New findings indicate that there may be a strong correlation between erectile dysfunction (ED) and diabetes in terms of genetics. This goes beyond previous observational evidence that linked the two.
The new study on erectile dysfunction and diabetes
A team of researchers from the UK looked at data from more than 220,000 men from three different populations: the UK Biobank, the Partners HealthCare BioBank and the Estonian Genome Center of the University of Tartu cohort. Of these men, 6,000 had experienced erectile dysfunction.
Using genetic analysis to seek correlations between ED, weight and diabetes, they found that men with a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes had a higher risk of ED. According to the researchers, the good news is that if men can reduce their risk of diabetes, they will probably be less likely to developed erectile dysfunction.
Achieving “remission” from diabetes
Previous research published in Medical News Today found that there is such a thing as “total remission” for type 2 diabetes. The study suggested that losing around 33 pounds, on average, would help essentially “reverse” type 2 diabetes.
“Our finding is important, as diabetes is preventable, and indeed one can now achieve ‘remission’ from diabetes with weight loss, as illustrated in recent clinical trials,” explains Professor Michael Holmes of the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford. “This goes beyond finding a genetic link to erectile dysfunction to a message that is of widespread relevance to the general public.”
The study was published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
ED in the United States
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, nearly 30 million men in the United States are affected by erectile dysfunction.
Common risk factors include smoking, age and being overweight. Other conditions besides diabetes can predispose men to erectile dysfunction. These include chronic liver disease and some types of cardiovascular disease.
