Research published in Tobacco Control (March 2006) found that smokers are more likely to experience impotence than non-smokers. The survey included more than 8,000 Australian men between the ages of 16 and 59. Nearly 10% of participants reported at least one episode of impotence lasting longer than a month during the previous year.
Among the men reporting impotence, approximately 25% were smokers, and 6% smoked a pack of cigarettes or more per day. Men who smoked more than one pack daily were 39% more likely to report sexual dysfunction compared with non-smokers.
Because erectile function is closely tied to vascular health, these findings are consistent with the well-established effects of smoking on blood vessels, including those essential for normal sexual function.
