hey, i smoke about 5-10 cigarettes a day, lift and run. Does smoking affect how big you get at the gym? I KNOW, smoking cigarettes is bad. I want to know if it will hurt my muscle growth, etc. or affect it at all. thank you!
2007-02-19 23:49:58 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
it will hinder blood flow to the muscle and the blood carries nutrients that create muscle growth...plus smoking inhibits your endurance and does not allow you to work the muscle as hard, which also hinders how fast it grows.
2007-02-19 23:54:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cigarette smokes damages the large and small airways. The lungs do not expand or empty as efficiently, affecting endurance and delivery of oxygen to red blood cells.
Red blood cells carry oxygen to the tissues, such as muscle, brain, and heart. It can carry other things too, such as carbon monoxide. It actually prefers carbon monoxide: it is easier to carry. Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide. If Oxygen isn't delivered to muscles, then they lose strength, endurance, and the ability to get rid of waste (like the kind made when exercising). Build up of waste = less growth potential.
Smoking also contributes to vascular abnormalities. This makes your blood vessels less able to constrict and relax in response to exercise. Therefore, they are less able to carry the red blood cells that are already less effective due to the carbon monoxide.
Vascular disease and smoke also lead to heart trouble. If the heart can't pump effectively, then the damaged blood vessels and carbon-monoxide carrying (defective) red blood cells don't have much of a chance of reaching your waste-filled muscles.
I could keep going, but I think that it is apparent that smoking is detremental to weight lifting. It has a nasty snow-ball effect. Save the money of cigs and buy more weights. Good luck!
2007-02-20 10:10:00 · answer #2 · answered by SA16 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, smoking cigarettes will hurt your muscle gains. By smoking the cigs you lungs are not as efficient as they could be so your muscles are not getting the oxygen they need so you will tire quicker in the gym. You cardio workouts will also suffer since you can’t take in has much oxygen. Lay the cigarettes down and you will be able to put more effort into your fitness program and then experience more gains quicker. Your body will also thank you for giving up this habit.
2007-02-20 08:41:37 · answer #3 · answered by Gregg F 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
smoking makes you weaker and less able to do things like lift weights... you could probably lift more weights and faster too if you wernt smoking... and can slow how fast you run...so yes it does have an effect on your fitness...
2007-02-20 07:54:30 · answer #4 · answered by Lindsey richardson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, actually new studies say smokers that exercise live longer.
Just take vitamin C for all that smoking.
2000 mg a day if u smoke a pack.
2007-02-20 09:34:58 · answer #5 · answered by sunflare63 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, it will reduce the amount of oxygen available to your muscles so reduce performance
2007-02-20 07:57:16 · answer #6 · answered by huggz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are a lot of specualtions but no scientific evidence, so you have no reason to trust any of the things that are said about this.
2007-02-20 07:53:28 · answer #7 · answered by Vlado 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋