You already know that smoking is bad for your health, but you might be shocked to find that cigarettes can also have a negative impact on your love life.
The research shows that cigarette smoking is linked to several sexual problems.
Read on to learn more.
Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction
If you’re a male smoker, cigarettes can affect your sexual functioning in a big way.
A 2002 study in European Urology found that current smokers were 70 percent more likely to experience erectile dysfunction than men who had never smoked.(1)
Even former smokers were 60 percent more likely to be plagued by erectile dysfunction.
Additional research has confirmed the relationship between smoking and erectile problems.
Researchers for a 2006 edition of The Journal of Urology studied over 20,000 men and found that those who smoked were 50 percent more likely to experience erectile dysfunction.(2)
Sexual Functioning Among Female Smokers
Cigarettes have also been linked to sexual issues among women.
In 2006, researchers for The Journal of Urology found that women who smoked were 2.4 times more likely to suffer from sexual dysfunction, which could be linked to problems with;
• arousal
• desire
• lubrication
• pleasure
• satisfaction
• and pain.(3)
In 2015, researchers for the Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Science found that female current smokers were more likely than former smokers or never smokers were to experience sexual dysfunction.(4)
Current smokers also had lower scores on a scale of sexual functioning, and those who had smoked for the longest amount of time had the lowest scores.
In addition, a 2011 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that among women, smoking was linked to a lack of sexual activity within the past year.(5)
Fertility Issues among Smokers
If you and your partner are trying to conceive, smoking can put even more of a damper on your sex life.
Researchers for a 2012 edition of the Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences found that twice as many smokers as non-smokers had low sperm motility.(6)
Furthermore, smokers had a lower percentage of normal sperm cells than did non-smoking men.
Smoking is also linked to fertility issues in women.
A 2010 study in Reproductive Biomedicine Online found evidence that smoking accelerates the aging of the ovaries.(7)
In 1998, researchers for the journal Human Reproduction analyzed 12 different studies and found that female smokers were 60 percent more likely than non-smokers were to experience infertility.(8)
Other Sexual Problems
In addition to issues with fertility and overall sexual functioning, cigarettes have been linked to general dissatisfaction with sex.
A 2006 study in the International Journal of Impotence Research found that those who smoked at least 20 cigarettes daily reported more dissatisfaction with their sex lives.(8)
In addition, researchers for a 2012 edition of the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy found that tobacco use was associated with low interest in sex.(9)
Conclusion
If you and your partner want to increase your interest in sex, it may be time to give up smoking.
Talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapies or smoking cessation classes available in your area.
Replace your smoking habit with healthier habits, such as regular exercise.
A 2012 study In the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that physical activity was associated with better sexual functioning among men.(10)
Further reading:
- How Long Does Nicotine Stay In Your System?
- The Risks and Complications Associated with Smoking During Pregnancy
- How to Quit Smoking in as Little as 7 Days (affiliate link)
References
(1)http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0302283802000052
(2)http://www.jurology.com/article/S0022-5347%2806%2900589-1/abstract
(3)http://www.jurology.com/article/S0022-5347%2805%2900149-7/abstract
(4)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515480/
(5)http://www2.kenes.com/was2011/info/Documents/jsm_v8_supp3.pdf
(6)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3539834/
(7)http://www.rbmojournal.com/article/S1472-6483%2810%2900103-3/abstract
(8)http://www.nature.com/ijir/journal/v18/n4/full/3901436a.html
(9)http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0092623X.2011.615898
(10)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22145804
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