EFFECT OF WIM HOF BREATHING EXERCISE ON VENTILATORY FUNCTIONS IN SMOKERS

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Smoking Electronic Cigarettes (Vaping), With Moderate and High Dependence for Nicotine

• Registration Number: NCT07153640
• Lead Sponsor: October 6 University

Brief Summary

Cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco use worldwide, but other tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, roll-your-own, pipes, and various smokeless tobacco products are also damaging. Most harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke target metals or carbonyls generated by the thermal decomposition of carrier liquids such as propylene glycol, which is one of the main ingredients in the liquid used in electronic cigarettes, where it serves as both the carrier for nicotine and cannabinoids and the means of producing vapor which resemble smoke. This new tobacco product was made of milder sorts of tobacco, the smoke could be inhaled, and it was more damaging.

Detailed Description

Smoking primarily causes diseases of the respiratory system, cancer, and the cardiovascular system. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid, usually containing nicotine and flavorings, to generate an aerosol for inhalation. In 2014, there were already more than 450 different e-cigarettes with now different generations and more than 8000 different liquids.

The increasing prevalence of smoking among college students presents a significant public health and educational problem, particularly in developing countries where smoking prevention measures are not Strictly enforced .

A healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of disease. One of the unhealthy lifestyle patterns is consuming cigarettes. Smoking can also reduce the affinity of oxygen for hemoglobin so that it can affect oxygen saturation levels in the blood. Cigarette smoke that enters the body through the lungs contains carbon monoxide and nicotine enters the blood, and then flows throughout the body, and this has an impact on the muscles becoming deprived of oxygen intake, which causes muscle work to be hampered so that the work of the heart will also be hindered because of blockage of blood vessels. It makes the heart pump harder, decreasing the heart's work power.

Wim Hof breathing exercise is part of a structured regimen, called the Wim Hof Method (WHM), which consists of three pillars (breathing, cold exposure, and mindset training). The WHM breathing exercise consists of three or more rounds, each comprising three phases; Hyperventilation, Breath retention, and Recovery breath. The use of Wim Hof breathing method is one of the effective breathing techniques, that increase the level of oxygenation and Quality of Life.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Study First Submitted: 2025-08-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-08-30
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-08-30
• Study Start: 2025-09-01
• Study First Posted: 2025-09-04
• Last Update Posted: 2025-09-04
• Primary Completion: 2026-04-01
• Study Completion: 2026-05-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 42

Inclusion Criteria

• • The age of the subjects ranged from 18-29 years old.

  • The males are participated.
  • Any subjects smoking electronic cigarettes (vaping).
  • Subjects with body mass index between 18.5 - 29.9 Kg/m2.
  • Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index (moderate and high dependent) (Appendix 1) (Maraqa et al., 2024).

Exclusion Criteria

• • History of syncope (fainting).

  • High blood pressure (>140/100 mm Hg) (Shandu et al., 2023a).
  • Any type of heart disease.
  • Seizures or Epilepsy.
  • Recent surgery.
  • Metabolic disorders.
  • Subjects with body mass index more than 35 Kg/m2.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
1) Ventilatory Functions	four weeks	for measuring FVC (forced vital capacity), FEV1(forced expiratory volume in first second), FEV1/FVC (forced expiratory volume in first second /forced vital capacity ratio) and PEF (peak expiratory flow).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
2) Oxygen saturation	four weeks	Pulse oximetry provides a noninvasive approximation of the amount of oxygen in arterial blood.
1) Functional Capacity	four weeks	The 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) test for measuring functional capacity. Measured distance by meter.
4) Smoking Craving	four weeks	The 10-item Questionnaire on Smoking Urges (QSU-Brief) is a self-report measure designed to assess urges and cravings to smoke, with higher scores indicating stronger urges.
3) Hand grip strength	four weeks	The gold standard for measuring grip strength is Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer.
5) Academic Performance	four weeks	The Academic Performance Scale (APS) is a questionnaire designed to assess academic performance among students based on student self-reports.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

6 October; 🇪🇬 Giza, Egypt