Almost 10% of U.S. citizens have it, although many are unaware of it. That comes to over 30 million adult Americans, of which more than 7 million don’t know their status. We’re speaking here of diabetes, a serious medical condition which for men can have serious penis health implications. While there are plenty of other reasons to be concerned about diabetes, the fact that it can impede penis function should add to every man’s efforts to avoid this condition and to see it if properly treated if it cannot be avoided.
The problem
Diabetes, as most people are aware, is a medical condition in which the body has difficulty regulating blood sugar levels. In a normal situation, a person eats food and the majority of that food gets broken down into glucose (sugar), which travels through the bloodstream so that cells can use it for energy. When blood sugar levels reach a certain level, the body reacts by putting insulin into the blood, which serves to open the doorway for sugar to enter the cells.
If a person has diabetes, his body either doesn’t make enough insulin or else can’t use insulin effectively. Thus too much sugar remains in the bloodstream, which over time can cause damage to the body, resulting in heart disease, kidney disease and loss of sight.
Penis function
As mentioned, diabetes can also have an impact on penis function. Improper blood sugar levels can impact the nerves, hormones, blood vessels and even one’s emotional health, all of which can play a role in penis function. There are several penis health issues that may be caused or may be worsened by diabetes. These include:
– Erectile dysfunction. This is one of the more distressing penis health issues a man can face. As the name implies, when a man suffers from erectile dysfunction, his penis either cannot become properly erect or cannot maintain its erection. This does not necessarily mean a total lack of an erection, but it does often mean that a man’s penis becomes only partially erect – not to the degree that he is able to perform satisfactorily sexually. Men with diabetes are about 3 times as likely to have erectile dysfunction than men without, and more than half of men with diabetes develop the issue at some point. This is usually due to damages to penile nerves and to penile blood vessels due to diabetes.
– A bent penis. Although some curvature of the organ is normal, when a man has a severely bent penis that impedes sex and/or causes penis pain, he is said to have Peyronie’s disease – and men with diabetes are more likely to develop Peyronie’s disease than are men in the general population.
– Retrograde ejaculation. This is a fairly rare complication, but men with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing it. In this condition, men have an orgasm, but some or all of their semen is diverted into the bladder rather than ejaculated through the penis.
– Lower libido. Testosterone production is also impacted by diabetes, and lower testosterone levels (in addition to being associated with erectile dysfunction) can diminish a man’s sex drive.
Proper diabetes management is crucial to continued health, including penis health. Men who suspect they may have diabetes should see a doctor and get a diagnosis. If they do have diabetes, the sooner treatment is begun, the better.
Diabetes is a serious condition which can impact penis function, so a man needs to be sure his penis is in its best shape so it can better respond to diabetes treatment. One excellent idea is to regularly apply a superior penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The best cremes will have L-carnitine, an amino acid which is helpful in limiting nerve damage which can cause a loss of penis sensitivity. The creme should also include vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, a vital nutrient that is required for cell metabolism and the maintenance of healthy tissue.
