TEAM Denmark, the national elite sports organisation, has issued a warning to athletes over the rising use of nicotine pouches, stating they harm both health and performance.
Reports indicate that competitors across multiple sports, including athletics, golf, ice hockey, and equestrian events, are increasingly consuming these products during training and competitions.
Majke Jorgensen, a nutritionist at Team Denmark, explained that while some athletes use nicotine pouches recreationally, others mistakenly believe they enhance performance.
However, research contradicts this assumption.
A 2010 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that nicotine raises heart rate and blood pressure, increasing cardiovascular strain.
Jorgensen highlighted that sports requiring precision, such as golf, suffer the most from nicotine’s effects.
The organisation now urges athletes, coaches, and staff to stop using these pouches to prevent influencing younger generations.
In Denmark, tobacco-free nicotine pouches, or “white snus,“ remain legal despite the ban on traditional snus.
Data from the Danish Health Authority shows that 12.9% of Danes aged 15 to 29 used smokeless nicotine products in 2022. – AFP
