Erectile Dysfunction Alcoholism | Smoking

According to latest estimates:

– The prevalence of alcohol dependent males under the age of 55 is 14 to 15% (1)

– About 24% of entire male population is dependent on tobacco (or nicotine)

– According to some estimates, males who are dependent on alcohol are more likely to abuse other drugs (ED & Drugs Learn More) and addictive chemicals capable of influencing brain biochemistry (especially nicotine).

– A latest survey suggested that 83% alcoholics are also active smokers as opposed to only 34% of non-alcoholics (2)

– Smoking alone (in the absence of alcohol or other drugs) can also increase the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED Causes Learn More). According to a study, prevalence of ED is 49.5% in male smokers aged 20 – 79 years (with no additional risk factors).

Risk Factors Leading to Excessive Alcoholism | Smoking

– Long term stress (ED & Stress Learn More) and depression (ED & Depression Learn More) are a leading cause of excessive alcoholism and smoking. Alcohol doesn’t help in depression but it may mask the symptoms temporarily. An alcoholic rapidly increases the dosage that may get out of control at times and lead to dependency (initially psychological and then physical). Same is true for nicotine.

– Loners and socially inactive individuals are more likely to engage in unhealthy addictions and habits like alcohol intake and smoking.

– In US, depression and loneliness is more common in elderly population. Regrettably, these individuals tend to smoke and drink alcohol to make life tolerable and ends up with more complicated issues.

– Various factors such as duration, amount and extent of alcohol/ nicotine consumption, age (Age & ED Learn More) of the person, co-morbid medical condition and other variables can influence the severity of sexual or erectile dysfunction (ED Treatment Learn More). According to a report published in Indian Journal of Psychiatry (3), intake of at least 12 g ethanol daily and/or more than 10 cigarettes daily can significantly increase the risk of erectile dysfunction in males.

Managing Erectile Dysfunction Due to Alcoholism | Smoking

– In case of drug addiction or smoking, rehabilitation or counseling is strongly advised.

– It has been advised that abstinence can help in resuming normal sexual activity in most cases.

– Most frequent form of therapy is over the counter phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5) that includes Viagra (Natural ED Supplements Learn More) (sildenafil citrate), Levitra (vardenafil HCl) and Cialis (tadalafil)

– However, in other situations, the doctors may use advanced therapies involving penis implants (Penile Implant Learn More) and pumps to assist the process. These are cylindrical devices that creates a vacuum to create erection by stimulating erectile tissue. The success rate of this procedure (if all steps are performed correctly) is 75%.

– Most temporary (over the counter) treatments have transient effects but low side effect profile.

Tips if Your Partner is Experiencing Erectile Dysfunction

An obvious conclusion one can derive from a person with erectile dysfunction is that they are ashamed to acknowledge and discuss their problems with any one. Therefore professional help should be sought, so that the underlying problem is diagnosed quickly. The sooner the diagnosis will be made, the quicker will be the restoration of physical and mental health.

References:

1. Anthony, J. C., & Echeagaray-Wagner, F. (2013). Epidemiologic analysis of alcohol and tobacco use-Patterns of co-occurring consumption and dependence in the United States.
2. Falk, D. E., Yi, H., & Hiller-Sturmhöfel, S. (2006). An epidemiologic analysis of co-occurring alcohol and tobacco use and disorders. Alcohol Res Health, 29(3), 162-171.
3. Arackal, B. S., & Benegal, V. (2007). Prevalence of sexual dysfunction in male subjects with alcohol dependence. Indian journal of psychiatry, 49(2), 109.
4. Wu, C., Zhang, H., Gao, Y., Tan, A., Yang, X., Lu, Z., … & Mo, Z. (2012). The association of smoking and erectile dysfunction: results from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES). Journal of andrology, 33(1), 59-65.