Smoking Linked to ED

Research carried out by Dr. Ismail Tambi, clinical andrologist at Damai Service Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, revealed that smoking is strongly linked to sexual disorders.

His findings are based on his own medical practice. As such, Dr. Tambi saw a lot of smokers seeking medical help for treatment of such sexual disorders as erectile dysfunction, infertility, and low sperm count.

Dr. Tambi highlighted that those were not only active smokers, but also passive smokers, who were exposed to sexual disorders. The second group of smokers, however, was easier to deal with as they only needed to change their company, not their habits, to improve the sexual function.

He also mentioned that age was a significant factor when it came to sexual disorders and smoking. As such, fertility problems were mostly seen in young smoking men (aged 20+), whereas ED and poor sexual performance was mainly seen in men aged 30-40.

Dr. Ismail Tambi says that smoking is not the only factor that causes erectile dysfunction and other problems. But it significantly increases the risk of sexual disorders. “Different people react differently to smoking according to their genes.”

Hookah, as well as tobacco may lead to heart diseases and nicotine addiction, affirm the specialists. During the last 8 – 10 years the popularity of hookah in western countries has raised greatly, especially among the youths from 18 to 24. The majority of young people are sure that hookah contains less nicotine and gums than tobacco, so has no obvious dangerous effects. Medics have found exact scientific results contradicting the myth about the safety of hookah smoking: according to the results of their studies, hookah smoke contains the same harmful chemicals as cigarettes do, and raises the risk of cardiovascular dysfunction and development of nicotine addiction.

During a two-year period the doctors have been observing hookah smokers in Lebanon aged from 18 to 50. Each volunteer was smoking tobacco for 45 minutes, first with the help of hookah, then he had to smoke one cigarette. The levels of nicotine and carbon monoxide in the participants’ blood were immediately measured, and cardiac rhythm was fixed. It turned out that the concentration of carbon monoxide during hookah smoking was three time higher in comparison with one smoked cigarette. The peak levels of nicotine were the same both in case of hookah and cigarette smoking. Analyzing the quantity and amount of each draw, smoke inhalation is 48 times higher during hookah smoking in comparison with cigarettes. Besides, hookah smoke contains substances promoting the development of cancer and other dangerous diseases, as the medics warn.

The level of cotinin – a by-product of nicotine – the content of which defines the possibility of cancer of lugs was measured in the blood of smokers.

This content of this substance is not so high in the blood of those who smoke after breakfast.

The reasons of this difference are not known yet. According to the scientists, morning smokers smoke more intensively as their need in nicotine is stronger than of those smoking their first cigarette later.

About 250 smokers have taken part in this research. Its results were published in the article of the scientific magazine “Cancer Epidemiology” Biomakers and prevention.

Morning Need of a Cigarette

In the process of lowering the number of cigarettes a day it’s necessary to take into account how often and how many cigarettes you smoke every day, how strong the need is, and the physiological indices.

Joshua Muscat, the author of the scientific article

People smoking 20 cigarettes a day had different levels of cotinin in their blood depending on the time of day they started smoking.

The highest level of cotinin was found in the blood of those who starts smoking during the first half-an-hour after they get up. Such habit was defined as high level of nicotine addiction.

Among some of them the level of cotinin was 75 times as high as among those who started smoking later.

According to the author of the article, for people with strong nicotine addiction to give up smoking for a long period of time or for good more intensive help may be needed.

“Not all smokers are the same. So the reproaches to the reduction of their number should take into account how often and how many cigarettes they smoke every day, how strong the need is, and the physiological indices”, he stated.

The representative of the British charitable organization Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation has spoken in favor of the research the authors of which think that it may help understand the habits of smokers and the nature of tobacco addiction.

But as far as only 252 smokers, the result should be treated with scepticism and it’s still early to draw any weighty conclusion about antismoking control.

“As the authors of the article themselves, we think that this sphere should still be studied”, – he said.