The effects of oral smokeless tobacco on the cardiorespiratory response to exercise.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of oral smokeless tobacco (OST) usage on oxygen uptake (VO2), cardiac output (Qc), stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), and plasma lactate concentration (Lc) during rest and exercise. Fifteen asymptomatic subjects were recruited from 18 to 33-yr-old male users of OST. Comparisons of the responses of VO2, Qc, SV, HR, and Lc were made between 2.5-g OST and placebo experimental conditions during rest and at 60% and 85% maximal VO2 treadmill exercise. Plasma nicotine concentrations (Nc) were determined by radioimmunoassay. There were significant increases in HR and Lc and a decrease in SV during rest and at 60% and 85% maximal exercise (P less than 0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in maximal HR, Lc, and VO2 (P greater than 0.05). In conclusion, these data indicate that the increased Nc incurred by OST usage increases anaerobic energy production and produces an increased tachycardiac response to a given relative submaximal workload.