How often do you vape? If you’re a man who regularly uses an electronic cigarette, you could be putting yourself at risk of erectile dysfunction.
Vaping could double your risk of having or maintaining an erection, according to a new study from the Grossman School of Medicine in New York and John Hopkins University in Baltimore, US.
More than 13,000 men over the age of 20 participated in the study, with results showing that daily vapers were 2.2 times more likely to report impotence compared to men who had never vaped.
The study also showed that, from a smaller sample size among men with no complicating history of cardiovascular disease, e-cig users were 2.4 times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction compared to non-vapers.
Dr Earim Chaudry, a GP and medical director of the men’s health platform Manual commented on the study, saying: “The link between smoking traditional cigarettes and erectile dysfunction [ED] is long-established and accepted by many in the medical community.
“We know that nicotine in traditional cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products, is a key contributor to ED as it’s a vasoconstrictor – something that reduces blood flow around the body.
And he adds: “It’s worth noting that nicotine isn’t the only harmful substance that smokers open themselves up to. Cigarettes can contain up to 41,000 chemicals, many that are dangerous for health and some that contribute to ED – including arsenic, acetone, and carbon monoxide.”
So what can you do if you’re a regular vaper who notices a change in erections. Well, it might be a good time to quit the habit, or at least cut down.
“For men who smoke and are worried about the impact it may have on their sex lives, all is not lost,” says Dr Chaudry. “Research from the University of Hong Kong showed around 50% of men with ED surveyed who gave up smoking reported improvements in their erections after six months.”
While some people move to e-cigarettes to quit traditional smoking, vaping still carries a risk. Both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes contain nicotine. E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke. But they’re not completely risk free.
Even in bed.
