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Smoking And Impotence
- By Anthony S.
- Published 10/3/2008
- Men's Articles
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Impotence, or penile erectile dysfunction, is
the repeated inability to have or maintain an erection. The condition affects roughly 1 in
10 men between the ages of 21 and 75 - that's about two million men in the UK alone. In up
to 75% of cases, the cause is physical.
Smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by around 50% for men in their 30s and 40s. Diabetes, high cholesterol levels and drugs used to treat high blood pressure are also important risk factors.
On the basis of these risks and the prevalence of smoking in the UK, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and the British Medical Association (BMA) estimate that up to 120,000 UK men in their 30s and 40s are impotent as a direct consequence of smoking. This figure is likely to be an underestimate, because it does not include impotence due to previous smoking in men who no longer smoke.
Polling undertaken by MORI for ASH in March 1999 reveals that only 12% of smokers (13% men, 11% women) name smoking as a cause of male impotence.
A calculation and interpolation of the figures above suggest that 838,500 30 to 49 year-old
UK men suffer from impotence.
Smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by around 50% for men in their 30s and 40s. Diabetes, high cholesterol levels and drugs used to treat high blood pressure are also important risk factors.
On the basis of these risks and the prevalence of smoking in the UK, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and the British Medical Association (BMA) estimate that up to 120,000 UK men in their 30s and 40s are impotent as a direct consequence of smoking. This figure is likely to be an underestimate, because it does not include impotence due to previous smoking in men who no longer smoke.
During an erection, large quantities of blood flow, under pressure, into the penile arteries. This causes the veins which drain the penis to become compressed, so preventing the immediate outflow of blood. This process is significantly impaired by smoking.
- Less blood flows into the penis if the inflow route is blocked by long term build-up of
fatty deposits in the arteries (atherosclerosis) caused, in part, by smoking.
- Rapid contractions in penile tissue, a direct an immediate result of nicotine
stimulation in the brain, restrict arterial blood flow into the penis. This is known as
acute vasospasm.
- The valve mechanism that traps blood in the penis is impaired as a result of nicotine in the blood stream. This is known as venous dilation.
The damage caused by smoking to male sexual
health also includes:
- Reduced volume of ejaculate
- Lowered sperm count
- Abnormal sperm shape
- Impaired sperm motility
Polling undertaken by MORI for ASH in March 1999 reveals that only 12% of smokers (13% men, 11% women) name smoking as a cause of male impotence.
The variables and formula below are used to make the estimate
|
20-39 |
40-49 | |||
| Number of men | 8,930,000 | 3,980,000 | ||
| Share with Impotence | 7.4% | 11% | ||
| Number with Impotence | 669,750 | 437,800 |
A calculation and interpolation of the figures above suggest that 838,500 30 to 49 year-old
UK men suffer from impotence.