Diabetes Can Affect Your Sex Life

Diabetes is an all-too-common health condition with serious consequences, but did you know that it can also affect sexual response? Whether it is type 1 or type 2, this endocrine disorder leaves too much glucose in the blood, which over time can damage blood vessels throughout the body. It's this particular aspect of diabetes that can encroach on your sex life because healthy blood flow is a major factor in sexual response.

For men, diabetic neuropathy — caused by prolonged damage to the nervous system — can make it difficult to achieve and maintain an erection. For women the result is often vaginal dryness or a decrease in genital sensation; they may also experience pain during sex or difficulty reaching orgasm. In addition, diabetes can make yeast and urinary tract infections more likely, since high glucose levels can foster the growth of bacteria in the vagina and urethra. High blood glucose can sap your energy, too, causing fatigue and a lowered libido.

For all these reasons, maintaining appropriate blood-sugar levels over the long-term is essential. Monitor how glucose levels change across your monthly menstrual cycle. Taking more insulin when glucose levels are higher may help reduce the likelihood of a yeast or urinary tract infection and give your energy a boost, sexually and otherwise.

You may also want to try using a lubricant to combat vaginal dryness as well as incorporating a vibrator into sex with your partner to help overcome some of the effects of nerve damage that might be affecting sexual function. Additionally, some diabetes medications may negatively impact the efficacy of hormonal birth control pills; so if you rely on hormonal contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, you may want to use another method as backup. Talk to your doctor about your options.

It is also important to note that obesity and type 2 diabetes often go hand in hand. Plus, nothing kills desire faster than feeling unattractive. Not only does it wreak havoc on your confidence, it also makes you lethargic, depressed, and generally in a “blah” mood. And, from a physical standpoint, your circulation and vascular systems are affected by obesity, meaning that orgasms may become harder to achieve and less intense when they do occur.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should go on a crash diet! Crash diets never work, and for good reason: They are restrictive and painful to maintain, often leaving you weak and irritable. (And you are not going to be in the mood for sex if all you had to eat was a small salad!) You can lose weight and feel better about yourself by changing the way you eat, but you must make long-term lifestyle changes instead of relying on quick fixes like crash diets and diet pills.

Try giving your body the fuel that it needs, such as fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains. It might take a while to reset your cravings, but it’ll be worth it. By the time you start to experience the payoff of more energy and improved self-esteem, your new healthy behaviors will become habit. Remember, eating should not be an exercise in overindulgence or starvation. Honor your body by feeding it the food that it really needs: Avoid junk food and processed diet foods, and don’t punish yourself with overly restrictive calorie-counting.

The bottom line is that a healthy lifestyle and amazing sex go hand in hand, so if you want to improve your sex life, take care of yourself inside and out!