Study Links Vaping and Smoking to 15 Percent Lower Fitness in Young Adults

Vaping may seem less harmful than smoking, but a new study suggests both could reduce fitness in young adults by around 15%.

Published in ERJ Open Research, the study found that healthy young adults who vape or smoke cigarettes have poorer blood vessel function, reduced breathing efficiency, and lower exercise capacity than those who have never used either product.

Researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University studied 75 adults aged 18–30, dividing them into three equal groups: people who had never smoked or vaped, cigarette smokers who had never vaped, and exclusive vapers who had been using e-cigarettes for about three years.

Participants completed an intensive cycling test while researchers measured heart function, breathing, oxygen use, blood lactate levels, and blood vessel health using ultrasound scans and blood tests.

Both the vaping and smoking groups performed significantly worse than non-users. At peak exercise, their oxygen uptake and exercise capacity were about 15% lower. They also had reduced ability to remove carbon dioxide from the lungs and accumulated lactic acid more quickly, causing earlier breathlessness and greater leg fatigue during exercise.

Blood tests and ultrasound scans also revealed signs of blood vessel inflammation in both smokers and vapers, suggesting that vaping may affect the cardiovascular system in ways similar to traditional smoking.

Researchers say the findings are particularly concerning because many young adults who vape have never smoked cigarettes. While e-cigarettes contain fewer cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco, experts warn they can still trigger inflammation and genetic changes linked to long-term health problems.

The researchers are now planning MRI studies to better understand how vaping affects the heart, lungs, and muscles. Although larger studies are needed, the findings suggest that vaping is far from harmless and may significantly reduce physical fitness even in otherwise healthy young adults.

REFERENCE: Azmy Faisal, Agata Giles, Sarah Jones, at al.; Reduced vascular function, ventilatory efficiency, and exercise capacity in young adult E-cigarette users; ERJ Open Research; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1183/23120541.00425-2026