High Blood Sugar Can Affect Your Sex Life, Research Reveals
The researchers analysed the health records of 110 adult men with obesity or type 2 diabetes being treated with weight-loss medications and who were not on testosterone or hormonal therapy. Along with 10% weight loss, the proportion of men with normal levels of both total and free testosterone rose from 53% to 77%.
As per the preliminary research presented this week at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, high blood sugar can lower testosterone levels, which are crucial for male sexual function. Testosterone levels don't directly impact erectile function but rather correlate with libido assessment.
The research found that high glucose levels can damage nerves and blood vessels, which are essential for achieving and maintaining erections, leading to erectile dysfunction.
Lifestyle Changes And Prevention
A balanced diet rich in whole foods and fibre can help stabilise blood sugar and reduce inflammation. Regular physical activity helps in improving insulin sensitivity, and it supports weight loss. Meditation and yoga can enhance mental and emotional well-being, playing a role in sexual performance.
Medications like semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide can help regulate blood sugar. "While it is well known that weight loss from lifestyle changes or bariatric surgery increases testosterone levels, the impact that anti-obesity medications may also have on these levels has not been widely studied," said Shellsea Portillo Canales, M.D., endocrinology fellow at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.
"Our study is among the first to provide compelling evidence that low testosterone can be reversed with the use of commonly prescribed anti-obesity medications."
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