In addition to diabetes, other major causes of erectile dysfunction include alcohol abuse, high blood pressure, kidney disease and blood vessel disease. Erectile dysfunction may also occur due to the use of medications, smoking and hormonal deficiencies. What all this means is that men that have diabetes should seriously look at these other risk factors and take the steps to make healthier life choices, not only for their sexual health but for the health of the rest of their body as well.

The key to stopping sexual dysfunction from happening is proper blood sugar management and exercise. Checking your blood sugar often and correcting when necessary is the number one thing men can do to preventing erectile dysfunction. When visiting your doctor pay special attention to your A1C level. A1C is the short term for glycosylated hemoglobin. This lab test gives an accurate report of your average blood glucose over a period of the past two to three months. If your A1C is at or below 7 percent, you are doing a good job of managing your blood sugar. If it’s higher than 7 percent then your long term risk of damage to the nerves and arteries increases thus increases you risk of erectile dysfunction.  Additionally, exercise can help reduce your risk for erectile dysfunction. By forcing your heart to work harder through exercise, you increase your muscle tone as well as the strength of arteries and capillaries all throughout your body including your penis. A cardiovascular program of three days a week for 30-45 minutes is a great place to start. Additionally, there are natural supplements that can be taken to aid in your efforts of maintaining sexual health. Stay tuned for part 2 of this article on supplements that can help you maintain sexual health.