For years smoking cigarettes has been linked to impotence in both men and women. This reason, and the fact that it is also a carcinogenic, has urged many individuals to adopt ‘safer' smoking alternatives like e-cigarettes and vapes.
Discover our latest podcast
But it looks like switching from cigarettes to vaping is not going to help when it comes to erectile dysfunction.
Vapers, beware
A large study conducted by doctors at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that men who vape are twice as likely to suffer from ED than non-smoking individuals.
They studied data from 13,711 men between the ages of 20 and 65 and saw that even after eliminating other possible risk factors, such as age and cardiovascular disease, there was still a high percentage of vapers that experienced occasional episodes of erectile dysfunction.
Furthermore, out of the 10.2% of vapers who said they suffered from ED, only 2.5% reported it as a daily habit. This could potentially indicate that infrequent use of the alternative could also lead to the frustrating condition.
Spreading awareness
Although the authors have mentioned that further studies need to be done to prove the link between vaping and erectile dysfunction, they have also emphasised the importance of awareness aboutpotential effects of vaping on sexual organs. They wrote:
While ENDS [Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems] remain under evaluation for harm reduction and smoking-cessation potential, ENDS users should be informed about the possible association between ENDS use and erectile dysfunction.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Omar El Shahawy, added:
Overall, e-cigarettes are likely less harmful than smoking cigarettes to the degree that they substitute cigarette smoking.
For men who smoke and want to switch because vaping is less harmful, they should try to limit their vaping because it is simply not risk-free.
