{"id":14159,"date":"2016-02-18T09:00:33","date_gmt":"2014-02-18T16:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.accessrx.com\/blog\/?p=14159"},"modified":"2014-02-18T09:00:33","modified_gmt":"2014-02-18T16:00:33","slug":"surgeon-general-smoking-can-cause-erectile-dysfunction-m0123","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/surgeon-general-smoking-can-cause-erectile-dysfunction-m0123\/","title":{"rendered":"Surgeon General: Smoking Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Smoking
Smoking cigarettes jeopardizes more than just your lungs\u2019 health.<\/figcaption><\/figure> For the past 50 years, the US Surgeon General\u2019s office has denounced smoking because of the many negative effects it has on health.<\/p>\n

Heart disease and lung cancer are the two most well-known risks of smoking addiction. But current US Surgeon General Boris Lushniak recently released an updated report on the bad effects of smoking<\/a>, and the news is grimmer than ever, even though far fewer people smoke today than in 1964 when the first report was issued. Back then, 42% of American adults smoked, whereas today only 18% do. However, the goal of government health officials is to reduce that number to 10% over the next ten years.<\/p>\n

One risk outlined in the latest report could get plenty of attention, and might be a tipping point of sorts for men contemplating kicking the habit: smoking causes erectile dysfunction (ED). Currently more than 30 million American men suffer from ED, with that number expected to double by 2025, according to a New York Post article<\/a> from last November.<\/p>\n

How Smoking Affects Erectile Function<\/strong><\/p>\n

Smoking can cause ED both directly and indirectly. Directly, smoking decreases the ability of the body to use nitric acid<\/a>, which is a quick-acting chemical that keeps arteries open, letting blood flow into the penis and allowing an erection to happen. Indirectly, smoking causes heart disease, which is systemic and interferes with blood flow throughout the body, including to the penis. And low blood flow to the penis means softer or nonexistent erections. Over time the damage worsens, as does ED due to smoking.<\/p>\n

What Happens When You Quit Smoking<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"The
The benefits of quitting smoking start immediately.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The good news is that it is never too late to quit smoking, and no matter how long you have smoked, quitting improves your health. Here\u2019s what happens when you kick the habit:<\/p>\n