Men afflicted with diabetes already have a laundry list of things they need to watch to ensure their issue doesn’t get the better of them. These men have to watch sugar intake, fat intake, and carb intake, all while keeping a close eye on their blood sugar levels. Life with diabetes can be a handful, but it can be even worse if the diabetes is not handled properly. When a man consistently spikes his blood sugar levels, this can lead to other issues developing within the body, including erectile dysfunction.

While your blood sugar levels and the ability to achieve an erection don’t sound like they would have any relation, the truth is that blood sugar can make it impossible for your body to achieve an erection. When a diabetic man does not regulate his blood sugar levels, this can lead to blood sugar levels rising, which in turn can lead to the nerves and blood vessels that ferry this blood to becoming damaged. When these nerves and vessels are damaged, the body struggles to provide the body with blood. In the body, the smallest vessels and nerves are typically the first affected, and one of the smallest collections of vessels and nerves leads directly to the penis. With this cluster damaged, the penis is cut off from consistent blood flow, which translates into erectile dysfunction.

But that’s not to say that all men with diabetes should resign themselves to the inevitability of erectile dysfunction. By keeping tabs on your blood sugar levels and living a healthy, fulfilling life, you won’t have to worry about your blood sugar rising considerably and doing long term damage. It’s a chore to keep an eye on your blood sugar levels, but the occasional inconvenience of pricking yourself for a sample is much better than losing the ability to achieve an erection.