Sexual and Endothelial Function Improves With Weight Loss

Diet-induced weight loss improves sexual, endothelial function in obese men with diabetes

MONDAY, Aug. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Weight loss induced by following a low-calorie diet (LCD) or a low-fat, high-protein, reduced-carbohydrate (HP) diet improves sexual, urinary, and inflammatory function in obese men with diabetes, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Joan Khoo, M.R.C.P., from the Changi General Hospital in Singapore, and colleagues investigated the effects of diet-induced weight loss and maintenance on sexual and endothelial function, urinary tract symptoms, and inflammatory markers in 31 obese men with diabetes. Participants received either a meal-replacement-based LCD (19 men) or HP diet (12 men) in order to decrease their daily calorie intake by 600 calories per day over eight weeks. They continued or switched to HP diet for a further 44 weeks. Weight, waist circumference (WC), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI), International Prostate Symptom Scale (IPSS), plasma fasting glucose and lipids, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble E-selectin, and brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation were measured at baseline, eight weeks, and 52 weeks.

The investigators identified a decrease in both weight and WC with the LCD and HP diets (approximately 10 and 5 percent, respectively) at eight weeks. For both diets, a significant improvement was seen in plasma glucose, low-density lipoprotein, SHBG, IIEF-5, SDI, IPSS scores, and endothelial function. For both diets there was a similar degree of improvement in sexual desire, erectile function, and urinary symptoms. With the HP diet, CRP and IL-6 decreased. Reductions in weight, WC, and CRP were maintained at 52 weeks, while IIEF-5, SDI and IPSS scores improved further.

"Diet-induced weight loss induces rapid improvement of sexual, urinary, and endothelial function in obese diabetic men," the authors write.

Supplies for this study were provided by Pharmacy Health Solutions Pty. Ltd.

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