Really? Yes, specially for people suffering from diabetes. But what has sugar got to do with intimacy?
Let us first know what sugar is and where it comes from. A sweet sucrose, sugar is a chemical that is sometimes colorless, but mostly white when pure, and a little brown when unrefined. It comes from sugarcane and sugar beet. We also find sugar — called added sugar — in almost all of the food we eat, such as rice, oats, fruits, breads, donuts, cakes, milk and other dairy, juices, sodas, and a lot more. So, if you consume an excessive amount of sugar, you just don’t get diabetes but your libido also decreases.
Type 2 diabetes is the common result of high blood sugar. Diabetes brings in a lot of health complications. When your blood sugar levels goes up, your body cannot use insulin properly. This may result to cardiovascular problems and nerve damage, which can impact the sexual health of both men and women.
Studies show that men who suffer from Type 2 diabetes have lower testosterone levels that reduce sex drive. This is because men with diabetes often find it hard to achieve or maintain an erection. This problem is called erectile dysfunction or ED. To achieve an erection, there must be a significant blood flow to the penis. But because diabetes damages the blood vessels, the blood flow to the penis is constricted. Achieving an erection is one, maintaining it is another issue in men with diabetes as the disease can lead to nerve damage. When the nerves are damaged, it will be difficult for men to maintain an erection. This feeling of “inability” also gives birth to a range of other issues, such as low self-esteem, stress, anxiety, embarrassment, anger, loneliness, fatigue, pressure, weight gain, and even depression — that add up to lack of sex drive, or none at all.
Diabetes can also have an effect on women’s sexual health. According to medicalnewstoday, spikes in blood sugar levels can lead to nerve damage throughout the body that can impact a woman’s sexual stimulation and arousal. High blood sugar levels can also affect the release of vaginal lubricant. Result? Painful sex and the inability to have an orgasm. Also, women with diabetes are more likely to experience infections, urinary tract infections, cystitis, and thrush. These may all make sexual intimacy seem like a discomfort rather than a pleasure.
So, if you notice that you are slowly losing that ‘heat’ lately, check your blood sugar level. There are specialist-doctors who can address sexual health problems and other intimacy concerns of both sexes. There are effective medications, treatment options, and lifestyle changes to maintaining a healthy blood sugar level and preventing reduced libido — for an improved sexual desire. Bring back that lovin’ feeling!
