Does diabetes affect sexual function?
Yes. In men, diabetes mellitus can cause erectile dysfunction (inability to achieve or maintain an erection that is satisfactory for sexual intercourse) of varying degrees as the diabetes progresses. However, the exaggerated and unfair condemnation of diabetes as a cause of severe erectile dysfunction leads in most cases to a psychological deterrent and a self-fulfilling prophecy for most men. Many well-adjusted and well-treated diabetics enjoy sex without any problems. In women, loss of vaginal lubrication is one of the major sexual effects of diabetes.
Is this condition the same as impotence?
No, that was a scientific “mistake”, in the past a severe diagnostic overkill. Since then, erectile dysfunction has been regarded as an independent and curable medical unit and has replaced the term impotence in this special context. Impotence is now relegated to its actual “area”, in which the man (himself) cannot cause pregnancy. This clearer definition is medically more accurate and has brought more hope and psychological relief to the millions of erectile dysfunction who have high treatment success rates today.
How common is erectile dysfunction?
It’s very common. While impotence (accurately diagnosed) affects very few men, an estimated 10 to 20 million men ages 19 and older are affected by erectile dysfunction in the United States. The prevalence is 52% in men aged 40 to 70 and increases with age. Today, however, with the right care and strategy, men – and women – can enjoy sexual activity for a lifetime. Erectile dysfunction is not inevitable as you age even in the 70s and 80s. With proper medical advice and aids such as Viagra, etc., most men and women can enjoy sex at any age.
What are the other complications of diabetes?
Diabetes has many potential complications. These include the effects on the body’s small and large arteries, which cause poor blood flow and damage (poor supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrition) to various organs in the body: the eyes (retinopathy, which leads to blindness). ), Kidneys (nephropathy that leads to kidney failure), legs (leads to ulcers on the legs and feet, gangrene and amputation), nerves (neuropathy that causes numbness and pain in the feet), and cellular immunity (weakens the immune system, which leads to Infections). For this reason, all diabetics need medical treatment and blood sugar levels need to be well controlled at all times.
What are the causes of erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is rare in diabetic men until their mid-30s. Erectile dysfunction is very common in the general male population, especially in these stressful modern times. Psychological factors contribute to the cause of this disease (severe anxiety, fear of intimacy, fear of unwanted pregnancy, feelings of sexual guilt, depression), drugs (most drugs for high blood pressure and coronary heart disease, psychotropic drugs, CNS depressants, sedatives, etc. influence the Erection), atherosclerosis / vascular (blockage of arteries supplying the male organ with blood) and rarely biogenic (associated with low testosterone levels and reflective disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis).
Does alcohol affect the erection?
Alcohol definitely affects erections in either diabetic or non-diabetic people. While the first shot of alcohol can trigger a little euphoria and well-being in most people and thus perhaps also help to improve the sexual climate, the second and subsequent drinks impair the erection of most men, depending on how well they are tolerated by alcohol. As Shakespeare wrote, “Alcohol increases desire but decreases performance.”
What is the treatment for these side effects?
Getting the correct diagnosis is very important as treatment depends on the cause. Once the diagnosis of erectile dysfunction is confirmed, Viagra is the topical drug of choice. An erection is achieved about an hour to an hour and a half after taking the pill, which is available in doses of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg. People taking nitroglycerin (a medicine for coronary artery disease) are strictly warned against taking Viagra, the combination of which can lead to intractable shock and death. Viagra is a safe and very effective miracle drug when taken correctly under medical supervision. It is important that the diabetes is well controlled at all times for this to work. Quitting smoking, exercising at least three times a day, and a conducive environment will help tremendously in improving sexual performance.
If Viagra doesn’t help, what then?
Viagra helps alleviate erectile dysfunction in about 90% of diabetics and more in non-diabetics. Other help can come from sex therapy, other medications (suppositories for penile erection; yohimbine, which is still controversial; prostaglandin E1), vacuum-constricting devices, the male hormone testosterone, which is rarely needed and increases the likelihood of prostate cancer; and surgical interventions (aorto-iliac interventions on blocked arteries in the pelvis, some of which supply the male organ, and implantation of a penile shaft prosthesis, which keeps the penis rigid and not too comfortable at all times. With the advent of Viagra, most of these became “other aids” relegated to the background and only used in severe cases that do not respond to the drug.
What about diabetic women?
In diabetic women, the main sexual side effect is the loss of natural vaginal lubrication, which makes sexual encounters very uncomfortable and even painful. Master and Johnson, pioneering sex researchers in the 1960s, emphasized the importance of vaginal humidification during initial sexual arousal in women and throughout intercourse. With the right vaginal lubrication, “ambience”, and well-controlled blood sugar (and other medical conditions, if any), diabetic women of all ages can enjoy pleasurable sex.
What are the other causes of vaginal dryness?
Other causes of loss of vaginal lubrication include stress or psychological factors, unwanted partners, medications (tricyclic antidepressants like Elavil, Anafranil, Tofranil, Sinequan, birth control pills, antihistamines, cold foods, etc.), alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. Other conditions include jet lag from traveling across time zones, excessively long foreplay or lovemaking, pregnancy, and childbirth. Anyone who has this lubrication problem need not be discouraged. The condition is easy to resolve. There are now many commercially available (no prescription required) sexual lubricants. These can be used before sex.
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The main goal of this column is to educate and inspire people to adopt healthier lifestyles in order to prevent disease and disability and to lead happier and more productive lives. Any diagnosis, recommendation, or treatment in our article is general medical information and is not intended to be applicable or appropriate to anyone. This rubric is not a substitute for your doctor who knows your condition well and is your best ally when it comes to your health.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a retired cardiac surgeon based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer / writer, health advocate, and chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501 (c) 3 humanitarian and anti-transplant foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: Skalpelpen@gmail.com.
Dr. Philip S. Chua
Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and Chairman of Cardiac Surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, based in Las Vegas, Nevada . He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501 (c) (3) humanitarian foundation in the United States.
