Young vapers perform worse during physical exercise than those who do not use e-cigarettes, according to a new study.
- Young people who vape perform worse than non-vapers on tests designed to measure their ability to exercise.
- Their performance was also similar to that of young smokers.
- Smokers and vapers were more short of breath, suffered from severe leg fatigue and had higher levels of lactate in their blood than non-smokers.
E-cigarettes have a strong following among young people. While several studies suggest that vaping is a useful way to reduce or quit smoking, the effects of long-term use on the body are questionable.
Moreover, a new study, presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) congress in Vienna, shows that electronic cigarettes are not harmless. A team from Manchester Metropolitan University reveals that young people who vape have poorer physical performance than non-users. They are even close to those of smokers.
Young vapers have similar lung capacities to smokers
To assess the effects of vaping on physical abilities, the researchers gathered 60 people in their 20s, all of whom had normal lung function. Twenty participants had vaped for at least two years, 20 had smoked tobacco for at least two years, while the remaining 20 were non-smokers and non-vapers.
Each volunteer was asked to ride a stationary bike. “It’s the perfect test to test physical capacity and how a person copes with exercise, looking at the responses of their heart, lungs and muscles at increasingly challenging levels until they reach their maximum.”explain the authors in a press release.
Blood tests and an ultrasound scan were also performed to check that the arteries were functioning properly.
The tests showed that young vapers had a lower “maximum exercise capacity” (186 watts) than the group that did not vape or smoke (226 watts). On the other hand, they had similar results to smokers (182 watts). Their lung capacities were also impacted. At the height of physical effort, e-cigarette or tobacco users were less able to consume oxygen (2.7 liters per minute and 2.6 liters per minute) than the others (3 liters per minute).
Other findings in both vapers and smokers: They had less well-functioning blood vessels. They were more short of breath, suffered from intense leg fatigue and had higher levels of lactate in their blood, a sign of muscle fatigue. These problems were observed even before their maximum exercise level.
Vaping and health: caution is advised
“In this study, we looked at a group of young people with no apparent signs of lung damage. Among people who had been vaping or smoking for at least two years, we found important differences in how they coped with exercise. Both smokers and vapers had measurable excessive breathing when using the exercise bikes. They found it harder to breathe, their muscles became more tired, and they were less fit overall. In this respect, our research indicated that vaping is no better than smoking.”said study leader Dr Azmy Faisal.
While scientists cannot yet determine whether the associations found in this study are causal or the result of other systematic differences between groups, they say it is important for vapers to be aware that “Using these products could make them less fit and less able to exercise”For them, it is better to act to prevent children and young people from vaping.
