Diabetes doubles or even triples the chance that you'll have erectile dysfunction (ED) and that you could develop it a decade earlier than other men. In fact, the two conditions are so closely linked that some experts believe that for men younger than 45, impotence, or ED, could be an early warning sign of diabetes. The good news is that diabetes treatment, especially if you identify type 2 diabetes early, can also ease ED.
Connecting Erectile Dysfunction and Type 2 Diabetes
At first glance, it's not obvious why higher than normal levels of blood sugar would cause erectile dysfunction. However, the relationship is undeniable: Somewhere between 20 and 75 percent of men with diabetes also have erectile dysfunction.
The problem is that uncontrolled high blood sugar damages the blood vessels, big and small, throughout your body. The blood vessels in the penis are already very tiny, so when uncontrolled diabetes starts to undermine your blood vessels, your penis may experience the consequences early on.
And diabetes affects more than the blood system. "Diabetes also results in nerve dysfunction and, in the penile shaft, [eventually] the muscle starts to atrophy and is replaced by scar tissue or collagen rather than smooth muscle. That's the ultimate end result in men," explains urologist Ajay Nehra, MD, professor of urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. That scenario ? damage to all the tissues that support your penis ? is what could happen if you do not get and keep your diabetes under control.
Are You at Risk for Impotence?
Knowing your risk factors will help you make the best health decisions. Men who are most at risk for erectile dysfunction related to type 2 diabetes:
- Have high blood sugar (glucose)
- Know they have diabetes, but are not meeting the goals for their A1C, or average glucose results
- Have high cholesterol
- Have high blood pressure
- Have low testosterone
- Are overweight or obese
- Are 40 or older
- Smoke cigarettes
- Do not exercise
Breaking the Erectile Dysfunction-Type 2 Diabetes Link
Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to live with erectile dysfunction. The right diabetes treatment can help. Follow these guidelines:
- Get your diabetes under control. According to Dr. Nehra, the most important number you need to stay on top of is your A1C, which is a blood test that lets you know how well your blood sugar has been controlled for the past few months. Lifestyle changes can help and so can medications. Diabetes medications do not add to your risk for erectile dysfunction, says Nehra.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and getting enough exercise will help both your diabetes and your erectile dysfunction.
- If you smoke, quit.
- Maintain a healthy weight. If you're overweight or obese, losing even a small percent of your body weight will help control diabetes. Obese men might also benefit from gastric bypass surgery, which has been shown to relieve both erectile dysfunction and diabetes in some patients.
- Seek treatment for erectile dysfunction. There are many ways to treat erectile dysfunction, including pills, injections, vacuum pumps, and surgery. Talk to your urologist about what you can do for erectile dysfunction even while you are working to control your diabetes.
- Get heart disease risk factors under control. Work with your doctor to lower blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which can contribute to erectile dysfunction.
The connection between impotence and diabetes is undeniable, but that doesn't mean you have to accept this outcome. Taking steps to control your diabetes and reduce erectile dysfunction will improve your quality of life.
