Diabetes and Sexual Dysfunction in Women

Diabetes is one of the world's leading chronic illnesses affecting almost 23.6 million people in the United States alone. Although diabetes is considered to be a serious disease affecting millions of people worldwide, this disease can be easily controlled with vigilance and proper know-how's.

There are two major types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes develops when the body's immune system destroys pancreatic cells which are directly responsible for producing insulin, the hormone which transports blood glucose to the different cells of the body. Type 2 diabetes is more lifestyle-linked and usually the worse outcome of poor diet. The causes of diabetes usually vary according to type.



Recent studies showed that women with type 1 diabetes experience some form of sexual difficulty. The result of this study showed that type 1 diabetics often feel depressed such that their sexual urge is affected. Men were also made subjects of this study but results indicated that depression is not significant as it is with women and their sexual function and satisfaction.

The 10-year study analyzed type 1 diabetic women after answering a questionnaire. Almost a third of the 652 respondents reported a sexual dysfunction which included loss of libido, problems with orgasm, reduced lubrication and arousal, and pain.

Diabetes and its serious complications should not be taken for granted. Everyone should be fully aware of the causes of diabetes so that we know what and what not to do to avoid suffering from this disease. In addition to regular blood glucose check-up, women with type 1 diabetes should be regularly examined regarding the presence of any depressive symptoms that are in turn may be the direct cause of any sexual function.