Table of contents:
- Why can someone be impotent because of smoking?
- The more you smoke, the higher the risk of impotence
- Tips to reduce the risk of impotence due to smoking
Impotence or erectile dysfunction due to smoking is no longer an open secret. In fact, cigarette manufacturers who advertise their product images also include the risk of impotence as a result of smoking too often.
How can the substances in cigarettes make it difficult for men to have an erection? Check out the answer through the reviews below.
Why can someone be impotent because of smoking?
As you already know, smoking can cause various diseases. Starting from heart disease to damage to the respiratory tract.
This is because almost all of the chemical compounds in cigarettes are very dangerous, some of which can injure the lining of blood vessels and change how they work. As a result, the heart, brain, kidneys and other tissues throughout the body become more susceptible to disease.
Impotence due to smoking is actually caused by chemicals in cigarettes, especially nicotine, which affects the blood vessels in the penis.
Normally, when an erection, what happens is the arteries in the penis dilate (vasodilation) and are flowed by blood when the signal comes from the penile nerves.
When smoking, nicotine and chemicals in cigarettes make blood vessels shrink (vasoconstriction), so that blood flow is blocked, including to the penis.
The more you smoke, the higher the risk of impotence
Simply put, when someone smokes, nicotine compounds will enter the bloodstream. The more cigarettes you smoke, the more nicotine will enter and interfere with blood flow.
In fact, this is proven through a study from Australia involving 8,000 men with an age range of 16-59 years. In the study it was found that men who smoked less than one pack per day had a 24% higher risk of impotence than men who did not smoke.
If you smoke more, of course your risk of erectile dysfunction also increases. Those who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day had a 39% higher potential of suffering from impotence.
Therefore, the more often you smoke, the higher the risk of impotence. Remember, impotence is not only caused by age, but also by an unhealthy lifestyle, such as smoking.
Tips to reduce the risk of impotence due to smoking
In fact, the only way to reduce the risk of impotence due to smoking is to stop smoking itself. If signs of impotence begin to appear, immediately consult a doctor or urologist who deals with male reproductive health.
There's no need to be embarrassed because erectile dysfunction is a common health problem. Most likely your doctor will recommend cutting back to stop smoking so as not to worsen your condition.
Quitting smoking sounds very difficult, but if you know the strategies, you will likely succeed in breaking the habit.
Some steps you can take to help you quit smoking include:
- List the reasons why should you quit smoking.
- Pay attention to what habits often trigger you to smoke, such as drinking alcohol or coffee.
- Ask for help and support from family and closest people.
- Consult a doctor whether you need drugs that can reduce your urge to smoke.
- Keep yourself busy so that the desire to smoke is reduced, such as exercising or continuing a delayed hobby.
Impotence due to smoking is certainly the risk most avoided by every man. It's time to quit or cut back on using it before it's too late. See your doctor or ask your brother who likes to smoke to quit and make lifestyle changes to be healthier.