A scientist is warning men who smoke that their habit could be increasing their risk of penis shrinkage and erectile dysfunction.
Marc Laniado, a Harley Street urologist, explained to Mirror Online:
"I see erectile dysfunction a great deal.
"To have a firm erection, you need sufficient blood flow. Smokers have a higher incidence of atherosclerosis in all blood vessels, including those in the penis, which can reduce blood flow.
"The chemicals in smoke may also have an effect on firmness; nicotine causes blood vessels to become narrow. This can be temporary or - eventually - permanent."
Smoking cigarettes can also gradually lead the penis to shrink, according to Laniado.
Mr Laniado explained: "Often they will say 'my erection is not so good, I don’t wake up with an erection in the morning as much as I used to or my penis isn’t quite so hard when I’m having sexual relations."
"But also sometimes people say that their penis is getting shorter as they get older, as smoking stops the blood flowing through the penis, which stops the spontaneous and nightly erections that are needed to stretch the penis and keep it at a good length. So in summary smoking can make your penis appear shorter or in fact become shorter."
Smoking can also affect the sex lives of women, Laniado added.
"Women’s arousal is - if you think about it - also affected by blood flow to the area," the urologist explained.
According to Medical News Today, cigarettes contain toxins which can damage the blood vessels in your manhood.
In 1998, experts at Boston University of Medicine conducted a study of 200 men. After analysing their erect penises, it was discovered that those who didn't smoke had a longer average length than those who smoked.
The research concluded that smoking inhibits blood flow to your genitals, stopping the penis from stretching - as echoed by Laniado.
Mr Laniado’s warning comes as part of Vice's Change Incorporated mission to encourage more people in the UK to give up smoking for good. You can find more information on their mission here .
The medical journal Urology also discovered that certain medication can have an effect on penis size. These included drugs like Adderall, and some antidepressants and antipsychotics.
