Summer’s just around the corner, and whether you’ve been grinding at the gym all year, or getting back into your routine, chances are you’re trying to make the most of your workouts. If you’re trying to improve your athletic performance, build strength, or boost your energy levels, quitting nicotine is one of the best moves you can make.
After all, nicotine (whether vaping or smoking) makes it harder to breathe. Both cigarettes and vapes introduce harsh chemicals to the lungs and can cause lasting inflammation and damage. Nicotine also ruins your endurance, interferes with muscle growth, and slows down recovery, all of which undercuts physical performance. Quitting can help you level up your time at the gym, just in time for you to hit your summer goals.
How Nicotine Affects Muscle Growth
Muscle growth isn’t just about hitting the gym, it’s about balanced hormones, good recovery, and proper circulation. Unfortunately, nicotine messes with each of these systems.
Reduced Blood Flow to Muscles
Nicotine constricts blood vessels, limiting oxygen and nutrient delivery to muscles. This translates to less overall muscle growth, slower recovery time, and you guessed it—more muscle soreness the day after.
Increased Cortisol Levels
Stress can make it harder to build and maintain lean muscle mass, and nicotine notoriously spikes your cortisol levels. Over time, elevated cortisol can even lead to muscle breakdown, ruining all of your hard work.
Interference with Protein Synthesis
Protein synthesis is the foundation of muscle growth. Nicotine interferes with this process, making recovery less efficient and any progress less noticeable.
Decreased Testosterone Levels
Hormones play a key role in energy levels, physical strength, and mood regulation. If you’re seeing a slowdown in your progress, or even a dip in your motivation, lower testosterone levels might be to blame.
Compromised Endurance and Performance
Within minutes, nicotine elevates your heart rate and blood pressure while simultaneously lowering your endurance. The result? Faster fatigue during workouts and less effective training sessions…in other words, your workout will feel harder, but you’ll have less to show for it.
What Happens to Your Muscles When You Quit Nicotine?
The body is resilient and strong, and within hours of quitting, you’ll start reaping the benefits. In the first few days, your circulation will improve; after a few weeks, your hormones will return to balance; and after a month, your workouts will be significantly easier.
Here’s more on what you can expect after quitting:
Improved Blood Circulation
Nicotine deprives your blood of oxygen and nutrients, essentially starving your body of its proper fuel. Quitting guarantees faster recoveries and better workouts.
Balanced Hormone Levels
Nicotine often decreases testosterone while increasing cortisol, meaning you’re working overtime to achieve the same goals. Quitting boosts muscle production and general energy levels—two birds, one stone.
Enhanced Workout Performance
Immediately after quitting smoking or vaping, your lungs begin to clean themselves and your heart rate stabilizes. Within a few weeks, breathing gets easier, and your endurance improves.
Faster Muscle Recovery
The improvements to your circulation, cardiovascular, and immune system make your body much, much more efficient during recovery. Muscle tissue repairs faster, which means less soreness and more efficient training sessions.
How to Support Muscle Growth While Quitting Nicotine
If you’re quitting nicotine and want to maximize your muscle growth, the following strategies are designed to make the most of your time at the gym:
Follow a High-Protein Diet: Protein forms the basis of all muscles. Try to focus on lean meats, eggs, dairy, and plant-based protein sources.
Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration helps flush nicotine from your system and supports muscle function.
Get Enough Sleep: Sleep is the best thing you can do to let your muscles recover—give yourself time to recharge and find balance.
Exercise Regularly: Not only does quitting make exercise easier, exercise can ease the burden of quitting. Cardio and strength training have shown to improve circulation and accelerate nicotine detox.
Manage Stress: Cortisol actively breaks down muscles, so practicing mindfulness, meditation, or deep breathing is essential to muscle health.
Take the First Step to a Stronger, Healthier You
We’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions by real quitters like you.
Does nicotine prevent muscle growth?
Yes. Nicotine restricts blood flow, increases cortisol, and reduces testosterone; each of which breaks down muscles.
How long after quitting nicotine will my workouts improve?
Most people find physical activity easier within just a few days. After a few weeks, your endurance and muscle strength improve, too.
Does vaping affect muscle growth the same way as smoking?
It does. Vaping still delivers nicotine (and in some cases much higher levels than smoking), which negatively impacts blood flow, hormones, and workout performance.
Will quitting nicotine help me build muscle faster?
Absolutely. Quitting nicotine restores circulation, balances hormones, and improves recovery—all of which are key to muscle growth and maintenance.
What can I do to speed up recovery after quitting nicotine?
All good things take time, and the same applies for quitting. However, staying hydrated, eating a protein rich diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly will only help!
For more answers and even more community, check out the Jones app. Our AI coach, Coach Jones is here 24/7 to answer your most burning questions, while our community of quitters can cheer you on when you need to keep going.
Quitting is hard, but like any workout, the more reps you do, the easier it gets. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep showing up for yourself.
The Author: Caroline Huber
Caroline is the founder and head of physical product at Jones. She tried quitting vaping countless times before founding Jones to provide the tools she needed to succeed.
