Can cigarettes send your sex life to smoke?

I have been smoking for about 6 years now. I smoke about a pack and a half every day. I am in a stable relation ship now. My friends who do not smoke scare me that smoking can affect my sperm count? Should I be scared?

Answer: In men, for a long time it was believed that sperm production is resistant to the effects of nicotine. The Meta analysis published in 1994 dissolved this myth. This particular study analyzed 20 different studies from various parts of the world.

The study concluded that Smoking is an independent predictor of sperm count. Sperm count in smokers was on an average 13% to 17% lower than that of non smokers.

I have been smoking since age 14. I am now 34 years old. My wife and I are trying to have a baby for the last 4 years without success. My sperm count is normal. Doctors cannot find any other cause. Could smoking be the cause?

Smoking can affect the motility of sperms and also the shape of the sperm which is very important for fertility.

My partner has an ulcer in his penis for the about 3-4 weeks. He smokes about 1 pack per day otherwise he is healthy. He does not have a primary doctor. We use a condom while having sex and also an antibiotic cream over the counter. I hope this goes away. Is there anything else to be worried about?

Penile cancer is 3 to 4.5 times more common in smokers. The risk proportionately increases with the number of cigarettes. He should get himself checked by a doctor especially since the ulcer is present for more than 3 weeks. The typical features are it looks ugly, can bleed to touch, can have a cauliflower like growth on the outside.

I am a woman who has been smoking for the past 3 years. Will smoking affect my sex life?

Smoking does not see any sexual difference. Women have equal negative consequences from smoking.

• Smoking decreases Libido in women.
• In women smoking has anti estrogenic effects. It can cause menstrual irregularities.
• Smoking causes Alteration in the motility of the fallopian tube which facilitates the movement of the egg towards the sperm. This decreases the chance of fertilization.
• Smokers have an increased risk for infertility.
• Decrease the ovarian function; hence smokers have an early menopause. On an average, female smokers attain menopause 11-12 years earlier than non smokers.
• Smoking predisposes to cancer of the Vulva. Certain types of cancer of the Cervix and ovary are common in smokers.
• The relationship between smoking and breast cancer is controversial. There are some studies which report a modest increase in breast cancer risk in smokers.
• A preliminary study has demonstrated an increased risk of breast cancer in women with second hand smoke exposure.

What does Cigarettes contain & How does it cause harmful effects?

Tobacco has about 60 known toxic compounds. The amount each person inhales may vary between the type of tobacco products and the pattern of smoking.

Immediate effect: It decreases the blood flow to various organs by narrowing the blood vessels. This is a reversible effect. Increased blood flow to the glands on either side of the penis causes erection. Thus smoking can have an immediate effect on erection and orgasm. In fact, the risk of having erectile dysfunction is doubled in smokers.

Late effect:

Let’s learn some basic facts about cigarettes which will help us to come to a conclusion.

With time the effects are permanent and irreversible.

1. Decreases the free testosterone and increases the estrogenic hormones leading to erectile dysfunction.
2. Hardening of the blood vessels called Arteriosclerosis.
3. Plaque builds up in blood vessels which can block blood supply. This process is called Atherosclerosis. This is the same process which causes heart disease.
4. Toxic compounds also known as Carcinogens can lead changes in cells which can result in disorganized growth of cells resulting in a Tumor.

Does second hand smoking have the same effect?

Second hand smoking has been known to cause heart disease and lung cancer but no clear association has been established in relation to sexual dysfunction. This just means that there is not enough scientific data to conclude at present.

Maternal smoking exposure as a fetus leads to 20% lower mean sperm count in adulthood than unexposed individuals.