Erectile Dysfunction as a Sign of Diabetes Type 2
Diabetes type 2 is considered among the highest causes of sexual dysfunction in men. Research suggests that more than a half of the men suffering from erectile dysfunction are at a risk of suffering from this type of diabetes.
The study which involved about 90,000 men showed that men who have diabetes are three and a half times more probable to be having difficulties in maintaining an erection than men without the disease as per the report showed in Diabetic medicine.
The leading cause of erectile dysfunction is due to heart problems which go hand in hand with diabetes. This is because the hearts of individuals who have diabetes becomes weak and they are unable to contract well to pump blood all over the body. Doctors should, therefore, take sexual complaints from men as a sign of either diabetes or heart disease.
Dr. Damiano Pizzol suggested that erectile dysfunction plays a vital role in helping physicians in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus as it acts as an alarm for the other hidden complications. Although at times the issue of erectile dysfunction is common among men over the age of 40, it should not be assumed as a normal thing.
He added that many are times when lack of prevention measures, lack of physical exercises and taking unhealthy diets lead to a late diabetes diagnosis, but now people can take erectile dysfunction as an initial sign of diabetes.
This study showed that an overall of about 37.5% of men who have diabetes type 1 and about 66.3% of those who have diabetes type 2 had erectile problems. The rates were highest in South America and least in North America. It also showed that there is a possibility that the problem developed around 10 to 15 years earlier in those who have diabetes in comparison with those without the disease.
Diabetes has been approximated to reach an estimate of 322 million people by 2025, and erectile dysfunction is stated as the 3rd most frequent sign of diabetes. Raising awareness to people about erectile dysfunction will encourage more people to go for diabetes scanning as a routine assessment of whether they have diabetes or not.