Why Penis Health and Smoking Don't Mix
Penis health is an issue that should be uppermost in all men's minds, but far too many men fail to give it the attention it deserves - in spite of the fact that all men treasure this most important of organs. Proper penis care includes a range of activities, such as appropriate hygiene and regular penis inspections, but it also includes something that may seem odd: not smoking.
Lighting up afterward
Everyone is familiar with the classic post-coital routine of a couple enjoying a cigarette as a little coda to their arduous and intense lovemaking. It's in countless movies, books, and TV shows, but it's something that should definitely be eliminated.
As has been documented time and time again, smoking is simply bad for the health. For that reason and that reason alone, it should be discouraged; however, there's another reason for stopping tobacco use: it damages the penis. Seriously.
Here are some of the ways that smoking damages the penis and negatively affects a man's love life:
- It may reduce penis size. Numerous studies, including one from Boston University, indicate that smoking can decrease functional penis size. How? Smoking leads to damage to the blood vessels and to penile tissue, which may keep the penis from reaching its maximum potential size. This is especially likely to happen in men who smoke during puberty, when it can have the most lasting damaging impact.
- It may corrupt the smooth muscle inside the penis. The penis is made up of smooth muscle tissue, which does perform important functions, but which doesn't respond to exercise by "bulking up." Evidence suggests smoking can damage this smooth muscle, which can have a negative consequence in terms of erectile function.
- It may make erections "looser" and slower. Every guy likes to have a penis that gets hard at the snap of a finger and is intensely firm. A 2011 study from the British Journal of Urology International found that men who did not smoke or stopped smoking had firmer, wider erections and reached arousal much more quickly than men who smoked.
- It may contribute to erectile dysfunction. In that same 2011 study, a number of participants who smoked stated that they suffered from erectile dysfunction. Among those who subsequently stopped smoking, 75% stated that their erectile issues had cleared up and were no longer a problem, indicating again that smoking negatively impacts sexual performance. Other studies back this up. For example, one study showed that heavy smokers who consume more than 20 cigarettes a day (basically, a pack a day) have a 60% greater risk of developing erectile dysfunction than those who do not smoke. And if a person with high blood pressure also smokes, the risk of erectile dysfunction is 26 times as high.
Quitting smoking can be very difficult, so the best way to assure that tobacco use doesn't cause health concerns is to never start; however, for those who do smoke, consulting a doctor or enrolling in an effective smoking cessation program is crucial.
Giving up smoking is only one part of an appropriate penis health routine, of course. In addition to the previously mentioned good hygiene and regular penis examinations, consistent use of a superior penis nutrient cream (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil) should be part of every man's penis health regimen. The best creams will include a wide range of nutrients, including: vitamin C, which is essential for collagen production and penile tissue firmness; the enzyme L-arginine, which helps produce nitrous oxide and therefore aids in penile blood vessel relaxation and blood flow; and acetyl L carnitine, which plays a role in preventing peripheral penis nerve injury that can diminish penis sensitivity.
