Diabeties & Impotency

Men suffering from both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes experience impotency more frequently than non-diabetics males, according to Dr. Robert Eckel, M.D. Although diabetes makes impotency more common, it doesn't mean men should accept it as the "norm."

Cause

• Erections occur when the brain tells the penile nerves to release nitric oxide, which relaxes the muscles around the penile arteries. This muscle relaxation allows blood to flow freely into the penis, which causes it to stiffen and rise. Since diabetes can cause nerve damage, any damage done to the penile nerves causes impotency, according to Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Also, diabetic damage to the blood vessels prevents the blood-flow necessary for a proper erection.

Treatment

• Diabetic men seen for impotency must come into the doctor every month for a HBA1C blood test. This measures the past 12-week diabetic control. If the results exceed 6.1, the doctor alters the diabetic drugs and the patients changes his eating habits to better regulate blood sugar and insulin an stay under that number, according to Mirkin.

Timing

• Men with diabetes experience impotency more frequently than men without diabetes. The condition doesn't manifest right when diabetes is first diagnosed. Nerve and blood vessel damage typically takes many years to occur. Usually, only men with long-standing diabetes experience impotency, according to Robert M. Cohen, M.D.

Aggravating Factor

• Alcohol abuse also causes impotency in men. This, coupled with diabetes, probably makes impotency more likely in diabetics, suggests Cohen. A diabetic's diet recommends limiting or eliminating alcohol use because of its effect on blood sugar. Perhaps, however, the increased chance of impotency represents another reason for men with diabetes to limit alcohol intake.

Outlook

• People with diabetes have a 90 percent chance of preventing nerve damage if their bodies still make their own insulin, according to Mirkin. No nerve damage means no impotency. Those with nerve damage, however, still have a good chance of repairing those nerves by maintaining a proper diabetic diet and proper blood sugar levels.