Key result
Cigarette smoking is linked to ~45% shorter time to exhaustion during sinusoidal cycling versus non-smokers.
Why the study?
The impact of cigarette smoking on the cardiorespiratory response to exhaustive exercise remains unclear.
Does cigarette smoking reduce exercise tolerance in young physically active males without cardiovascular or respiratory disease?
Observational (n=16)
Does cigarette smoking reduce exercise tolerance in young physically active males without cardiovascular or respiratory disease?
Cigarette smoking significantly reduces exercise tolerance and alters ventilatory responses during high-intensity exercise even in young, physically active individuals without overt disease.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Suggests subclinical cardiorespiratory impairment may occur even in young, physically active.
The impact of cigarette smoking on the cardiorespiratory response to exhaustive exercise remains unclear. This study investigated the smoking effect on exercise tolerance by analyzing the cardiorespiratory and metabolic variables during an exhausting sinusoidal exercise in young physically active smokers (SM) without known cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Eight physically active male SM (22.1 ± 2.2 years; 79.9 ± 4.4 kg; maximum oxygen uptake, 3385 ± 341 mL·min −1 ) and 8 non‐smokers (controls, 22.6 ± 1.4 years; 74.3 ± 7.9 kg; 3623 ± 302 mL·min −1 ) performed an exhausting sinusoidal cycling exercise. The work rate varied sinusoidally around a midpoint 50 W below the lactate threshold (LT), with an amplitude of ± 50 W and a 4‐min cycle period. Midpoint, amplitude, and time‐delay between mechanical and metabolic signals of pulmonary ventilation (), , and heart rate (HR) were assessed sinusoid‐by‐sinusoid, as well as blood lactate ([La − ]) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Despite similar LT (199 ± 26 vs. 219 ± 28 W for SM and controls, respectively), SM exhibited a lower time to exhaustion (2461 ± 386 vs. 4512 ± 1359 s for SM and controls, respectively; p = 0.001) than controls. No differences between groups emerged in midpoint, amplitude, and time delays, as well as in [La − ] and RPE. In SM, midpoint remained constant, whereas in controls during the last cycle was higher compared to the first one ( p = 0.001). In both groups, HR ( p < 0.01) and midpoint increased from the first to the last cycle ( p < 0.05). The cigarette smoking‐induced exercise intolerance suggests metabolic and ventilatory impairments during sinusoidal cycle exercise even in young, physically active SM with no cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
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Borrelli et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Healthy physically active smokers (n=16). Cigarette smoking vs. Non-smokers was evaluated on Time to exhaustion (seconds) (p=0.001). Cigarette smoking was associated with a significantly lower time to exhaustion during sinusoidal cycling compared to non-smokers (2461 vs 4512 seconds; p=0.001).
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