Can You Cure Erectile Dysfunction By Quitting Smoking?

Smoking is often advertised as cool or sexy, but the truth is far from that.

It leads to all sorts of health problems like lung issues, digestive troubles, and even issues like erectile dysfunction in men who continue to smoke.

Yes, smoking has a strong link to erectile dysfunction in men, as research shows.

The nicotine, carbon monoxide, and free radicals in cigarettes mess with blood vessels and sexual arousal, affecting performance and interest in bed.

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Want to boost your sexual health and keep your partner satisfied? Quitting smoking is the best way forward. 

At Smokefree Clinic, we provide tailored support to help you quit smoking and treat smoking-related erectile dysfunction.

Today, let’s explore how smoking affects sexual performance and how quitting can improve erectile dysfunction symptoms.

Can Smoking Cause Erectile Dysfunction? 

Have you been smoking for years or have a partner who does, and you’re wondering if it can affect erections? It can, as smoking and erectile dysfunction are closely linked.

Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, is when the penis can’t fill with enough blood to become firm for sex. 

Smoking messes with blood circulation, which is key for an erection. The chemicals from cigarette smoke damage the blood vessels in the penis, making it hard or even impossible to get an erection.

The harmful chemicals and nicotine found in cigarette smoke can narrow your blood vessels and negatively impact your cardiovascular health. 

This has a knock-on effect on your overall performance, and nicotine, in particular, has been shown to reduce sex drive in men.

But what about younger men who smoke? Are they at risk of erectile dysfunction too? 

The short answer is yes. Even if you’re in your 20s, smoking can still cause circulation issues, which can lead to problems like erectile dysfunction. 

It’s not just older men who need to worry about this—smoking affects men of all ages.

How To Cure Erectile Dysfunction 

If you’re looking to prevent or tackle erectile dysfunction, research clearly shows that quitting smoking is the way forward.

In an eight-week quit programme conducted in 2011, a group of sexually active male smokers took part in erectile testing. 

By the end of the study, 75% of those who had successfully quit smoking no longer experienced erectile dysfunction.

These men saw firmer, wider erections because, as they quit smoking, the harmful chemicals like nicotine and carbon monoxide left their systems. 

Compared to those who relapsed, this group achieved higher levels of sexual arousal more quickly and without climaxing prematurely.

In short, quitting smoking can significantly improve arousal, enhance orgasmic function, and even reverse erectile dysfunction.

How Long After Quitting Smoking Does Erectile Dysfunction Improve?

We have to keep in mind that smoking is just one contributor to erectile dysfunction. Other factors that can cause erectile dysfunction, such as high cholesterol, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, and other comorbidities, can also affect the way you perform in bed.

After you quit smoking, even just for one week, your improved breathing and energy will improve your stamina in bed. Your mood will even feel clearer, making you much more focused on the task at hand.

While a week after smoking won’t make your erectile dysfunction symptoms instantly disappear, you can expect to see improvements to your sexual performance after 4 months to one year (really big improvements!) of quitting smoking.

Alongside quitting smoking, some mental and physical activities that help with nicotine withdrawals may help you improve your erectile dysfunction too.

Can Quitting Smoking Cause ED?

It’s no surprise that many motivated smokers wonder why they’re suddenly having poor sexual performance and have asked themselves, “can quitting smoking cause erectile dysfunction?” Unfortunately, with loads of things in the mix of things, there’s no straightforward answer.

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms are the biggest challenge for any motivated smoker. You will feel irritable, moody, have low energy levels, and just feel a bit off and wonky throughout the day.

All levels of withdrawal symptoms, from mild to severe, can impact your ability to have consistent erections as they can distract or make you feel emotionally and mentally burdened during withdrawals.

But, the good news is, these symptoms only last a few weeks to a month after quitting smoking. So, if you keep on just for a short spell, you’ll definitely see improvements in your sexual performance come about after a month or two.

How to Get Started Quitting Smoking

Fortunately, there’s a seamless way to stop smoking for good. With the help of GPs and the right tools, you can quit within a month and stay smokefree for more than a year.

Go Through First-Line Solutions First

You need a nicotine prescription before you can purchase NVPs. As a second-line solution, one requirement is that you’ve already tried and failed to quit smoking with a first-line treatment, such as NRT products. 

NRT products (like patches and gums) are the most trusted quitting option available for motivated smokers. They might not imitate cigarettes, but they contain a small dose of nicotine that may be enough to alleviate your withdrawals.

While NRTs can be effective, they don’t work for everyone. If these haven’t done the trick for you, you may now be eligible for a nicotine prescription.

Chat to a GP

As mentioned, NRT products have worked for many successful ex-smokers. But, you might have ingrained behaviours and triggers that only something that mimics a cigarette can successfully address, such as the hand-to-mouth motion, and needing something to use while having a drink with friends. 

If your GP deems it necessary, they can write you a nicotine prescription for NVPs. 

You can chat to your usual GP more about this.

Visit Your Local Pharmacy

Once you have your nicotine prescription, you can pop down to your local pharmacy. Over 2,200 pharmacies across Australia hold these products in-store, but any pharmacy can order these in for you if they don’t currently stock them.

Both your pharmacist and GP can advise you on how best to use the product, such as the initial setup, and the number of puffs to take when you feel withdrawals.

Use Pharmacy Nicotine Vaping Products (NVPs)

NVP products sold in pharmacies are made under stringent pharmaceutical standards on the manufacturing process and ingredients, are toxicologically assessed for inhalation, are locally insured, and are specifically designed to help you stop smoking.

They can only be purchased via pharmacies with a prescription from your GP. Your pharmacist and GP can guide you on the proper way to use these.

They’ve also been proven to work better than NRT products. The latest Cochrane Review found high-certainty evidence that NVPs are more effective than NRT in helping people stop smoking.

Start Your Smokefree Life with Smokefree Clinic 

We know you’re reading this post because you want to learn about treating erectile dysfunction and quitting smoking.

Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around!

If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.

Link Reference

• https://academic.oup.com/smr/article/11/1/61/6985842
• https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/harmful-effects-tobacco/3-ways-tobacco-use-impacts-your-sex-life
• https://academic.oup.com/smr/article/11/1/61/6985842
• https://time.com/4408977/erectile-dysfunction-quit-smoking/
• https://www.cochrane.org/news/latest-cochrane-review-finds-high-certainty-evidence-nicotine-e-cigarettes-are-more-effective