More than 30 million Americas – 9.4% of the population – are thought to have diabetes – and about a quarter of them don’t know it. Equally alarming, some 84 million Americans are considered to be in a pre-diabetes condition. This serious medical condition can have a huge impact upon a person’s health – and upon a man’s penis health as well. Knowing how diabetes can affect penis function is valuable information for every man.
Diabetes
Although diabetes affects both men and women, men between the ages of 35 and 55 are twice as likely as women to develop diabetes. That’s alarming, as the likelihood of diabetes continues to increase with age – and since penis function already tends to diminish with age, it means that diabetes may make penis health issues increase that much more.
As many men already know, diabetes is a medical condition that affects the way the body uses glucose (also called blood sugar). Blood sugar provides energy to muscles, tissue and the brain. People with diabetes need help regulating their blood sugar. When it gets too high, it can cause numerous problems, including heart disease, nerve damage (also called neuropathy), vision issues (including blindness), foot problems, and skin conditions. And, of course, there can be penis function and health effects as well.
Penis function and health problems
What are some of the common penis issues related to diabetes? They include:
– Erectile dysfunction. Most men place erectile dysfunction high on the list of problems they dread – so men really need to keep diabetes away if they want to keep their erectile penis function normal. More than half of men with diabetes come down with erectile dysfunction as well, which means they are 3 times as likely to get it. The reasons why are complicated, but it essentially comes down to nerve damage to the penis and to poor circulation issues as well.
– Bent penis. Many men have some slight curvature in their penis; indeed, many people find a degree of curvature aesthetically pleasing. But when the penis is bent to an extreme so that it impedes function and/or causes pain, it means a man has a condition known as Peyronie’s disease. And diabetic men are more likely to develop this bent penis syndrome than men without.
– Thrush. A male yeast infection of the penis is known as thrush – and diabetes increases the risk of thrush occurring. This is because high blood sugar makes for a more hospitable environment for yeast to grow and populate.
– Low testosterone. Studies have shown that men with diabetes are more likely to have lower testosterone, although whether this is a result of the diabetes itself or of risk factors for diabetes (such as obesity) is unclear. Low testosterone not only contributes to erectile function issues but tends to be associated with a diminished libido as well.
– Retrograde ejaculation. Although still rare, retrograde ejaculation is a complication associated with diabetes. In this condition, some or all of a man’s semen is waylaid into the bladder rather than ejaculated through the penis.
Treatment
Diabetes is a very serious condition and requires working with a doctor to determine the best course of treatment. Monitoring blood sugar levels regularly is required, and often medication must be administered by the patients themselves to keep blood sugar at the appropriate healthy level.
Penis function can be impacted by diabetes as well as by poor general penis health, so using a superior penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) can be beneficial. The best cremes will contain L-arginine, an amino acid which plays a role in the body’s production of nitric oxide. This in turn helps make it possible for penile blood vessels to expand when they need to accommodate increase in blood volume. The crème selected should also include vitamin C, which is also helpful in maintaining appropriate blood flow.
