According to a series of studies and surveys, younger men may be courting the spectre of erectile dysfunction earlier than normal, and firing up their sex drive in an undesirable direction.

The culprit?  Cigarette smoking.

Countless studies have spread the word on smoking being a major cause in serious illness such as heart disease and stroke, lung disease such as emphysema, and cancer.  Now it is being linked to marked increases in erectile dysfunction or impotence.

And this is especially apparent among younger men. 

While older men are generally ‘butting out’, teenagers and 20-something men are lighting up more frequently.  The effects of the unhealthy habit on their sex drive might not happen overnight but will increase with time and the size of their addiction.  So, the question is your sex drive going up in smoke?  may seem humorous at first but should be taken seriously by all men.

 

A recent survey of 8,367 Australian men aged 16-59, 27% of whom were current smokers, found that approximately 1 in 10 experienced moderate or severe erectile dysfunction (ED) for at least one month during the previous year.  The survey went on to determine that ED occurred 24% in men who smoked 20 cigarettes per day or less.  As the consumption of cigarettes increased (over 20 per day), the odds of impotence occurring climbed to 40%.

The results of the survey, published in Tobacco Control ( an international journal for health professionals), was conducted by well-respected researchers led by Christopher Millett of London’s Imperial College.  Their findings offered strong evidence that the link between smoking and impotency exists, and warrants further in-depth research. 

 

Another independent study grouped impotent smokers according to how many cigarettes they smoked each day. The study concluded:

  • heavy smokers (40+ cigarettes/day) had the “softest” night-time erections
  • smoking was related to an abnormal decline of blood pressure in the penis

Earlier studies evidenced similar results – the association between smoking and ED is real.

 

 

The physical evidence for these conclusions is also very strong:

  • nicotine raises blood pressure
  • nicotine makes the heart beat faster, increases demand for oxygen in blood
  • carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke, on the other hand, steals oxygen from blood supply
  • carbon monoxide contributes to the build up of plaque in arterial veins
  • nicotine makes the blood clot more easily

All of these factors can not only lead to heart attacks and strokes but the resulting poor circulation can cut off the blood supply to the penis when needed, and the penile erection process is disrupted.

 

But the news isn’t all bad.  It is possible to recover erectile function by just quitting smoking.

The problem in recovery, and length of time needed to achieve it, is the degree of damage that has been inflicted. 

Therefore, in light of the evidence and findings, all men who smoke – especially younger ones - should strongly consider ‘butting out’ NOW!