In short

  • Smoking can damage the blood vessels that supply the penis.
  • The rate and amount of recovery you can expect is linked to several factors including:
  • how long you have been a smoker

Smoking can damage the blood vessels that supply the penis. An erection is achieved when the penis fills with blood, so damage or narrowing of these blood vessels can cause erectile dysfunction (ED). Stopping smoking, may allow you to recover from erectile dysfunction, but there may also be other health factors causing your ED, such as obesity or high blood pressure.

After quitting smoking, how long does it take for ED to resolve?

The rate and amount of recovery you can expect is linked to several factors including:

  • how much you smoke
  • how long you have been a smoker
  • if you’re taking any other medications
  • your overall health.

A study has shown that 25% of ex-smokers see some improvement in erectile function within 1 year of stopping smoking. The exact amount of time this may take is hard to estimate, as everyone is different. If you’re observant of your body, you should begin to notice changes as your blood vessels recover. You may notice a change in the symptoms of erectile dysfunction and increased blood flow to your penis. This may be harder to detect if you already take daily erectile dysfunction medication such as Cialis Daily. However, in that case, you may want to speak to a doctor about alternatives.

If you think your ED may be related to smoking, the best thing you can do is to quit smoking. There are loads of products available to help you quit, including nicotine gum and patches. If you’ve previously struggled to quit smoking, you may be able to use Champix. Champix is a prescription medication that blocks the effects of nicotine on the body, helping you to quit smoking. Champix is available through Simple Online Pharmacy, following the completion of an online consultation and review by our doctors.

Medication is also available to treat erectile dysfunction. This may be useful in the following situations:

  • If you are unable to quit smoking

  • If you do not recover full function after quitting smoking

  • If you want to have sex during the time that your body takes to readjust after quitting.

There are many different types of ED medication available. You should be able to find a treatment that fits with your health, your lifestyle and your sex life. You can use our flow chart or ask a doctor to advise you about which type of ED treatment is most suitable for you.

Sources

References

This page lists 2 sources. Each citation is presented as it appeared in the cited publication.

  1. Do cigarette smokers with erectile dysfunction benefit from stopping?

  2. HealthLine > Can smoking cigarettes cause impotence?

Reference links open the cited source pages. If you spot something out of date, tell our content team.

Who wrote this

Written and reviewed by our team

Authored by

Ian Coakley, Content Writer

Content Writer

Ian is Simple Online Pharmacy’s Content Writer; he joined the team in 2021. He has had a varied career path, starting as a science communicator and freelance editor and writer. While Ian has been published in some independent outfits, Simple Online Pharmacy marks his first foray into writing for a corporate entity.

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Medically reviewed by

Karim Nassar, Co-Founder, Pharmacist & Author

Karim Nassar

Co-Founder, Pharmacist & Author

GPhC 2064752 · verify

Karim is a registered pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and was a founding member of Simple Online Healthcare in 2015. With a Master of Pharmacy degree from Strathclyde University, Karim brings a strong foundation in pharmaceutical care and a passion for leveraging digital solutions to improve patient access to healthcare.

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