Smoking can starve your sex organs

THE article headlined, ''Sex need not stop for those over 60'' (South China Morning Post, January 5) examines curative measures for impotence. However, impotence can also be prevented - by not smoking cigarettes.

During the last 10 years, studies from all over the world have confirmed that smoking is a major cause of male impotence. Smoking rates in impotent men are about double that of the general male population.

Smoking does this by narrowing the arteries that supply blood to the penis, reducing the circulation and starving the sex organs of their proper supply of nutrients.

Apart from this long-term effect, smoking can also have an immediate effect. Smoking can also greatly affect the time to achieve an erection as well as the holding or staying power of the erection (and even the frequency of the normal erections that occur during sleep).

These effects are evident even in quite young male smokers, and also in relatively light smokers. No, I am afraid that macho cowboy probably has a hidden problem.

The good news is that if he quits, he may not only save his life, but save his sex life too.