Cigarette smoking may raise risk of erectile dysfunction.

You've always known that cigarette smoking has too many risks to ignore. Besides its connection with lung cancer, smoking is also related to cardiovascular disease and other complications.

Now, there is more reason to kick that butt. A new study has shown that smokers are more at risk of developing erectile dysfunction. The study was conducted by Professor Jiang He, professor and chair of epidemiology at the Tulane University School of Public Health And Tropical Medicine. Researchers studied the relationship between smoking habits and the presence of erectile dysfunction. The study involved a total of 7684 men whose life style habits were observed between 2000 and 2001. All the men who participated in this study were aged between 35 and 74 years. Researchers made use of questionnaires to establish the association between smoking and erectile dysfunction. They were all healthy individuals who did not suffer from any vascular disease, like hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

At the end of the study, analysts found enough statistical evidence to prove that there was a significant link between the number of cigarettes the men smoked, and the chances that they would develop erectile dysfunction. The study showed that close to 22.7% of men who suffered from erectile dysfunction could be linked to the practice of cigarette smoking. There was also a strong correlation between the number of cigarette smokers, and the presence of erectile dysfunction. Men who smoked more had a greater likelihood, and experiencing erectile dysfunction.

This is not the first study done to prove the association between cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction. The only difference is that in the past, these studies were conducted in men who suffered from vascular diseases, like diabetes, high blood pressure and cardio vascular disease. This study marks the first time that research has included only healthy men in its scope.

According to Professor He, the findings of the study should be especially interesting to young healthy men. Young men are more likely to begin smoking, and this habit could continue well into late adulthood, leading to the development of lifestyle diseases, like hypertension and diabetes. While the specter of falling prey to a vascular disease may not be enough to force young men to avoid smoking, Professor He hopes that the possibility of their smoking habit leading to erectile dysfunction later may be the incentive that young men need to stay away from cigarettes.

Erectile dysfunction is far from a serious life threatening condition, but it definitely interferes with one's quality of life. There can be psychological repercussions, and there may be a strain in spousal relations. There are many ways that experts suggest to keep erectile dysfunction at bay, including regular sex, exercise, a healthy diet, freedom from stress etc. Now, with the kind of evidence that this new research throws up, it's evident that avoiding smoking is also one of the ways you can avoid erectile dysfunction. If you needed one more reason to stop smoking, this would be it.

Back>>