Sexual function improved significantly and quickly in obese men with type 2 diabetes after weight loss with reduced-calorie diets, results of a small Australian clinical study showed.

Erectile function, sexual desire, and urinary symptoms all improved significantly in 31 men who lost 5% to 10% of their body weight in eight weeks.



Metabolic parameters, including blood glucose, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profile, also responded favorably to either a low-calorie, meal-replacement diet or a high protein-low carbohydrate diet, according to an article published online in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes increase the risk of erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which are associated with each other and with systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.

Rapid weight loss by dietary means can improve erectile dysfunction and LUTS, the authors noted in their introductory comments. Studies also have shown improved endothelial function and reduced inflammation after weight loss, particularly in people who lose at least 10% of body weight.

Scant data have accumulated regarding the influence of macronutrient composition on associations between weight loss, endothelial function, systemic inflammation, sexual function, and LUTS in obese men. To address that issue, Khoo and co-authors conducted a randomized study involving 31 men.

All the study participants had type 2 diabetes, a body mass index >30 (obese), and a waist circumference ≥102 cm. They were randomized to two dietary plans:

Liquid meal-replacement consumed twice daily and one small, nutritionally balanced meal, providing a total energy of about 900 kcal/day (low-calorie diet)
A high-protein, low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet designed to reduce energy intake by about 600 kcal/day
Investigators had an extensive list of outcome measures, including weight, waist circumference, the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI), International Prostate Symptom Scale (IPSS), fasting glucose and lipids, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and a battery of inflammatory markers.

The primary assessment occurred after eight weeks, and follow-up continued for an additional 44 weeks. All participants who opted to remain in the study for long-term follow-up consumed the high-protein diet during the follow-up.

Men randomized to the low-calorie diet had about a 10% reduction in mean body weight and waist circumference at eight weeks, as compared with about 5% among men assigned to the high-protein diet (P<0.01). Weight loss at eight weeks averaged 9.5 kg (20.9 lbs.) with the low-calorie diet and 5.4 kg (11.9 lbs.) with the high-protein diet, both of which were statistically significant (P<0.o5).

Other statistically significant (P<0.05) improvements in both groups included:

IIEF: +2.17 with the low-calorie diet and +2.75 with the high-protein diet
SDI: +10.37, +11.5
IPSS: -1.68, -2.5
Glucose: -15.84 mg/dL, -23.94 mg/dL
LDL: -7.02 mg/dL, -5.04 mg/dL
SHBG: +8.69 nmol/L, +3.75 nmol/L
In general, inflammatory markers decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the high-protein group but not the low-calorie group. However, the men assigned to the high-protein diet had higher baseline levels of the markers.

About half of the men remained in the study for the entire 52 weeks. Of those who did, improvements were either maintained or increased.

glucose,Health,Increased Libido,lipids,type 2 diabetes,Weight Loss