Your heart has to work harder, making physical activity more challenging and exhausting.
Endurance Effects
Some smokers insist that they notice no hindrance to their athletic performance. However, in August 2008, UC San Francisco professor and cardiologist Dr. Stanton told the "Los Angeles Times" that the heart and lungs have to be seriously compromised by the ill effects of smoking for many smoking exercisers to notice a difference. Regular exercisers who start smoking may notice that they become fatigued more quickly, but long-time smokers who also exercise, having no reference point, may not notice that their performance isn't optimal.
Study Results
A study published in the November 1992 issue of "Preventive Medicine" examined how smoking affected more than 3,000 relatively young, physically fit Navy personnel. Scientists at the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego discovered no association between smoking and lean muscle mass and overall body fat. However, they did note a link between smoking and decreased levels of exercise and physical endurance in both cardiovascular activity -- running -- and strength training. Researchers concluded that "smokers will have lower physical endurance than nonsmokers, even after differences in the average exercise levels of smokers and nonsmokers are taken into account."
Other Information
Regular physical activity strengthens your cardiovascular system and keeps your cholesterol in check, Glantz went on to tell the "Times," People who smoke and exercise have decreased risk of illness than people who smoke and remain sedentary. However, the optimal way to reach obtain your maximum endurance is to stop smoking entirely." According to MayoClinic.com, quitting yields immediate benefits. After only 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your heart beat slows down; within another 12 hours, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood has decreased. After three months, your respiratory and cardiovascular functioning start to show improvement.
