Smoking And ED

A Man's Pride And Joy

Youth and virility go hand in hand. A young man often prides himself in his ability to be strong and virile. This pride is as old as time. Perhaps the big difference between the young men of yesterday and those of today is that their virility may be hampered by a habit that is also associated with masculinity and machismo - smoking.

Several studies done in a variety of countries have come up with very similar conclusions: erectile dysfunction may be more common among men who smoke cigarettes than among non-smokers.

Defining Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction or ED is the inability to achieve or sustain an erection suitable for sexual intercourse. Problems with erections may be caused due to the taking of medications, chronic illnesses, poor blood flow to the penis, drinking too much alcohol, or being too tired. Changes in lifestyle, changes in medications, and other treatments are often used to overcome ED.

Wait a minute, you say. There is no mention of cigarette smoking in that definition. True enough. However, cigarette smoking is known to affect the blood flow in the body by constricting blood vessels. An erection is caused by the flow of blood into the penis being greater than its ability to dispense with the blood, thus causing an erection. If there is a slow-down in blood flow, it is going to happen all over the body. That would include the sexual organs as well.

And The Research Shows...

A study done in Australia involving more than 8,300 men between the ages of 16 and 59 showed that men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day (a pack a day) were 40 percent more likely to suffer erectile dysfunction compared with non-smokers. For those who smoked less than 20 cigarettes a day, erectile dysfunction was 24 percent more likely to occur.

Impotency is another aspect to be considered when it comes to cigarette smoking. Research in Thailand, where more than 90 percent of men smoke, shows 2.2 percent of non-smokers are impotent, and 3.7 percent of smokers are impotent. It is a well-researched fact that smoking lowers and endangers a man's sperm count.

A Chinese study in 2003 discovered that men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes daily had a 60 percent higher risk of ED compared to non-smoking men with 15 percent of past and present smokers having experienced ED at some point. Smokers, whether current or past, were about 30 percent more likely to suffer from impotence than men who had not smoked.

It Doesn't Matter If The Cigarette Tastes Like "A Winter Wonderland"

There was a rumor going around that menthol cigarettes are more harmful than other brands. However, other than taste, both mentholated and non-mentholated cigarettes are bad for a person's health. It isn't the type of cigarette that is smoked, but rather the smoking of cigarettes that is the real problem. Smoking tobacco causes fertility problems, including the inability to have or maintain an erection.

So, does every man who smokes have these problems? No. However, smoking increases the possibility of ED as well as fertility problems. With those factors as considerations, why would you smoke?