Does smoking affect ED?

Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is the name for the condition where men struggle to get and maintain an erection. It is infact a very common condition, particularly amongst older people, but this doesn’t help the embarrassment that sufferers often feel.In recent years scientists have discovered a number of different factors that can affect or cause erectile dysfunction. One of the most prominent is smoking. Here we break down how smoking can affect erectile dysfunction.

What is ED?

According to NHS guidelines, “erectile dysfunction is the medical term for difficulty getting an erection. It can also mean difficulty in keeping an erection long enough for fulfilling sexual activity. It is a common problem amongst men, affecting as many as one in every three men as they grow older.”

Causes of ED

ED can be caused by a number of different psychological and physical conditions. Physical conditions can be hormonal, anatomical, neurogenic or vasculogenic, relating to blood flow, the nervous system, issues with the physical structure and hormone levels. Certain medicines can also cause ED, as well as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and emotional problems such as stress and depression.On top of this, outside factors such as smoking are now recognised to play a role in many ED cases.

Smoking and ED

According to research, smoking has been named as a potentially major cause of erectile dysfunction. This is because smoke contains over 40,000 chemicals, including lead, tar, acetone, arsenic and ammonia. These chemicals have been found to damage the blood vessels found within the body, narrowing the arteries and causing fat deposits to build up. With narrow, blocked arteries it is much harder for blood to flow around the body, including to the penis. Without this natural free flow of blood it can mean that the penis does not expand in the normal way. A recent study looking at how smoking can affect a man's ability to get an erection, reported at the American Heart Association's annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, found new statistics relating to smoking and erectile dysfunction. This included: ● Of past and present smokers, 15% had experienced erectile dysfunction. ● Men who smoke, or have smoked previously, were about 30% more likely to suffer from ED. ● Men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day had a 60% higher risk of erectile dysfunction when compared to men who never smoked.In particular, nicotine has been found to have a negative effect on the blood vessels which carry blood to the penis. According to the NHS, “if you stop smoking, there could be an immediate improvement in the problems you may be facing.”

ED and Noogleberry

Here at Noogleberry we stock a wide range of men’s health products designed to help people who suffer from a variety of conditions. If you want to boost your self confidence then take a look at our range of penis pumps and vacuum erection systems, which can help to improve blood flow to the penis.