Smoking Kills The Sex Drive

Summary:

Smoking is an oft-derided “habit” because it is seen by millions to be a filthy practice that also has a number of life-threatening side effects. Recent studies may bring cause for one more effect to be added to the list: erectile dysfunction. The findings are very alarming, because even otherwise healthy males experience an incredible increase in risk.

Keywords:

smoking, sexual impotence, side effects

Article Body:

Smoking is a habit that is enjoyed by millions around the world, despite being generally known as a potentially serious health risk. There are several negative effects of tobacco on the body, not the least of which is the increased risk of lung cancer. Despite all of the warnings coming from every possible angle, including the Japanese anime industry and Hollywood getting in on the act, most people still prefer to smoke. However, for the modern male that is obsessed with traditionally masculine aspects such as virility, one reason to give up the habit might be the risk of sexual impotence. That is, if the findings of a recently concluded study by the Tulane University School of Public Health is accurate in its analysis.

Dr. Jiang He, head of the research team, said that the “association between cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction was found in earlier studies.” However, he pointed out that other potential causes of sexual impotence were found in the test subjects, such as hypertension, depression, diabetes, and a number of cardiovascular diseases. He stated that while his study dealt with the same problem, he believed that there was a key difference between his research and what has come before. Unlike previous studies, which did not exclude potential test subjects based on health grounds, Dr. Jiang He's research team specifically picked out men who were in good physical condition apart from their smoking. That, in theory, can go much further than previous studies in showing the link between impotence and smoking.

The research confirms that men who smoke are more likely to experience problems like erectile dysfunction than other men, though the 41% statistic is much higher than what the research team initially projected during preliminary tests. There is ample evidence to make the assumption that this is a standard “cause and effect” response, with the effects varying depending on the “dose” of nicotine introduced into the system over a given period. For example, a man who smoked 10 cigarettes a day came in with an increase of 27% risk of erectile dysfunction compared to normally healthy men. Men who had 11 to 20 exhibited an almost 40% increase in risk. The data was similar for men who smoked more than 20 in a day, with the percentage of risk going up with each stick added. This, combined with the cardiovascular and respiratory side effects of habitual smoking and factors such as psychology and emotional state, made for an incredible risk.

The study estimated that 22.7% of all cases of erectile dysfunction – roughly 11.8 million men – are caused by smoking. The study further discovered that quitting did not decrease the risks faced by long-time smokers, with the statistics showing that there was no difference if the subject was still a smoker or if they had already quit. Age did not appear to be a factor as well, with young men just as likely to develop erectile dysfunction due to smoking in middle-aged or older men. This is among men who were otherwise in excellent health, with the researchers conceding that if the subjects had been in poorer health, the numbers would likely have been much higher.

Smoking Related Health Problems in Adolescents

Smoking is the cause of many diseases and kills about four hundred and forty two thousand people every year in the United States. In spite of anti smoking campaigns and billboard warnings, more and more people are joining the bandwagon of smokers every year. Out of the total number of new smokers, ninety percent are children and adolescents, replacing smokers who have quit or died early due to a disease caused by smoking. Smoking is the top cause of preventable and premature deaths, followed by obesity.

Smoking not only increases the risk of lung disease, but also increases the risk of contracting lung cancer, oral cancer, emphysema, stroke and heart disease. Certain statistics by the American Lung Associations show alarming results. Over five thousand adolescents smoke their very first cigarette every day, out of which over two thousand turn into regular smokers. Presently there are nearly five million adolescents smokers. Twenty percent of the twelfth graders smoke cigarettes regularly.

Smoking has many harmful affects on the health of a human being. It damages the cardiovascular system, causes high blood pressure, increases heart rate, increases the risk of ischemic stroke, increases the risk of formation of blood clot formation, and decreases the oxygen amount which reaches the tissues in the body, reduces coronary blood flow & cardiac output, and damages the blood vessels. Smoking not only affects physical health, but mental health too. It causes psychological distress and depression.

Smoking not only affects the person who smokes but also other people who surround him/her. According to the American Heart Association, nearly thirty five thousand passive smokers die of smoke inhaled from a lit pipe, cigar or cigarette. People who do not smoke directly and inhale smoke from a cigarette smoke by his/her neighbor is known as passive smoker, secondary smoker or indirect smoker. Among the passive smokers, women, children and infants are at a higher risk. Infants and children who are exposed to smoke develop asthma, frequent ear infections and may even experience infant death syndrome. The symptoms experienced by secondary smokers are coughing, excess mucus formation in the airways, chest discomfort, chest pain, and lung irritation. They even feel irritation of throat, nose and eyes. If the passive smokers experiences chest pain, it can be an indication of a heart disease. Sometimes the symptoms of secondary smoking can coincide with the symptoms of other medical conditions. Hence, it is recommended to contact the doctor immediately after the surfacing of the symptoms.

In active smokers, smoking, apart from building up high cholesterol in blood, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, high blood pressure, physical inactivity and diabetes. So smoking cessation will not only reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, which is top of the list, but also decreases the risk by fifty percent of heart attacks and deaths caused by it. But quitting smoking undertakes lots of physical and mental efforts. The person should be made mentally relaxed and stress free. In case of adolescents, they can be asked to exercise regularly and sleep adequately. The American Lung Association and The American Academy of Otolaryngology have developed certain tips which can be of great help to the smokers who are thinking of quitting. The smokers must first be made to understand the reason for quitting. Stress only makes even more difficult to quit smoking, so a stress free period should be chosen to quit. Family and friends’ encouragement and support are extremely necessary to persuade the smoker to quit. If the support isn’t sufficient, smokers can join a smoking cessation program or a support group to attain their goals. A balanced diet is a must, along with lots of rest.

Sometimes taking nicotine replacement products, such as nicotine chewing gum, nicotine inhalers, and nicotine patch, are a great help to smokers who want to quit. By using these products the smokers can satisfy their nicotine craving. The good thing is that these nicotine replacement products can deduct the poisonous gases and tars emitted by the cigarettes. But nursing and pregnant women should consult a doctor before trying nicotine replacement products. For such people non-nicotine alternative is available in the market.

The Health Risks of Cigar Smoking

We have all heard of the risks associated with smoking cigarettes, but what are the risks of cigar smoking? Are the risks of smoking cigars just as dangerous, or more so? According to the National Cancer Instituted, regular cigar smoking can result in a major health threat. Scientific research has linked cigar smoking with cancers of the larynx, lungs, esophagus, and oral cavity. Newer research also indicates that cigar smoking may be strongly linked to the development of cancer in the pancreas. Doctors also caution that individuals who regularly inhale while enjoying a cigar are also at greater risk of developing lung disease and heart problems.

The health threats of cigar smoking appear to increase dramatically in those individuals who smoke regularly and inhale while smoking. Someone who smokes three to four cigars each day will him or herself at eight times the risk of developing some kind of oral cancer than a nonsmoker. Unfortunately, we do not yet know the health risks of smoking the occasional cigar. It seems clear however that smoking cigars on a daily basis can pose serious health risks.

Many individuals wonder if cigars are as addictive as cigarettes. Many wonder why, for instance, so many people become addicted to cigarettes, and not cigars? The truth is that any tobacco product can become addictive because it contains nicotine. Witness the effects of smokeless tobacco products on individuals. These products, such as chewing tobacco, can become very addictive, simply because they contain tobacco, which in turn contains nicotine. Many cigar smokers do not inhale deeply, thus causing the nicotine to be inhaled superficially. Cigarette smokers tend to inhale, causing the nicotine to be absorbed faster and more readily by the lungs. Even though most cigar smokers inhale the nicotine more superficially, it is still possible to become addicted if the user smokes cigars on a regular basis.

If nicotine is so addictive, why don't more cigar smokers smoke more often? It appears that more people avoid becoming 'hooked' on cigars for several reasons. The most obvious reason is that the nicotine is inhaled much more superficially than in regular cigarette smoking, causing less nicotine to be absorbed by the body. Also, cigars are not as readily accessible as cigarettes. They are viewed by most as a luxury item, saved for special occasions and used infrequently. However, when cigars are smoked on a regular basis, they can become addictive. The health risks of any kind of smoking increase dramatically as frequency of use increases.

Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Sexual health

Summary:

Lung cancer, emphysema, and heart failure are the distinguished effects of smoking. But smoking also brings negative effects on male and female sexual health.

Keywords:

sexual health, weight-loss

Article Body:

According to a 2006 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 22% of high school students in American smoke cigarettes everyday. In fact, even if the study indicated that smoking had already declined over the last four years, the statistics still show that one in five Americans still smoke cigarettes. A 2005 study revealed that more than 20% of adults in the United States are smokers. While smoking rates among high school students have been on a decline since 1997, the rate of teenagers who smoke is equal to, and in some cases, higher than that of adults. The younger the individuals start smoking, the more likely that they will continue smoke as an adult. Given these figures, it is not surprising that smoking is the leading cause of premature deaths in the United States.

The question is still begging to be asked: Why do teens smoke? Is it because of the influence of media or because they get the habit from adults who smoke? Studies show that many teenagers smoke because they were simply curious about how it would taste or feel like. Others said that they thought that smoking was a good method to achieve weight-loss. Even if the warnings plastered on the cigarette box clearly says that, “Smoking is dangerous to your health,” this has not stopped teens from experimenting or taking up the habit of cigarette use.

Medical evidence suggest that cigarette smoking causes an increase in the body's metabolic rate and may suppress appetite. But it is important to note that smoking tends to dull the taste buds, which, after all, may be the reason for the “loss of appetite.” This argument is somehow supported by cases of people who gained weight after they stopped smoking. Since their taste buds had already regained their functionality, the former smokers enjoyed their meals more and eventually gained some weigh.

Non-smokers may have found a way to kick the habit but for thousands if not millions of smokers around the world --- doing away with the stick is still an on-going struggle. The addiction of smokers to the deadly chemical called nicotine makes it hard for them to stop smoking. Nicotine dependence occurs when the chemicals and other cigarette substances reach the brain and activates the pleasure cells, producing mood-altering effects that give smokers short-term pleasure.

The short-term pleasure of smoking somehow negates the clear message that long-term use of cigarettes could possibly lead to lung cancer, emphysema, and heart failure. Studies also show that smoking has adverse effects on male and female sexual health. A number of studies show that smoking is related to the difficulty getting and maintaining an erection. Many toxins present in cigarettes especially carbon monoxide, can damage the circulatory system, which hinders the flow of blood in the penis which is necessary for erection. In addition, smoking is one of the major causes of erectile dysfunction. A study published in the Journal of Urology in 2000 found out that 68% of men with high blood pressure aged 40-79 experienced erectile dysfunction. At least 45% of these cases were considered severe sexual ailments. High blood pressure in men may lead to low testosterone levels, which is a male hormone that plays a crucial role in the sexual arousal. Low testosterone levels lead to decreased arousal and sexual performance. Toxins found in cigarettes may also harm the testes. Smoking may affect the semen and the sperm, reducing their mobility and quality. Men who smoke tend to have lower sperm counts and malformed sperms than their non-smoking counterparts.

Many substance founds in cigarettes may harm the ovaries, studies show that women who smoke or have smoked in the past may encounter difficulties getting pregnant with the chances of conceiving being decreased by up to 40% for each menstrual cycle. The longer a woman smokes, the more difficult it would be for her to get pregnant. The effects of smoking on sexual health have been taken for granted since the focus of previous studies have been on the ill effects of smoking on the cardiovascular system. Understanding the adverse effects of smoking on one's sexual health may become a motivation for many to quit smoking. Joining a program that helps people quit smoking; and consulting a doctor about medications that reduce the craving to smoke may also help. Others succeed by using alternative methods like hypnosis. Although it may be a very hard habit to break, quitting smoking is one of the best things people can do to improve their sex lives and their over-all health.