Have You Met ED?

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is a common problem for men with diabetes. What does ED have to do with it? Well, many times, it's the first symptom of diabetes that men may notice and the one that leads them to the doctor in the first place. Only after they have sought medical help for ED do they also receive a diagnosis of diabetes.

The statistics on this complication are not encouraging. Fifty percent of men with diabetes will suffer from ED within 10 years of diagnosis. The longer a man has had diabetes, the more likely he will suffer from ED. Also if blood glucose levels have not been well controlled throughout the illness, blood vessel and nerve damage will be greater. Complications of accompanying heart disease such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol can affect ED. A man with diabetes who smokes also increases his risk of developing ED.

What factors can lead to ED? What can a man do to cope with ED? What medications can treat erectile dysfunction?

Click here for the answers to these and other questions, from your diabetes guide...

• Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction

Read this related article from About.com's Sexuality Guide, Cory Silverberg...

• Sex and Diabetic Women

Photo by Céline Mackowiak