Dr. Saransh Jain
Dr. Saransh Jain
How does diabetes affect your sex life?
When a person has diabetes, their body cannot use insulin properly,
and this can lead to high blood sugar levels. Over time, these can lead to
complications such as nerve damage and cardiovascular problems. Both have
implications for sexual health.
Diabetes can also have an impact on a person's mental
health and self-esteem, and this, too, can affect sexual health.
Impact on Women
High
blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage throughout the body.
In
women, this can affect:
- the ability
to experience sexual stimulation and arousal
- the release
of vaginal lubricant
These
changes may result in painful sex and a reduced ability to experience an
orgasm.
During menopause,
a woman with diabetes may experience sudden drops in her blood sugar levels.
This
may affect her sexual health because she might experience symptoms of low blood
sugar during sex. This may make sex seem more of an inconvenience than a
pleasure.
She
may also have to check her blood sugar before having sex.
In
addition, women with diabetes are more likely to experience infections, such as
thrush, cystitis, and urinary tract infections. These can all impact
the ability to have or enjoy sexual intercourse.
Impact
on men
Studies show that
men with diabetes often have reduced testosterone levels, which can
affect their sex drive.
However,
the main sexual health problem affecting men with diabetes is an inability to
achieve or maintain an erection, known as erectile dysfunction (ED).
For
a man to achieve an errection, there must be significant blood flow to the penis.
However, diabetes damages the blood vessels, which can affect blood flow to the
penis.
Diabetes
can also lead to nerve damage and make it more difficult for him to maintain an
erection.
Type
2 diabetes often occurs alongside obesity or excess weight.
This, too, can increase the risk of ED, as can previous prostate or bladder
surgery.
According
to the American Diabetes Association, 10–20 percent of cases of ED
are due to stress, depression, low self-esteem, fear of sexual
failure, and other mental health concerns. These can all affect a person with a
long-term condition, such as diabetes.
Psychological impact
A
number of psychological effects can also make sex more difficult.
Examples
include:
- changes to
self-image
- anxiety
- concerns
over weight gain
- depression
- isolation
- loneliness
- loss of
self-esteem
Stress reduction
People
with diabetes may find that engaging in stress-reducing practices can help.
Examples of these practices include:
- meditation
- reading a
book
- exercising
- listening to
music
Taking
even a small amount of time during the day to do something enjoyable can help
reduce stress for people with diabetes.
People with diabetes who have concerns or questions about their
sexual health should contact their endocrinologist or doctor.
Examples
of questions to ask include:
- What do I
need to know to better manage my diabetes?
- What other
health problems do I have that may be affecting my sexual health?
- What medications am I taking that could be affecting my sex life?
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