Vaping Harms Exercise Capacity as Much as Smoking, Study Finds

A new study published in the European Respiratory Society journal reveals that vaping reduces physical exercise capacity in young adults to the same extent as conventional cigarettes. Researchers found that both electronic cigarettes and traditional smoking decreased physical capacity and oxygen consumption by 15% during peak exercise. The study also observed negative effects such as reduced ventilatory efficiency, impaired systemic vascular function, and increased symptoms of shortness of breath and fatigue during physical exertion.

According to lead author Azmy Faisal from Manchester Metropolitan University, healthy, physically active young adults experienced reduced exercise capacity, increased breathlessness, and intense leg fatigue from both vaping and smoking. The research detailed a diminished lung capacity to eliminate carbon dioxide and a faster lactic acid buildup in smokers, which contributes to muscle burn and fatigue. Participants in the study included non-smokers/non-vapers, smokers, and electronic cigarette users, all with normal resting lung function and similar lifestyles.

Beyond exercise performance, the study identified signs of inflammation in blood vessels, with similar effects observed between vaping and smoking. The research also highlighted the addictive nature of nicotine, the primary chemical in all cigarettes, and its link to numerous diseases, including various cancers, respiratory problems like emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Specifically for e-cigarettes, the study referenced EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury), a condition causing respiratory distress and other symptoms, which was linked to 68 deaths.