Smoking affects sexual health

Amar was taken aback when the doctor told him that his habit of chain smoking is a cause for his erection difficulty.

Medical research has established that smoking will adversely affect sexual and reproductive health. Dr John Spangler's study at Wake Forest University Baptists Medical Centre established that people who smoke are 26 times more likely to have erectile dysfunction.

A burning cigarette produces about 400 toxins. The most notorious among them are tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide. Nicotine is addictive and hooks on the smokers.

Erection can occur only when adequate blood flows freely into the penis. A network of blood vessels keeps all our organs functional by supplying them with oxygen. These blood vessels are lined internally with endothelium which regulates the blood flowing through the arteries. When this endothelium is damaged, it cannot allow sufficient blood to flow through it. Nicotine hardens the arteries by damaging their endothelium.

Smoking also raises the blood pressure.

Smoking affects women's sexual health too. By narrowing the blood vessels in the vagina it adversely affects adequate lubrication, making sex a painful chore.

American Society for Reproductive Medicine had cautioned smokers who want to become parents. It mentions that women smokers have 40% less chance of conception. Male smoker's sperm count is reduced. A chain smoker can undergo Nicotine Replacement Therapy and seek help of a specialist in deaddiction to improve his/her sex life.

The writer is a sexologist.

You can mail him at dr.narayana@deccanmail.com