Friday 14 November 2014

Smoking part 2 (Effects upon sport)

Welcome to 5.14 Fitness,








This post will be the follow up post from one earlier this week, which coincidentally is also on smoking, so if you haven't checked it out yet please do so.




Everyone knows smoking is one way to decrease your performance, however not so many people actually know how- this post will try to change that!




Effects




Tabaco smoke has been proven to rapidly increase the risk of serious health problems in regular smokers as well as those who have been exposed to significant amounts of second-hand smoke. Some of these health conditions include cancer, emphysema and bronchitis. It is for reasons like this, that smoking has such a bad effect on sporting performance.


Lack of Oxygen in the Blood


During exercise, your heart rate increases so that your muscles get enough oxygen to function and move. Normally, the higher the heart rate, the more oxygen is needed by the muscles. Tabaco smoke contains carbon monoxide, which sticks to the haemoglobin (the stuff that carries oxygen) in your blood better than oxygen, this means that your muscles are unable to get the sufficient amount of oxygen that is required during the exercise. This results in your heart working even harder and you not being able to exercise as well of longer periods of time as your muscles are starving of oxygen.


Narrowed Blood Vessels

Smoking narrows your blood vessels, this side affect makes pumping blood across your body a slower and more difficult process while exercising. this is due to the fact that the chemicals inside Tabaco make the vessels smaller and harder to cram the thick, oxygen loaded blood through, similar to when one lane is closed on a duel carriage way- traffic is caused as cars are slowed down.  In addition it also puts added strain on your heart every time it beats, because it has to work harder in order to supply your body with the oxygen it needs to function.


Increased Resting Heart Rate


Your increase your resting heart rate by smoking. Your resting heart rate is amount beats per minute your heart produces when your are not doing any activity. This number is massively increased in smokers due to the extra work your heart must do so that it can meet all the physical demands of your body. This also means that when you are exercising, your heart rate could potentially rise to dangerous levels in order to meet the physical demands your muscles need.


Airway resistance


Airway resistance refers to the rate in which air goes in and out your lungs. Some research shows that one inhalation of a cigarette can increase the resistance by up to three times. Which means you have to breath harder to inhale the amount of oxygen you need as your lungs take longer to inhale. Other factors such as tar build-up, inflamed mucous membranes and reduced air capacity will also increase airway resistance, this makes it more difficult to produce the oxygen your body needs when exercising.


Hope this helps, part 3 to be release soon. Please read again, check out other posts, some comments plus ones etc., would be nice and any following is returned (you can also add the blog to your reading list and follow that way so please do so it is much appreciated)- work hard and peace!








Jason





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