Vaping
can be tough on the lungs, but new research warns of another possible danger to men: It may more than double the risk for erectile dysfunction.
After tracking erectile dysfunction (ED) risk among nearly 25,000 men aged 20 and older, investigators found that even vapers with no history of heart disease or other health issues typically associated with impotence saw their risk shoot up more than twofold.
The finding suggests that while electronic cigarettes may offer some users a helpful pathway towards kicking a cigarette habit, there are potential downsides.
"Any tobacco or nicotine product is not risk-free, especially for those who are thinking of starting to use it," cautioned lead study author Dr. Omar El Shahawy. He's an assistant professor at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine.
For example, "there is abundant evidence that consistent exposure to high nicotine levels [in traditional tobacco products] can impair normal erectile function," El Shahawy noted. "[And] some e-cigarettes have very high nicotine concentrations, especially when using newer generation e-cigarettes that have high nicotine delivery. This made us examine the possible relationship between using e-cigarettes and erectile dysfunction."