Tobacco smoking and physical performance
Karpovich, P.V.; Hale, C.J.
Journal of Applied Physiology 3(10): 616-621
1951
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-8987 PMID: 14824045 DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1951.3.10.616Document Number: 510046
Thirteen college students were used as subjects; 8 of them were habitual smokers, and 5 nonsmokers. Exercise consisted of performing on a bicycle ergometer a prescribed amount of work in the shortest possible time. The expt. continued for 3.5 to 5 months. Each subject served as his own control, by either smoking or abstaining from smoking. The period of abstinence from smoking was from 7 to 10 days. The avg. riding time for all subjects but one was better when they did not smoke. This, however, was statistically significant for only 3 smokers and 2 nonsmokers, and was not significant for the group. Abstinence from smoking for one week showed improvement in a tobacco-sensitive subject, and no effect in non-sensitive ones. Since a relatively large proportion of an athletic team may consist of tobacco-sensitive men, the non-smoking rule is a wise precaution.