Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or maintain an erection hard enough for sex. It's very common for men with diabetes to experience erectile dysfunction. Diabetes affects a man's erection because small and large blood vessels and nerves can be damaged by the disease. 

Preventing Erectile Dysfunction

Poor long-term blood sugar control causes many cases of erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes. Blood glucose monitoring is an important part of any diabetes management plan. If you have diabetes, it’s important to check your blood sugar levels as prescribed by your doctor. This will determine if you have low or high blood sugar and show you how your medication and lifestyle are affecting your blood sugar levels. The goal of blood glucose monitoring in diabetes is to keep your blood sugar as close to target range as possible. To do so, you need to eat healthy foods and stay active. Some patients also require diabetes medications. You’ll work with your primary care provider or endocrinologist to determine how often you need to check your blood sugar levels.

If you smoke, it's important to quit - for your overall health and because it's linked to erectile dysfunction. If you quit smoking, you may prevent more severe erectile dysfunction from developing. Having your blood pressure and cholesterol under control can also prevent erectile dysfunction. Being overweight or obese - which is common especially in patients with type 2 diabetes - can also lead to erectile dysfunction, so eat a healthy diet and ensure you're getting enough exercise. 

Erectile Dysfunction Treatment

Many men are embarrassed to seek help, but it's important to talk to your healthcare provider. Your doctor can look for the causes of your erectile dysfunction and provide information on treatment options. He or she can tell you how your diabetes management could be causing or worsening erectile dysfunction. Treatment options for erectile dysfunction include medications that increase blood flow to the penis, a vacuum-constriction device (also called a penis pump) or penile implants. 

Erectile dysfunction is often linked to other conditions that are common in men with diabetes, including high blood pressure and heart disease. If you are suffering from erectile dysfunction, you should seek help from your healthcare provider - not just for the therapy that’s there to treat it, but also because it’s a warning sign that there may be other vascular problems in your future.

Talk to your endocrinologist if you'd like more information on erectile dysfunction and diabetes. 

Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on diabetes.