In 1986, a survey on 116 impotence patients conducted by University of Pretoria in South Africa showed that 108 of them were smokers. A survey from a hospital in a certain city in China found that 64% of the 440 impotence patients are smokers.
Why smoking can cause impotence? A research laboratory in Canada concluded that 1/4 of the smokers had poor penile blood circulation, while only 1/21 of the control group did, which shows a five-fold difference. Pathologists believe that nicotine can cause vasoconstriction. Smoking is one of the main causes for arteriosclerosis and when the small arteries providing penile blood is hardened to an extent, it will inevitably lead to reduction of penile blood flow, especially during erection and eventually lead to impotence as one of its consequences. Researchers also found that erectile strength among smokers was significantly lower than non-smokers.
As for drinking alcohol, people have been using it to cheer up or stimulate sex for a long time. In many people’s mind alcohol has always been seen as a companion for sex and couples do enjoy having drinks before intercourse in their daily life. So what is the effects actually?
The main ingredient of alcohol – ethanol – exerts pharmacologic effects on human body in four stages: euphoria stage, excitement stage, narcosis stage and respiratory paralysis stage. During first two stages, ethanol can act as an excitant on both central nervous system and sexual nerves; meanwhile moderate drinking can help reduce anxiety and fatigue and thus be beneficial to most people by being an assisting role boosting one’s enthusiasm and stimulating libido.
However this is only one aspect to consider. When drinking too much or even moderate amount but with low tolerance against it, ethanol will enter into narcosis stage quickly resulting in inhibition on both central nervous system and sexual nerves; instead of promoting desire it would reduce libido and impair transmission of sexual impulse; moreover some men may encounter difficulty getting arousal or flaccid penis or even premature ejaculation leading to failure during intercourse.