Young people who vape or smoke cigarettes have 15% lower fitness, presenting a reduced vascular function, diminished respiratory efficiency, and a reduced exercise capacity compared with those who have never smoked or vaped. This is the main conclusion of a study conducted by 10 researchers from institutions in Canada, Egypt, the United States, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom, published this Tuesday in the journal ERJ Open Research.
“In active, healthy young adults with normal lungs, both electronic cigarettes and smoking caused a worsening of exercise capacity, breathlessness, and severe leg fatigue,” states Azmy Faisal, of Manchester Metropolitan University (United Kingdom) and the study’s lead author.
Faisal adds: “As with smoking, our research indicates that vaping can induce adverse changes in the blood vessels, in lung efficiency during exercise, and a roughly 15% reduction in fitness compared with those who have never smoked or vaped.”
The study analyzed 75 people aged 18 to 30. A third had never smoked or vaped; another third were smokers but had never used electronic cigarettes, and the remaining third had been vaping for about three years without having smoked previously.
All participants exhibited normal resting lung function and similar lifestyle factors, including caffeine and alcohol intake, and comparable physical activity levels. Each volunteer participated in an incremental cycling exercise test while their heart, respiratory, and blood lactate responses were measured as the workload progressively increased to their maximum. Ultrasounds and blood analyses were also conducted to assess artery function.
15% Less Performance
The testing results showed that at their maximum exercise capacity, the vaping and smoking groups exhibited a significantly lower exercise capacity and oxygen uptake, about 15% lower.
Pulmonary ability to expel carbon dioxide declined and lactic acid accumulated more quickly in vapers and smokers at all exercise levels before reaching their maximum, causing greater breathlessness and leg discomfort compared with the group that never smoked or vaped.
Ultrasounds and blood analyses revealed signs of vascular inflammation. The researchers state that these results suggest similar effects of vaping and smoking in young people. “These findings provide crucial information for the general public, healthcare professionals, and regulatory authorities about the potential initial risks associated with electronic cigarette use, particularly for the growing number of young people who have never smoked but choose to use these products,” Faisal notes.
The researchers now plan to conduct magnetic resonance imaging studies to better understand the changes in the heart, lungs, and skeletal muscles associated with vaping, especially the underlying mechanisms that lead to lower fitness levels. While electronic cigarettes may contain lower levels of carcinogens, they can still trigger genetic changes such as DNA damage and inflammation, factors linked to a higher risk of lung cancer.
For individuals who have never smoked and therefore do not use electronic cigarettes as a quitting aid, the health consequences of vaping become increasingly difficult to justify for lawmakers and the tobacco industry, according to the study.
