Men who use cannabis are twice as likely to experience erectile dysfunction (ED) than those who do not, according to a new systematic and meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Men’s Health.

In 5 case-control studies of “good” quality involving 3395 healthy men, 1035 disclosed cannabis smoking. In this group, 69.1% of cannabis smokers versus 34.7% of nonusers reported ED on the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire.

In a meta-analysis, cannabis smokers had nearly quadruple the risk for ED compared with nonusers, lead researcher Damiano Pizzol, MD, PhD, of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Jerusalem, Israel, and colleagues stated.

In an interview with Renal & Urology News, Dr Pizzol said, “Understanding emerging risk factors for ED, particularly in relation to the increasing legalization of cannabis, is highly important. Approximately 147 million people — 2.5% of the world’s population — consumes cannabis annually. Although no medical specialty is dedicated to monitoring cannabis use and abuse, we believe urologists should make all male patients aware of the associated risk of ED.”

Among the possible mechanisms, cannabis smoking may bind receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus which regulates erectile function, Dr Pizzol’s team explained. This mechanism could also explain why cannabis can improve sexual function in some patients affected by depression, anxiety, or pain, the authors noted. Other research suggests a peripheral effect of cannabis smoking on the cannabinoid receptors of the corpus cavernosum.

Most of the studies did not report the type, potency, and frequency of cannabis smoked, which is a limitation.

Reference

Pizzol D, Demurtas J, Stubbs B, et al. Relationship between cannabis use and erectile dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Men’s Health. November-December 2019: 1–7. doi:10.1177/1557988319892464

13 thoughts on “Smoking Cannabis Is Linked To This Risk”
  1. Where is the ‘great surprise’? With the pollutions we voluntarily pump into our bodies it surely comes as no surprise that by stuffing ourselves with various grades of poisons, we are habitually self-harming.
    Leave out the pollution of modern life, which on its own is alarming, we now fill our bodies with KNOWN harmful substances. I feel NOTHING for those supposedly ‘suffering’ from the intake and consumption of these basically money making products. In the terms we used when I was a kid – these people are simply MUGS! Good riddance to them – the less of them we have, the less chance of them procreating future MUGS and idiot breeds. Just so long as they don’t interfere with my existence- no problem – they are not even worth talking about, let alone ‘saving’!

  2. Duh! This has been known since the hippie movement in the 1960’s! When do Americans wake up and realize that we are destroying ourselves! Pot, like any drug may have some medicinal help, but is still a drug! Drugs are dangerous! The push to sell all drugs especially Pot is political and money based! It is not trying to help Americans! Wake up ADULTS and stop killing people with drugs!

  3. So what is new I a lot of people who smoke pot can only make babies early early in their life and good majority of the babies are dysfunctional.

    1. hahaha you people are laughable over 40 years and my 2 boys are in really good health idiots

  4. Use upper cervical spesific only chiropractic, Upper Cervical heath centers or NUCCA or TheSpesific or Upcspine. wait 4 – 5 days after an accident. Take it easy. Let the body adapt, after an adjustment. Be checked, now.

  5. What is not generally known, but should be, is the alarming increased risk of schizophrenia in regular pot users, as well as its potential effects on the developing prefrontal cortex of those under age 25, which is necessary to make rational decisions and control behavior. The amount of THC in today’s pot, derived mostly from the leaf, is multiple times the amount found in the ‘weeds and seeds’ of the pot smoked in the Sixties. Caveat Emptor.

  6. I know a lot of men Who smoke cannabis and they do NOT have problems with getting an erection. This is not from personal experience but through conversation. They have actually said that it has Enhanced their performance in bed!!! Their wives certainly have no complaints! I personally do not believe your suppos’d scientific studies!!!!!!!

    1. finally someone whom doesn’t talk from stupidity I agree and I smoked daily for over 40 years I am 70 dada

  7. If the government tells you it’s bad for you then probably should smoke it everyday. LOL. We are so lied to.
    If anything is harmful it’s the chemicals they put on it but if it’s grown organic I don’t believe it.

  8. You people who say you have run this study or another are so full of crap. Most of the people I know have smoked marijuana most fo their lives and not one single one of them suffers from ED, myself included. SO if you are trying to make up reasons for marijuana not getting legalized nationwide then you are going to have to come up with statistics that are actually true. We who have engaged in smoking marijuana know you are all liars simply because we are the people you are talking about, and none of what you say is honest.

  9. By stopping smoking will I get my erections back. I was under the assumption that age and my type 2 diabeties was causing it

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