Every erection problem is believed to be related to blood flow since erections occur when blood rushes in to the penis. Anything that interferes with this process is the likely cause of the dysfunction. Apart from the obvious damage to the respiratory system, smoking does considerable damage to the body’s circulation. The carbon monoxide fumes from cigarettes bind with the hemoglobin in the blood and reduce its oxygen carrying capacity. The carbon particles also lead to the deformation of the heart valves and reduce the count of the red blood cells (RBCs). All these factors combine to complicate cardiovascular problems that cause the arteries to harden (arterioscelerosis) and reduce blood supply to peripheral regions, especially the genitals. Thus smoking is directly responsible not only for erectile dysfunctions, but also for low sperm counts, increased sperm mortality and loss of libido.