a study conducted by Scientists from the Health and Biomedical Research Institute Alicante (Isabial) at the Alicante General Hospital and also at the Miguel Hernández de Elche University (UMH), which they attended Researchers from Italy and Canadahighlights widespread nicotine use among athletes. According to the findings published in the journal Journal of “Sports Medicine”, one of 5 examples from a total of approximately 61,000 tests doping control tested positive for nicotine use. nicotine not a banned substance in sports.
“in the researchShould we be worried? nicotine in sports? Analysis of 60,802 anti-doping controls in Italy” researchers Thomas Zandonai and Ana María Peiró, both Alicante Sanitary and Biomedical Research Institute and Miguel Hernández University of Elche, with him Professor Francesco Botrè, director of the Anti-Doping Laboratory in Rome (Italy) and Professor Toby Múndel from Brock University (Canada). They analyzed throughout the course The total nicotine positivity rate in urine samples taken from national and international sports competitions held in Italy between 2012 and 2020 has been shown as 23%.
platform researchers Applied Pharmacogenetics Explain to the Isabial Inquiry “Most people associate elite athletes with their image of health.while stating that Tobacco use is associated with addiction cancer and diseases”. Thomas Zandonai said, “Tobacco consumption in the general population worldwide, including Spain, is 20%, so any sport with a prevalence higher than this figure should be of concern..
“Tobacco consumption in the general population worldwide is also 20% in Spain, so any sport with a prevalence higher than this figure should be of concern”
This study separates samples according to spores. Baseball (55%), football football (42%), handball (40%) and volleyball (36%) have nicotine use rates more than twice that of the general population.. In addition, the data confirmed that: men consume more than women (18.5% versus 24.1%), and team sports double the consumption of individual sports (14.1% versus 31.4%).
football players
The largest sample analyzed in this study was football players. More than 20,000 check-ups over 9 years showed that 34% had consumed nicotine. Researcher Thomas Zandonai says, “While the effect of nicotine on exercise is unclear, football players, like other athletes, are probably not seeking to improve their performance. a tool to relax, recuperate and socialize with the team.”
“Football players, like other athletes, are probably not looking to improve their performance, but the effect of nicotine on exercise is not clear, it’s more of a way to relax, recuperate and socialize with the team.”
Researcher Ana María Peiró adds: “This means that athletes who need to have great resistance or aerobic capacity, such as the runners marathon runners, cyclists and swimmersthey consume much less nicotine than those who rely more on strength and power.
“Athletes who demand high endurance or aerobic capacity, such as marathon runners, cyclists, and swimmers, consume much less nicotine than those who rely more on strength and power.”
The authors of this study consider it particularly important because largest follow-up study of its kind Second in the world after the 2009 Ice Hockey World Championship and since 2012, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Although it is not a prohibited substance, it has included nicotine in its monitoring program.
The results of the study show that Overall decline in nicotine use from 2012 to 2020reflecting the global trend, but there are still reasons for concern because Young adults and teenagers consume 70% of their nicotine through new methods such as electronic cigarettes.
The Isabial researchers say, “This is really we need to understand consumption trends to proactively protect the current and future health of athletes, Because nicotine is not harmless or risk-free, regardless of delivery methodaddiction is one of the most important”.