How to Treat ED in Men with Diabetes
Editor’s Comment: Erectile Disfunction (ED)), also known as impotence, is one of the most common but untreated male medical disorders of modern times, especially affecting men with diabetes — but rarely a topic for general discussion. This article, provided by a “Guest Poster” to this website, shed’s welcome light on some aspects of the condition.
Every year, millions of men between the ages of 45 and 65 visit their doctor to discuss the problems they are having achieving or maintaining an erection, a condition called Erectile Dysfunction. Many of these men will soon discover that their ED is not due to age, smoking or alcohol, but rather to Type II Diabetes and for these men this may be the first indication that they even have diabetes.
What is Type I and Type II Diabetes?|
There are two types of the condition called diabetes, referred to as Type 1 and Type II. Type I Diabetes is also known as Juvenile Diabetes, which is the form of the condition that people are born with or most often develop early in life. People who have Type I Diabetes have a deficiency in insulin, a chemical that regulates blood sugar levels, and must take insulin, mainly by injection, to regulate their levels of blood sugar. There is no cure for Type I Diabetes.
Type II Diabetes, sometimes referred to as Adult Onset Diabetes, is a blood sugar condition that occurs mainly in adults but can also develop in children and young adults. Type II diabetes is often associated with obesity and a poor diet that is rich in sugars with too many trans-fats and a sedentary lifestyle lacking in exercise. Like Type I Diabetes, there is no cure for Type II Diabetes although in many instances it is totally preventable and and its effects can often be minimized through the adoption of an appropriate diet and the addition of a daily exercise regimen and other lifestyle changes.
Some people with heart conditions, such as cardiovascular disease or congestive heart failure may need to take a type of cholesterol lowering medication called a statin, which has recently been linked to Type II Diabetes.
How Does Diabetes Cause Erectile Dysfunction
If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes and erectile dysfunction and are asking what causes impotence in men with diabetes, you may find some answers here. The section on Remedy for Erectile Dysfunction in Men with Diabetes will provide information to discuss with your doctor on prescription and non-prescription treatments for erectile dysfunction.
Roughly 35% to 75% of men with diabetes will develop impotence at some time in their life, compared to 26% of men with erectile dysfunction who do not have diabetes. Men with Diabetes and erectile dysfunction will generally develop symptoms of ED 10 to 15 years earlier than men without diabetes. Men with Diabetes over the age of 70 have a 90% likelihood of developing erection problems.
Type I and Type II Diabetes can lead to erectile dysfunction in men due to the havoc this condition wreaks on the blood vessels, nerves and hormones that lead to an erection. In healthy men, sexual desire triggers hormones in the brain that elevate heart rate, and causes the heart to pump large amounts of blood to fill the three sponge-like chambers of the penis, which leads to an erection suitable for sexual intercourse.
Diabetes causes normally flexible blood vessels to harden, which impedes the efficient flow of blood from the heart to the vital organs of the body. This blood sugar condition also damages nerves that cause an erection. While some men with ED report low libido or sexual desire, many diabetic men with erectile dysfunction report normal hormonal levels and efficient sexual desire, but due to damage to blood vessels or nerves, are frustrated with their inability to perform sexually.
High levels of nitric oxide in blood are required to help men achieve an erection. Men with Type I or Type II Diabetes have been found to be deficient in nitric oxide.
In addition to low levels of nitric oxide in the blood, for males with diabetes, risk factors that contribute to their erection problems are neuropathy, vascular insufficiency, poor glycemic control, hypertension, low testosterone levels, and possibly a history of smoking.
Remedy for Erectile Dysfunction in Men with Diabetes
There are several pharmaceutical and natural remedies available for men with Type I or Type II Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction. This is a great improvement, as there was a time not long ago when men with diabetes were relinquished to a life without a satisfying sexual life, due the eventual inability to get an erection without a surgical implant. Today, there are pharmaceutical drugs and natural men’s supplements that can help improve the sex life of men with either Type I or Type II Diabetes.
Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, has emerged as one of the best pharmaceutical remedies for men with Type I Diabetes who also suffer from impotence. This ED cure is not without its risks. Men who also have heart disease in addition to diabetes and take insulin are not recommended to take Sildenafil, due to the risks of causing dangerously low heart rate. Additional side effects of Viagra include headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness, flushing and blurred vision.
Men with Type II Diabetes and impotence can take a natural Viagra alternative without a prescription that boosts the levels of nitric oxide in blood similar to Viagra without the side effects, and contains Cinnamon Bark which has been shown to regulate the insulin in men with Type II Diabetes naturally.
Author Bio:
Ken Weiss is a blogger passionate about natural, organic and holistic solutions for men’s health issues. Ken runs the popular website www.menshealthcures.com
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/news/20100217/statins-may-be-linked-to-diabetes-risk
http://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/guide/ed-diabetes
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/erectile-dysfunction/DA00045
http://diabetes.about.com/od/preventingcomplications/qt/erectiledysfunc.htm
http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/19/1/45.full
