Smokers have a smaller penis

Lighting you up could be bringing you down. This according to a new study from people who like to measure penises.

Men in the study who successfully quit smoking improved on lab measurement so sexual health ore than those who relapsed and started smoking again after participating in the same smoking cessation program. So if the idea that smoking might kill you through a variety of diseases doesn't get you to quit, maybe the knowledge that your penis, when erect is slightly smaller than the non-smoker's. Sex motivates.

"With younger men, the risks of smoking in that population appear more far off. They think, 'I don't really need to worry about this until much farther down the road'," said study author Christopher Harte, from the VA Boston Healthcare System. He admits the study is not definitive, but just getting the word out that it might be true could lead some young men to make a better health decision.

The study involved 65 men who wore the patch to quit smoking. Before, during and after treatment, the research team took measurements. They brought the men to a lab, showed them some pornography, measured their "vitals" and asked questions about how they felt.

Quitter saw an increased in penis girth after they quit lighting up. They also reached their peak level of arousal sooner than the smokers.

Because smoking effects blood vessel dilation, it is linked to erectile dysfunction. This new information doesn't surprise many people, but more measuring is going to be needed before the results are definitive.

Source: Reuters