This is one of the frequently asked questions among the youth of India. Before answering the question, let’s do a little fact check. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 267 million adults (15 years and above) in India (29% of all adults) are users of tobacco, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India, 2016-17. This is an overwhelming and a scary figure, also the reason why this question is repeatedly asked by indulging youth.
You must have heard this all the time, “Smoking is injurious to health.” Well, yes, it is! Infact, it doesn’t only ‘hamper’ but ‘adversely impacts’ the workout as well as your health.
The following information will help you develop a clear understanding of how smoking is detrimental to your VYAM (workout):
- Loss of oxygen in our blood: While working out, our body demands oxygen-rich blood flow. However, when we smoke, we inhale chemicals like carbon monoxide (along with many more), which attaches to the blood vessels displacing oxygen. It narrows the vessels which disturbs its flow to heart, muscles, lungs and tissues. Consequently, the body exhausts early.
- Burning sensation in muscles: As oxygen flow to the muscles declines, lactic acid rises. This results in fatigue, heavy breathing, burning sensation in muscles and increased soreness. Also, the body gets injured easily during exercise, which suggests lower muscular strength.
- Higher resting heart rate: Likewise, due to less oxygen in blood, the heart has to pump harder in order to fulfill the requirement of the organs and muscles. Hence, the heart rate becomes higher than normal. This situation becomes more critical during the workout.
- Increased blood pressure: The blood pressure of the body is directly proportional to the heart rate. It means that as the heart rate rises, so does the blood pressure. Higher blood pressure poses many dangers to the body.
- Improper lungs functionality: When we smoke, the tar from the cigarettes accumulates inside the windpipe, restricting proper flow of oxygen and natural cleansing of lungs. This makes it one of the reasons for the oxygen-deficient blood of smokers.
- Low testosterone level: Smoking accelerates the growth of a stress hormone called Cortisol, which hinders testosterone production. Testosterone plays a significant role in muscle building and maintenance. When its level decreases, it adversely affects the muscles, for which we work so hard at the gyms.
These are the basics of what happens to the body when we smoke and its impacts on the workout. In simple words, do not smoke if you wish to gain the desired results at the gym and also for the overall well-being of your body.
To conclude, here is the summary of the ill-effects of smoking on the workout:
- Less endurance during workout.
- Poor physical health and performance
- Higher risks of injury
- Lower muscle build-up
- Increased probability of cardiac diseases
- Risks of lung and blood cancer
With this knowledge, have a Power-packed VYAM!!
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