It has been a widely-talked issue for the past years whether vaping and other e-cigarettes can be a much safer alternative to consuming tobacco. However, there is already research about this tobacco consumption method showing more complicated illnesses: over 1200 people have been diagnosed with diseases caused by vaping and e-cigarettes, and a number has been reportedly dead.
With the disadvantages associated with e-cigarettes, most people would not link an athlete to smoking. Professional athletes are advised to stay away from making this leisure a habit. While there are many people arguing that vaping is much safer than consuming cigarettes, it is a misconception that e-cigarettes and vaporizers are totally harmless.
Vaping vs. Smoking
A new phenomenon rising among tobacco users, especially the youth, is vaping. However, compared to ‘regular smoking,’ vaping is characterized by the inhalation and exhalation of vapors or aerosols with the usage of battery-powered devices specifically made for this activity. While some people categorized the two as the same, basically in terms of structure, these two are different.
To add, vaping doesn’t produce the same odor as traditional cigarettes have. Vaporizers and e-cigarettes have a more pleasant smell, depending on what kind of ‘flavor’ the user has. This is also one of the main reasons why they switch from smoking to vaping, aside from the fact that the latter is more compact than the former.
With this fact in mind, what are the impacts of both activities on physical fitness, particularly those young men?
The Effects of Vaping and Smoking to the Physical Fitness of Active Young Men
There are a lot of studies that show the adverse effects of consuming cigarettes on the physical performance of an individual. However, since vapes are a recent development, few studies have been conducted about them relating to their effects on physically active men.
However, data was collected from an electronic questionnaire given to U.S Army Soldiers in 2016. In 2018, an analysis was conducted. All characteristics of present smokers, dual users, and end-users were examined and compared to a group with no history of usage and habit. The study involves 2,854 young men with an average age range of 24.6 years.
Upon studying and examining the results, it was found out that the never-users top the charts in the performance for physical fitness and training, followed by end-users. The smokers and dual users scored the least. With the results shown, it was suggested that young men who use both traditional tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes have lower fitness and physical activities scores than those who abstain from using both.
Final Thoughts
Smoking alone has its cons when it comes to the physical fitness of any individual. It may bring lesser endurance, an increased rate of complications and injury, and poor physical performance to the users.
This may be the case as well for vaping, especially with the conclusions brought up from the study using the data collected from young men. Smoking and vaping mustn’t go simultaneously as they will hamper the physical fitness of young men and other users. As the reminder goes, smoking is dangerous to your health – now, this must be applied to vaping as well.