Weight loss in obese type 2 diabetic men enhances Erectile Function and Libido

In a new study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers explained that obese type 2 diabetic men demonstrated enhanced erectile function, sexual desire, and decreased urinary tract symptoms due to weight loss.
Over an 8-week duration, 31 obese type 2 diabetic men were studied by a team of researchers led by Professor Gary Wittert, MBBch, MD, FRACP, FRCP, of the University of Adelaide. In an effort to decrease their daily calories consumption by 600, the men were prescribed either a low-calorie meal replacement diet OR a low-fat, high-protein, and reduced-carbohydrate diet.

According to results, a modest weight loss of 5% brought about a rapid turnaround of sexual and urinary problems within 8 weeks, and continued progress was observed until 12 months.

Wittert reports: “Our findings are consistent with the evidence that not only erectile function, but also lower urinary tract symptoms are a marker of cardio-metabolic risk. The evidence that improvement can be achieved by modest weight loss, in particular when a diet is of high nutritional quality, is of public health significance in framing public health messages that resonate with men.”

Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Irwin Goldstein, also explained: “This important paper supports earlier publications that lifestyle is relevant and can positively affect sexual function. At a time when oral drugs are very popular, it can now be shown that weight loss is an important non-pharmacologic therapeutic intervention in restoring erectile and urinary function and cardio-vascular health. Obesity is an epidemic, and such data reinforce the positive relationship between eating right, losing weight, improved sexual function and voiding and overall cardiovascular health.”