Obese diabetics who achieve healthy weight loss can reverse sexual and urinary problems

Preventing obesity has become more important than ever in light of numerous research studies that link excessive weight to serious illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke. According to a recent article in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, obese men with type 2 diabetes who achieve healthy weight loss can prevent erectile dysfunction and urinary tract infections.

Lead investigator Gary Wittert and his colleagues from the University of Adelaide evaluated a total of 31 obese diabetics over a period of two months. The participants were given low-calorie, low-fat diets that were high in protein.

At the end of the study period, individuals who achieved a modest weight loss of 5 percent experienced a reversal of sexual and urinary problems. These positive effects continued through the 12-month followup.

“Our findings are consistent with the evidence that not only erectile function, but also lower urinary tract symptoms, are a marker of cardiometabolic risk,” Wittert said. “The evidence that improvement can be achieved by modest weight loss is of public health significance in framing messages that resonate with men.”