Acute Influence of Moderate Exercise on Smoking Urge, Mood, and Physical Withdrawal Symptoms

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The potential role of exercise as an aid to conventional smoking-cessation measures is being increasingly suggested. The present study was conducted with the aim of assessing and comparing the influence of short-duration, moderate-intensity exercise on the urge to smoke, and mood and physical withdrawal symptoms among male smokers following an overnight temporary abstinence from smoking with those who smoked ad-libitum. Methods: Thirty male smokers between 18 and 45 years, who smoked >10 cigarettes/day for >1 year were recruited and randomized into two different groups (n = 15 in each group). The abstinent group included smokers who had at least 10 hours of overnight temporary abstinence from smoking on test day. The non-abstinent group included smokers who smoked ad libitum without having any temporary abstinence from smoking on test day. Nicotine dependence, smoking-urge, and withdrawal symptoms were assessed using the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND), brief questionnaire on smoking-urge (QSU-Brief), and the mood and physical symptom scale (MPSS), respectively. All subjects in both groups performed moderate-intensity exercise on a friction-type bicycle-ergometer at a fixed frictional force of 2 kg for 5 minutes at 40-60% of heart-rate reserve. QSU-Brief and MPSS were assessed pre-exercise and post-exercise (immediately, 5 and 10 minutes after stoppage of exercise). Results: QSU-brief and MPSS scores were comparable in both groups at all time points (P > 0.05). There was a significant decline (P < 0.001) in QSU-brief and MPSS scores immediately following exercise in both groups, which persisted after 5 (P < 0.001) and 10 minutes post-exercise (P < 0.01). Interpretation and Conclusions: Our results indicate that a single session of short-duration, moderate-intensity exercise effectively alleviated the smoking urge and negative effects of nicotine withdrawal symptoms in both study groups and led to an overall improvement in their mood. The results further indicated that these beneficial roles of exercise persisted even after a 10 minutes of stoppage of physical activity. We recommend the incorporation of a brief session of moderate exercise as a smoking cessation aid to provide additive relief from cigarette cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms in smokers attempting to quit.