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Quitting smoking boosts compelling health benefits, but did you know it can also amp up your sex life? Smoking does no good to any part of the body – be it the skin, lungs, heart, or reproductive system. Apart from wreaking havoc on your immune system, it could also lead to problems in your bedroom. Various research studies have established a link between smoking and hampered sex life.
Smoking leads to the formation of free radicals which cause oxidative damage to the male’s sperm DNA, causing changes in semen parameters such as abnormal shape, decreased sperm count and altered sperm motility. Heavy smoking among men can also lead to zero sperm count.
Health Shots got in touch with Dr Mridula Raghav, a consultant obstetrician, gynaecologist, and infertility specialist, to understand the link between smoking and sex.
Smoking and your sex life may have a link. Find out how exactly. Image courtesy: Shutterstock.
Smoking – cigarettes, marijuana or even vaping – can impact the sexual health of all genders.
“Smoking can cause sexual dysfunction disorders like erectile dysfunction – problems in getting an erection and keeping the penis erect, and decreased desire of having sex. Smoking damages the nerves and blood vessels that help in achieving an erection.” says the expert.
In women, smoking causes decreased ovarian reserve, leading to vaginal dryness and painful sex. It also causes low libido in females. However, the good news is that quitting smoking can reverse most of these commonly faced sexual health concerns.
Now that you know the damage that is caused to your sex life by smoking, read about the benefits of quitting smoking to enhance sexual performance.
Quitting smoking leads to increased sexual arousal, appetite, and greater satisfaction in the bedroom, with studies suggesting that non-smoking men had twice the amount of sex in comparison to their smoking counterparts.
Also read: Quit smoking to survive longer: Here’s how to control tobacco cravings
Men who quit smoking have been seen to experience firmer, faster erections. The nicotine present in cigarettes leads to blood vessel contraction and restricts the blood flow that is required to maintain an erection.
Have you ever experienced a swift lull in your sexual desire after smoking? If it’s so, then smoking might be affecting your bedroom performance. Smoking hampers the body’s ability to carry oxygen which is responsible for producing 90 percent of our energy. Yes, you heard that right! Persistent smoking can cause loss of stamina and shortness of breath.
A decrease in libido, with an inability to get aroused, could lead to sub-optimal sexual performance- leaving both you and your partner less satisfied. So, when it comes to pleasurable sex life, it takes two to perform a tango
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