A new study from The Grossman School of Medicine in New York and John Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA, suggests that men who vape using e-cigarettes on a daily basis may be doubling their risk of suffering from Erectile Dysfunction (ED) when compared to men that don’t. 

More than 13,000 men over the age of 20 who participated in the study discovered daily vapers were 2.2 times more likely to report impotence compared to men who had never vaped.

The study also showed that, from a smaller sample size, among men with no history of cardiovascular disease, e-cig users were 2.4 times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction compared to non-vapers.

Commenting on this study, Dr Earim Chaudry, GP and Medical Director of men’s health platform Manual said; “A study of this size that looks into the impact of vaping is certainly interesting, given how few historical medical cases we have on what is a relatively new activity, but one that impacts a lot of people all over the world. 

“An erection occurs when, as a result of sexual arousal, your brain sends nerve signals to your penis that cause its spongy tissue – medically known as the corpus cavernosum – to fill with blood. That’s how the penis becomes hard enough for you to have sex. But if blood flow to your penis is restricted – or if there is any damage to the nerves innervating the penile tissue – then you may struggle to get a firm erection, or any erection at all.

“The link between smoking traditional cigarettes and Erectile Dysfunction is long-established and accepted by many in the medical community. We know that nicotine in traditional cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products, is a key contributor to ED as it’s a vasoconstrictor –  something that reduces blood flow around the body. 

“It’s worth noting that nicotine isn’t the only harmful substance that smokers open themselves up to. Cigarettes can contain up to 41,000 chemicals, many that are dangerous for health and some that contribute to ED – including arsenic, acetone, and carbon monoxide.

“The new study, from two prestigious academic institutions, will help both the medical community and the general public make more informed decisions about vaping. We know that nicotine is usually present in e-cigarettes and vapes, so it’s logical that it will have the same impact on men as more traditional forms of smoking. The new study adds significant authority to this claim.

“For men that smoke and are worried about the impact it may have on their sex lives, all is not lost.  Research from the University of Hong Kong showed around 50% of men with ED surveyed who gave up smoking reported improvements in their erections after 6 months. 

“Your GP can offer advice on support if you’re interested in stopping smoking, whether that’s traditional tobacco products, or more modern vapes and e-cigarettes. The NHS also has a helpful website that’s an excellent resource to get started stopping.”