Can Nicotine Affect Weight Lifting and Muscle Growth?
Nicotine’s stimulant-like effects attract fitness enthusiasts all around the world.
However, nicotine does affect weight lifting, muscle growth, or any type of fitness goal.
The highly addictive compound naturally occurs in the nightshade family of plants, including tobacco.
It’s a primary addictive component in tobacco products leading to major harmful effects on health.
Whether smoking, tobacco use, or vaping, nicotine present in them harms your health.
This blog delves into the scientific point of view to find a precise answer.
First and foremost, let’s find out if nicotine affects protein synthesis, muscle growth, and weight lifting using available studies.
Does Nicotine Affect Muscle Growth and Weight Lifting?
Yes, nicotine can affect muscle growth and weightlifting.
The substance influences multiple body processes, which in term hinders muscle development, the effects of weight lifting, and the quality of existing lean muscle.
Fortunately, many studies have looked into its actual approach resulting in the deterioration of your efforts.
Study #1: Smoking Impairs Muscle Protein Synthesis
A study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism investigated the relationship between nicotine and muscle growth.
The paper showed that nicotine uses negatively impacts muscle growth by inhibiting the signaling pathways that are involved in the muscle growth process.
The study further states that smoking impairs the muscle protein synthesis process and increases the impression of genes associated with impaired muscle maintenance.
Findings and consistent reports suggest that smoking induces or possibly accelerates muscle wasting.
This is one of the many studies confirming the fact that nicotine does affect muscle growth and weight lifting.
Now, we have to look at another which further adds to the relationship between nicotine and muscle development.
Study #2: Cigarette Smoking and Muscle Strength in Japanese Men
Another study published in the Journal of the Preventive Medicine and Public Health investigates the link between cigarette smoking and muscle strength in Japanese men.
For this, 4249 Japanese men, aged 43.3±13.9 years were investigated in a cross-sectional study. The effect of cigarette smoking was evaluated on grip strength and leg strength.
After analysis, the study concludes that cigarette smoking might be negatively associated with muscle strength, especially grip strength.
The effects are likely to vary with different factors like the amount of nicotine consumed and how one’s body processes the substance.
Apart from cigarettes or nicotine, vaping does affect weight lifting. Thus, considering the above explanation, it is best to avoid nicotine or reduce its intake to make the most of your efforts.
Certainly, the recommendations are more valid for folks into weight lifting and muscle building.
Further, how does nicotine affect weight lifting and muscle growth, whether entered into the body through smoking, tobacco use, or vaping, has been addressed in the below segment with available scientific understanding.
How Does Nicotine Affect Weight Lifting and Muscle Growth?
Any form of Nicotine hinders efforts put into weight lifting for muscle growth.
Usually, it occurs due to impaired body processes responsible for muscle development.
Numerous studies have addressed the process involved in nullifying the effects of weightlifting due to nicotine abuse, smoking, vaping, and tobacco use.
Here are five ways in which nicotine does affect muscle growth and weight lifting:
#1. Impairs Muscle Protein Synthesis
Nicotine affects protein synthesis, a process responsible for muscle fiber growth and repair.
This reduction in muscle protein synthesis naturally lessens muscle growth and lessens post-workout recovery.
#2. Decreases Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) levels
IGF is a growth hormone factor essential for both muscle development and recovery.
Surprisingly, the use of the substance seems to lessen the IGF-1 levels, which hinders muscle growth.
#3. Decreases Blood Flow
Nicotine seems to tighten blood vessels lessening the blood flow to the muscle.
Certainly, during workouts, it drastically limits the delivery of oxygen and nutrients resulting in quick muscle fatigue.
Also, it affects muscle gain and post-exercise muscle recovery.
#4. Increases Inflammation
Studies have found the substance detrimental in causing inflammation.
Undoubtedly, this further lessens muscle growth and slows down post-workout recovery.
On top of that, it elevates instances of muscle soreness while delaying muscle repair.
#5. Decreases Muscle Activation
Muscle activation is necessary to achieve maximum benefits from a workout.
However, smoking before lifting weights decimates muscle activation, which impairs one’s muscle-building ability.
These are some of the effects of nicotine on muscles and different body processes contributing to muscle development.
Indeed, collectively the degradation in the body functions slows down muscle growth as well as affects the recovery process.
However, vaping does not stop muscle growth, the same is with nicotine or smoking. They do slow down the muscle-gaining process, but there is no complete shutdown of the muscle-accumulation process.
Overall, it becomes tough to achieve fitness objectives irrespective of the well-planned training program and the right nutritious diet.
Apart from these, there are many unknown effects of nicotine on muscles. And the next segment deals with all the effects nicotine has on bodybuilding.
Effects of Nicotine on Bodybuilding
Whether cigarettes, tobacco, or e-cigarettes, the presence of nicotine makes them addictive.
On top of that, the toxic effects of the substance lead to many health problems. Thus, when into bodybuilding, smoking isn’t a good idea.
Here are the top 4 effects of nicotine that affect bodybuilding efforts.
#1: Declines Workout Performance
Smokers should butt out if wanting to achieve a muscular physique.
As known, with a workout, it is possible to get those great bulks and ripped bodies.
However, smoking tends to increase heartbeat, which means a setback during training. Faster heartbeats lead to slower workouts.
Moreover, the nicotine present in cigarettes tends to block blood vessels making oxygen and nutrient flow during workout
#2: Testosterone Trouble
Nicotine does affect testosterone, which can be alarming for folks into bulking.
When it comes to gaining huge bulks, testosterone is a superhero. The male sex hormone can accelerate muscle growth and level up workout productivity.
However, smoking affects testosterone production and secretion by damaging the cells responsible for its creation.
Eventually, this affects exiting lean muscle and future potential muscle development.
#3: Cortisol Chaos
Smoking can elevate cortisol levels; the stress hormone makes muscle building a painful experience.
Moreover, the stress hormone lessens testosterone production making muscle growth even tougher business.
It even elevates myostatin, a hormone that inhibits muscle development making muscle weaker.
#4: Insulin Irritation
Smoking can make muscle insulin resistant, which again hinders muscle-building prospects.
Insulin supports muscles in absorbing glucose, necessary for fuelling workouts.
However, insulin resistance can hinder muscle in absorbing glucose resulting in low energy during workouts.
Ultimately, it leads to elevate fat accumulation and reduction in muscle gain.
#5: Slows Muscle Recovery
Nicotine consumption delays muscle recovery time while affecting muscle repair and the healing process.
In other words, it would take longer for the muscle to heal and back up after an extensive training session. Thus, again nicotine affects your entire bodybuilding prospect.
#6: Increases Fatigue
As mentioned earlier, nicotine leads to a huge setback in the utilization of glucose for energy.
This increases the feeling of sluggishness while increasing fatigue.
Eventually, the low energy level makes workouts sessions tough to go through while affecting your performance.
#7: Impairs Focus and Concentration
High nicotine level disrupts focus and concentration making it challenging to focus during workouts.
Also, this causes a steep decline in motivation to wrap up workout sessions.
At the same time, hitting the gym daily and completing workout sessions seems a huge task to accomplish.
#8: Decreases Endurance
Nicotine even lessens endurance levels, which affects workout sessions.
A low endurance level reduces your ability to stay longer during an intense workout.
Thus, it leads to less effective workouts resulting in slow progress toward your bulking goal.
#9: Increases Stress
The substance tends to spike the cortisol level.
The high level of stress hormone leads to low mood, lack of motivation, and hindered focus.
At the same time, it begins to affect existing lean muscle mass, while affecting strength and stamina.
#10: Reduces Bone Density
Regular consumption of nicotine affects bone density as well causing brittle and weak bones.
This makes them prone to injuries and fractures, mainly because it becomes highly risky during intense workouts.
So, there you have it, folks! Nicotine does affect muscle growth and weight lifting by compromising different body functions necessary for obtaining a good fitness level.
Indeed, nicotine isn’t a good idea at all if you want to turn into a mega-muscle bulker.
The chemical present in cigarettes and tobacco harms performance while affecting different facets of muscle development.
Eventually, achieving fitness objectives and goals becomes too tough to handle.
In short, it is best to ditch smoking or any kind of nicotine consumption to shape your body.
Surprisingly, quitting smoking can facilitate your muscle-building efforts.
Can You Gain Muscle After Quitting Smoking?
Smoking isn’t just detrimental to multiple health issues like cardiac disease, lung cancer, and stroke, but it affects bodybuilding goals drastically.
However, quitting smoking can be good in every way possible. It advances your overall health for sure, but it does more for fitness.
Many studies have shown power quitting smoking benefits muscle growth by excluding its negative effects.
Study #1: Quitting Cigarettes Helps Gain Muscle
A recent study conducted in Israel has shed light on the relationship between smoking cessation and muscle growth.
The research published in the journal Scientific reports addressed the effects of quitting smoking on muscle strength.
It found people quitting cigarettes experienced a remarkable boost in muscle strength.
Eventually, the increment in muscle strength was more prevalent a few months post quitting smoking and results were evident more in older participants.
The muscular strength was located not in a particular muscle group, but in the entire body.
Such improvement was observable due to the decline in nicotine use, which lead to minimizing negative effects on muscle growth.
After quitting smoking, the body is no longer under the adverse effects of the substance resulting in better muscle recovery and muscle growth.
Nonetheless, the improvement was more observable in older folks, who are more at risk of muscle loss, and quitting cigarettes seemed highly beneficial for them.
Study #2: Smoking Cessation Improves Muscle Fatigue Resistance
Another study, published in the journal Nature, showcased the adverse effects of smoking Cessation on muscle fatigue resistance.
Smoking adversely affects respiratory and skeletal muscle function. To assess the effects, a study was conducted on 14 days of smoking cessation to mark the effects on inflammation and oxidative stress in humans.
As a result, Smoking cessation increased skeletal muscle fatigue resistance (p < 0.001). Two weeks of smoking cessation was accompanied by improved muscle fatigue resistance and a reduction in low-grade systemic inflammation in smokers.
Moreover, nicotine in smoking lessened endurance and muscle function, which negatively affected athletic performance.
However, quitting smoking led to the opposite, with no longer exposure to the negative effects of nicotine, the athletic power of the participants improved.
Apart from the benefits mentioned in the above study, ditching smoking offers a wide array of perks.
Other Advantages for Bodybuilding After Quitting Smoking are:
- Increases in testosterone level suppressed due to nicotine-induced higher cortisol level
- More bodily energy, strength, and stamina
- Less body fatigue and post-workout exhaustion
- Higher concentration and focus
- Stronger bones and better bone density
- Prevents injury during extensively demanding workouts
Quitting smoking provides multiple positive impacts on the body while benefiting muscle-building goals.
Doing so prevents the negative exposure of nicotine letting muscle function in a way to promote bodybuilding benefits.
From the entire discussion, it is evident that Nicotine does affect weight lifting and muscle growth, but it is your choice to quit smoking or stick with it.
Nicotine and Weight Lifting
Weight lifting aims to cause muscle tears to induce maximum repair.
This helps add more lean muscle to existing mass to make you muscular.
However, nicotine abuse, whether in the form of cigarettes, tobacco, or vaping, can hinder this process.
Firstly, it slows down muscle repair and the healing process, leading to slow muscle development.
On top of that, it even delays the muscle recovery process while increasing muscle fatigue, decimating energy, and reducing strength to affect your athletic performance.
Whether taken in form of a drug or other method, nicotine does affect weight lifting and muscle growth.
It nullifies your efforts for gaining muscle and developing a physique.
So, it is better to work out after quitting nicotine.
And if you really want to achieve the best version of yourself, quit smoking and reap the real advantage of weight lifting from now.
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