Cigarette smoking: an underused tool in high-performance endurance training
Open accessAbstract
The review paper is a staple of medical literature and, when well executed by an expert in the field, can provide a summary of literature that generates useful recommendations and new conceptualizations of a topic. However, if research results are selectively chosen, a review has the potential to create a convincing argument for a faulty hypothesis. Improper correlation or extrapolation of data can result in dangerously flawed conclusions. The following paper seeks to illustrate this point, using existing research to argue the hypothesis that cigarette smoking enhances endurance performance and should be incorporated into high-level training programs.
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Cites
The cerebral effects of ascent to high altitudes
Wilson, M. H., Newman, S. P., & Imray, C. (2009) · The Lancet Neurology · doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(09)70014-6 · Cited by 528 · see citing works
Importance of hemoglobin concentration to exercise: Acute manipulations
Calbet, J. A. L., Lundby, C., Koskolou, M. D., & Boushel, R. (2006) · Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.resp.2006.01.014 · Cited by 160 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Decreased hemoglobin levels are associated with decreased maximal oxygen uptake and submaximal exercise capacity.(6) Athletes have attempted to increase hemoglobin levels through blood doping, use of exogenous hormones and altitude training (real or simulated).”
Endurance Training at Altitude
Saunders, P. U., Pyne, D. B., & Gore, C. J. (2009) · High Altitude Medicine & Biology · doi:10.1089/ham.2008.1092 · Cited by 135 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Athletes have attempted to increase hemoglobin levels through blood doping, use of exogenous hormones and altitude training (real or simulated).(7) These techniques are mostly illegal, and even altitude training has substantial health risks with physiologic benefits that are relatively modest and transient.”
The Effect of Altitude on Cycling Performance
Hahn, A. G., & Gore, C. J. (2001) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.2165/00007256-200131070-00008 · Cited by 130 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Erythropoietin increases during the first 24–48 hours of altitude training, but levels normalize by one week.(8) Although a three-week training stint at altitude results in a 7%–10% increase in hemoglobin,(7,9) Heinicke and colleagues showed that levels return to normal within two weeks.”
Heinicke, K., Heinicke, I., Schmidt, W., & Wolfarth, B. (2005) · International Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1055/s-2004-821052 · Cited by 124 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Although a three-week training stint at altitude results in a 7%–10% increase in hemoglobin,(7,9) Heinicke and colleagues showed that levels return to normal within two weeks.(9) In contrast, cigarette smoking has been associated with persistent increases in hemoglobin.”
Update on High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema: Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment
Stream, J. O., & Grissom, C. K. (2008) · Wilderness and Environmental Medicine · doi:10.1580/07-weme-rev-173.1 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Nicotine replacement: ten-week effects on tobacco withdrawal symptoms
Gross, J., & Stitzer, M. L. (1989) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/bf00451684 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Pulmonary function in young and older athletes and untrained men
Hagberg, J. M., Yerg, J. E., & Seals, D. R. (1988) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/jappl.1988.65.1.101 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Courteix, D., Obert, P., Lecoq, A.-M., et al. (1997) · European Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1007/s004210050246 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Petty, T. L., Silvers, G. W., & Stanford, R. E. (1987) · American Review of Respiratory Disease · doi:10.1164/ajrccm/136.4.867 · Cited by 71 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Results from other studies show that the same benefits can be derived from cigarette smoking as part of a syndrome known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).(14,15) These changes are not universal in smoking, however.”
Milman, N., & Pedersen, A. N. (2009) · Annals of Hematology · doi:10.1007/s00277-008-0647-9 · Cited by 70 · cited 3× · see citing works
“change which can be maintained simply by continuing the treatment regimen.(10) In fact, older people with longer smoking histories have higher hemoglobin levels, indicating a possible dose-dependent effect.”
InfluentialIncreased Caloric Intake Soon after Exercise in Cold Water
White, L. J., Dressendorfer, R. H., Holland, E., McCoy, S. C., & Ferguson, M. A. (2005) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.15.1.38 · Cited by 68 · cited 1× · see citing works
“This could potentially be of great benefit to endurance athletes, because evidence suggests that exercise can increase appetite, putting athletes at greater risk for weight gain.(17)”
Aniwidyaningsih, W., Varraso, R., Cano, N., & Pison, C. (2008) · Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care · doi:10.1097/mco.0b013e3283023d37 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Physiological effects of altitude training on elite male cross‐country skiers
Ingjer, F., & Myhre, K. (1992) · Journal of Sports Sciences · doi:10.1080/02640419208729905 · Cited by 46 · cited 1× · see citing works
“However, this response is transient — the physiologic variables return to their baseline soon after the athlete returns to sea level.(2) This moderate performance benefit is outweighed by several severe and life-threatening risks, including pulmonary edema,(3) cerebral edema(4) and severe flatulence.”
Snuff Use and Smoking in Finnish Olympic Athletes
Alaranta, A., Alaranta, H., Patja, K., et al. (2006) · International Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1055/s-2005-865826 · Cited by 40 · cited 2× · see citing works
“For example, the minimum age to buy cigarettes in Canada is 18 years.(19) Although laws to restrict tobacco sales have existed in developed countries for some time, developing countries have only recently begun to pass similar legislation.”
Pulmonary distensibility and ventilatory function in smokers.
Colebatch, H. J. H., Greaves, I. A., & Ng, C. K. (1986) · PubMed · Cited by 15 · see citing works
High Altitude Flatus Expulsion (HAFE).
Auerbach, P. S., & Miller, Y. E. (1981) · PubMed · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Pulmonary Changes during Marathon Training
Kaufmann, D., & Swenson, E. W. (2009) · Respiration · doi:10.1159/000194385 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
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3 of the 21 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
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Combustible and Smokeless Tobacco Use Among High School Athletes — United States, 2001–2013
Agaku, I. T., Singh, T., Jones, S. E., et al. (2015) · MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report · doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6434a2 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Dependence on Nicotine and Subjective Quality of Sleep in Conservatory Dance Students
Arbinaga, F. (2019) · Journal of Dance Medicine & Science · doi:10.12678/1089-313x.23.3.97 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Bao, K., Zheng, K., Zhou, X., Chen, B., He, Z., & Zhu, D. (2024) · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · doi:10.1080/15502783.2024.2302383 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“Conversely, smoking can also augment serum hemoglobin and total lung capacity while promoting weight loss, all of which may potentially enhance endurance sports performance [13].”
BackgroundThe Relationship Between Handball Players and Alcohol and Smoking Habits
Karninčić, H., Čavala, M., & Rogulj, N. (2018) · Journal of Human Kinetics · doi:10.2478/hukin-2018-0013 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“Certain studies disregard deleterious effects caused by smoking (Myers, 2010; Colebatch, 1985); however, athletes are well aware of the way in which tobacco influences physical fitness.”
BackgroundPULMONARY AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SMOKER AND NON-SMOKER MODERN DANCERS
Agopyan, A., Unal, M. B., Tekin, D., Kurtel, H., Turan, G., & Ersöz, A. (2016) · Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte · doi:10.1590/1517-869220162201123435 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Bushman, B. A. (2015) · ACSMʼs Health & Fitness Journal · doi:10.1249/fit.0000000000000085 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“As an example, consider a review article entitled, ‘‘Cigarette Smoking: An Underused Tool in HighPerformance Endurance Training’’ (9).”
BackgroundMethodTundealao, S. T., Odeyemi, D. T., Faulkner, T. V., et al. (2024) · Journal of Oral Health and Community Dentistry · doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10062-0172 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
(2015) · MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report · doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6434a8 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Myers, K. A. (2019) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.l6763
Self-citation
- Authors
- Myers, K. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Calgary (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Myers, K. A.
- ORCID
- Myers, K. A.
- Venue
- Canadian Medical Association Journal
- Publisher
- CMA Joule Inc.
- Published
- 2010-12-13
- Volume
- 182
- Issue
- 18
- Pages
- E867-E869
- ISSN
- 0820-3946 (ISSN-L)
- 1488-2329
- PMC
- PMC3001541
- OpenAlex
- W2123971259
- Semantic Scholar
- 9fc484df1637254b7b79a25c85bb38fdb8299b72
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2024: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Canadian Medical Association Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Keywords
- cigarette smoking, endurance performance, high-performance training, athletic performance, data extrapolation
- MeSH terms
- Smoking Prevention, Humans, Physical Endurance, Sports
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