Smoking – it’s an addiction that has hooked millions globally! This is despite the fact that its dangers to health and well-being are well known, and widely publicized. Tobacco smoking has serious negative impacts on the body, the most common of which is an increased risk of developing lung cancer. However, despite the ongoing alerts there are still people who like to smoke, even though there are other safer ways to get that ‘nicotine’ fix. 

One aspect of tobacco smoking that may finally make an impact on male smokers though was uncovered in a study done some years ago by the Tulane University School of Public Health. That study found there is a direct link between cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction. Given that sexual performance typically goes hand in glove with images of virility and manliness, the mere threat of developing ED should scare most self-respecting males into quitting, or not taking up the habit in the first place!

Obviously cigarette smoking isn’t the only significant cause of ED. Other proven issues that play into someone developing ED include stress, hypertension, depression, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases et al. There are plenty of studies verifying these. Where the Tulane study differs from those studies however is that it included healthy men whose only ‘health’ disorder was a nicotine dependency courtesy of cigarette smoking. Some of the men had already quit prior to the study, others were in the process of quitting, and some were still actively smoking. 

Whilst researchers certainly expected to find distinct links, the results surprised even them. The male smokers in the study had a 41% higher chance of developing ED than non-smokers. How great a risk depended on how many cigarettes a day they smoked. Those who smoked 10 per day were 27% more likely to develop ED than men who didn’t smoke. From there, the risks of ED increased with every additional cigarette smoked. Someone who smokes up to 20 cigarettes a day for example has a 40% chance of developing ED. When these statistics are combined with other known risk factors for ED, the risks are enormous.

What does this translate to in actual human numbers? Well, the research estimated that between one fifth and one quarter of ED cases in otherwise healthy males globally (so nearly 12 million men) are caused by smoking tobacco cigarettes. What’s just as concerning is that long-term smokers don’t improve their odds by quitting either. Nor are older men more susceptible than younger men – if you smoke heavily you’re at risk regardless of your age. If you have other health conditions (heart disease, depression, anxiety etc) and smoke as well, your odds go up even more.

If you are suffering from ED, regardless of cause, there are a few things you can try. Naturally formulated ED medications, like those in the Dragons Den ED pill episode, may help resolve the issues. Alternatively, there are products containing dihydrotestosterone blockers or 5alpha-Reductase inhibitors available as well, some of which may require a prescription.