Does bodybuilding affect the pulmonary function tests?

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that body building may have powerful implications for health; however, very few studies have focused on the association between body building and pulmonary functions. This study was aimed at examining the association between body building and pulmonary functions. We recruited thirty young male body builders aged 20 to 30 years. They were mainly undergoing resistance training since 2 to 3 years. Another thirty age matched, sedentary men served as controls. The body builders had been regularly attending the gyms for 1 to 3 years. Pulmonary function tests were recorded in all the participants. The data were analyzed by unpaired ‘t’ test. P < 0.05 was considered significant. All the PFT values except MEF25 showed no significant (P > 0.05) difference between the two groups. In conclusion, the current study has shown that, the body building has no significant effect on pulmonary function in Indian men.