Some people like the taste of it. Some do it because they just want to do something with their hands. Some people do it for the extra breaks it affords them at work. Whatever your reasoning, cigarettes are everywhere. It’s become so commonplace that a recent study conducted by the CDC found that 18.1% of all adults (42.1 million people) smoke cigarettes regularly. Experts believe that this number will only continue to rise in the coming years.
It’s well known that cigarettes can cause yellow teeth, bad breath, and even cancer, but many aren’t aware that the smokes also have a detrimental effect on their little guy. Yes, cigarette smoking can negatively effect your erection in ways you didn’t even know.
Regularly smoking cigarettes can lead to a build of plaque in the arteries, an affliction commonly associated with erectile problems. This is due to the fact that this plaque can make blood flow through the body sluggishly, making it harder to reach and sustain the penis. Additionally, this plaque can cause a host of circulatory problems throughout the body, negatively effecting the heart and other important organs.
But this isn’t just conjecture: a recent study of 4,764 Chinese men found that men who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day had a 60% higher risk of erectile problems. Even if a man’s daily cigarette intake isn’t that high, the study found that simply smoking regularly put men at a 30% higher risk of erectile dysfunction.
So, if the menagerie of negative health problems haven’t scared you off cigarettes already, think about your penis. A smoke isn’t worth the functionality of your little guy.
Evan Hopkins is a 24 year old writer operating out of Atlanta, GA. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading books, drinking coffee, and folk music.