Men often worry about quality of their erections. Sometimes sex life ceases to be bright due to unpleasant disease-related processes in the body. Stress, alcohol abuse, and poor nutrition habits can weaken erectile function or make an erection impossible.
Some causes of impotence are temporary. Unfortunately, some of them are irreversible. If a patient with diabetes is faced with erectile dysfunction, he needs to know about features of its treatment and chances of success.
Sexual Dysfunction in Males with Diabetes
The progression of erectile dysfunction in diabetes depends on the nature of metabolic disorders, macro- and microangiopathy (blood vessels’ disease), neuropathy, and hormonal changes. In this case, poor diabetes treatment, uncontrolled blood sugar levels, and disorders of fat metabolism can lead to impotence. In addition, the essence of this disease is associated with damage to the blood circulatory system. This impairs processes of pumping blood and leads to weakening of blood vessels and capillaries.
Patients with diabetes mellitus may rapidly develop endothelial disfunction and aggressive atherosclerosis. Diabetic endothelial dysfunction is the result of an imbalance between increased levels of reactive oxygen products and low availability of nitric oxide. Damage to the circulatory system in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus leads not only to mechanical impairment of blood circulation, but also to impaired production of the primary mediator of erection and vasodilator–nitric oxide (NO).
A pituitary tumor (which may cause diabetes insipidus, not mellitus) with prolactin overproduction can also be a cause of ED. The pelvic organs receive autonomous innervation from the same sources, therefore, dysfunction of the bladder and / or intestines caused by diabetes mellitus can be accompanied by neurogenic form of erectile dysfunction.
Drug-induced ED in such patients is also frequent. It is associated with intake of medications for the treatment of concomitant diseases or complications by patients with diabetes mellitus. Many medications have a negative effect on various elements of sexual intercourse. This is usually caused by blockage of the nerve endings that provide an erection.
Amidst the progress of the main disease, men often develop a negative psychoemotional state, which can greatly affect the ability to get hard. Anxious and depressive conditions sharply reduce the powerfulness of sexual desire.
Treatment of Diabetes-Induced Erectile Dysfunction
Numerous factors that influence the sex life of a patient require a comprehensive approach to the treatment of diabetes-induced impotence. There are no known drugs known to science that can quickly cure male erection problems. Peculiarities of diabetes mellitus make it clear that supportive therapy will become part of daily life of a patient. However, proper treatment is able to improve sexual strength and return a man to a fulfilling sex life.
To treat ED, a man must strictly adhere to the doctor’s recommendations for diabetes treatment. An improvement in erection is possible only when the disease is compensated with the help of treatment.
This means that a long-time (often lifetime) therapy is necessary. A patient’s blood glucose level should be kept within normal limits. Such indicators can be achieved through a strict diet aimed at improving metabolism, proper drug therapy, normalization of body weight and constant physical activity. Even this may be enough to improve erection, because diabetes compensation cuts off many negative factors that determine the quality of sexual life.
Androgen therapy, alpha-lipoic acid or fast-acting drugs (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, and others) can be used for further treatment of ED.
If a man suffers from a lack of testosterone, a doctor will prescribe him hormonal therapy. It normalizes blood cholesterol levels. Thereby it reduces the risk of vascular complications of diabetes.
High blood glucose levels can lead to impaired nerve patency. In this case, alpha-lipoic acid can normalize the conduction of nerve impulses, strengthen blood vessels, and restore blood flow velocity. This will give a chance for a healthy sex life.
Treatment of diabetes-induced impotence with potent drugs should only be done after doctor’s consultation. These medications feature a bunch of side effects (especially if used improperly). However, with the right choice of the drug, the quality of erection can be greatly improved. It should be understood that such pills are symptomatic and do not eliminate causes of impotence.
Thus, an active sex life with diabetes is definitely possible. Men who have experienced diabetes-induced ED can expect erection improvement. However, stopping treatment of diabetes and ED would immediately upset the patient with negative consequences, including sexual life problems.
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