Smog might be killing your sex life! Find out how

With the rising amount of air pollution, smog is a real problem that people have to battle every single day. Along with a plethora of health conditions that people are well aware of (like breathing issues), new research shows that there might be a close connection between smog and sex life of individuals. The toxic smog can negatively affect sex drive.

The association between pollution and fertility has been known for some time now. According to doctors, smog can affect sex life in several ways. These include:

1. Low libido in women
2. Erectile dysfunction in men
3. Low levels of testosterone and oestrogen
4. Pollution might also affect a foetus

A 2019 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine earlier showed that an increased number of cases of erectile dysfunction is associated with exposure to toxic car fumes.

Inhaling the poisonous particles can trigger inflammation of blood vessels and may prevent oxygen from reaching the genitals thereby affecting men’s ability to be sexually aroused. According to experts, particulate matter contains mercury, lead cadmium, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which can adversely affect hormonal balance thereby lowering sperm count and motility. Additionally, nitrous oxide released from the exhaust fumes of vehicles can further worsen the condition of erectile tissues. This can also adversely affect women’s ability to feel aroused.

Apart from internal and hormonal causes, pollution might even have some direct physical effects that negatively affect sex drive:

1. Pollution might lower libido – several times one might not feel like having sex due to exhaustion
2. Due to stress caused by pollution, one might not want to get intimate with a partner
3. Eye and throat, cough and congestion triggered by smog might also cause discomfort and kill libido

With the rise in pollution, male infertility is seen to be the solitary contributing reason for the couple’s failure to conceive. 1 out of every 3 men is suffering from infertility problems. The male population in the city with fertility problems is greater than that of a female by 15%, which is attributable to the cause of infertility among males and the leading cause of miscarriages.

According to experts, not just air pollution but even sound pollution and other environmental changes can affect the sex life of a person, resulting in erectile dysfunction in males, libido in females, fertility and effects on the foetus. She added that heavy metals in the air can affect levels of reproductive hormones like testosterone and oestrogen.

In 2019, a study showed higher cases of erectile dysfunction associated with exposure to toxic car fumes. The research, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, revealed that inhaling poisonous particles may be triggering inflammation in blood vessels and starving the genitals of oxygen, affecting men’s ability to become sexually aroused.

Solution to the problem of smog and low libido

While one can do a small but relevant bit in curbing air pollution by not bursting cracks, using public transport are simple ways to prevent smog from getting worse. To protect oneself from pollution, the following can be tried:

• Wearing N95, filtered masks
• Carpooling when possible
• Eat citrus fruits, vitamin C-rich foods to boost immunity
• Avoid going out cycling early in the morning
• Avoid going for morning walks

Despite being small efforts, these factors can help protect oneself from the adverse effects of pollution on sexual health.