Smoking and Impotence

In many countries government and health agencies warn of the dangers of smoking. They mention cancer, heart disease, rotting teeth and other illnesses however I have never seen impotence mentioned as a major side effect of smoking.

Perhaps because impotence is not something which is openly discussed, or perhaps because people choose to ignore it. Either way, it has been scientifically researched that smoking causes impotence in many men.

It has been said that there is twice the chance that smokers will be impotent compared to non smokers.

Nicotine has the effect of constricting blood vessels. This restricts the flow of blood which is of course bad news for the penis, as it requires significant blood flow to gain an erection.

Long term damage can also result from smoking as fatty acids build up in the penile arteries. This can restrict blood flow to the penis permanently.

Studies have shown that the more cigarettes smoked in a day, the greater the chance of erectile dysfunction occurring in a man.

Other effects of smoking can include an abnormal sperm shape (affecting fertility) and decreased sperm count.

It goes without saying that smoking is a contributing factor to impotence. If you are a smoker and have signs of impotence then it is important that you seriously attempt to quit smoking to ensure the best chance of halting long term damage.