Diabetes and sexual problems: erection, sex drive and early ejaculation
Summary
In this 2020 live session, Dr. Om talks openly about a subject that is rarely discussed on social media or in the doctor’s office: how diabetes can affect a man’s sex life.
He explains that more than half of men with type 2 diabetes have some form of sexual problem, and that it is increasingly seen in young men, sometimes before marriage. He covers three main problems:
- Erectile problems. The small blood vessels that supply the penis are affected by diabetes in the same way as those that supply the heart. That is why erectile problems can be an early warning sign of heart disease, and why he checks the heart in men who report them. Damage is harder to reverse once it has set in, so good sugar control early on matters.
- Low sex drive. Desire varies naturally between people. In men with obesity, testosterone can be low, sometimes genuinely and sometimes only on paper because of a binding protein in the blood, which a specialist can sort out.
- Early ejaculation. This is more often linked to anxiety than to nerve or hormone damage, and partner support, relaxation and specific techniques help.
He stresses that effective, prescribed treatments exist, and warns against grey-market products, which can harm the liver, kidneys and nerves. The most important step is to raise the problem with your doctor.
Recorded when Dr. Om worked at a previous hospital; he now practises at AB Plus Hospital.
Read more about low testosterone in men.