If you are a competitive athlete, you probably know that smoking is a major inhibitor to your performance. In fact, if you are at top performance, you are well aware on having any major bad habits can really hurt. Vaping does not pose quite the harmful affects that smoking can, but there are still some risks. If you are an athlete, the bottom line is that you may want to avoid it all together. Here are some facts to consider.

The act of vaping itself is not the reason to avoid it, it is the nicotine. Nicotine has been proven to constrict the blood vessels with regular use. This means that any form of cardio will be harder. If you are in a high activity sport or long distant running, vaping will prove to have a long-term effect of slowing you down. As of now, there are no long-term studies that show any definitive proof for vaping on the lungs. The vapor itself may be potentially harmless.

On the other hand, nicotine can be a very helpful stimulant, depending on the sport. Nicotine is believed to give you a boost in focus and performance, despite the negative effects. Therefore, if you are in sports that do not require a ton of running, like baseball for instance, you could potentially vape instead of smoke and have the same benefits of the nicotine. If you are body aware and realize the effects of nicotine, you can adjust your regimen to match your sport.

Of course, if you are already an athlete that smokes, vaping can be a great idea. Vaping is known to be easier on the body than smoking. You will take out all the bad chemicals and still have the nicotine. In this case, you will probably see an overall improvement in your performance, especially if you are in a high cardio sport. You can also pace your intake a little better with the vape, instead of having to wait for a smoke break. Plus, e juice tastes better.

Keep in mind, that vaping can be good and bad, depending on your starting point. Studies have shown that vaping for thirty minutes is the equivalent of five minutes smoking. If you are an athlete, keep this fact in your mind if you choose to vape. With sports is important to be conscious of what you put in, and more importantly when. You probably will not vape a huge amount during or before any sports event, just enough to give you a little nicotine. Balance is important.

Overall, the decision on vaping is up to you. The pros and cons are here for you to decide. The factors of which sport you are playing, how much you vape, and the effects of nicotine for you are all going to play into that choice. Vaping definitely improves over smoking, but if you are a nonsmoker and an athlete, you may want to avoid it all together. The boost you get from nicotine may enhance your game, but then again, it may not.