Diabetes can negatively affect sexual health

While many older individuals are sexually active while having diabetes, issues with intimacy have been reported, new research suggests.

A survey of 1,993 men and women, between the ages of 57 and 85, showed those partnered with diabetes, 70 percent of men and 62 percent of women, still engaged in sexual intercourse an average of two or three times per month, similar figures to individuals the same age who do not have diabetes.

However, men with diabetes appeared to be more probable to have erectile dysfunction or lack interest in having sex, when compared with men who do not have diabetes. Also, diabetic men and women alike experienced more orgasm problems including prematurely or not at all.

Also, men appeared more likely (47 percent to 19 percent) to discuss sexual health problems caused by diabetes with their doctors than women.

Recognizing and discussing sexual problems due to having diabetes can help improve quality of life and make adapting to the disease be less intense, researchers add. It is not uncommon to experience sexual dysfunction when having diabetes, and many individuals are not discussing issues with professionals.