Diabetes refers to a medical condition that makes a body not create enough amounts of insulin. When a person gets affected by diabetes the sugar levels in the blood become higher than the normal. The diabetes symptoms in men can lead to various kinds of conditions if left untreated.
Diabetes leads to several potential health risks. It raises the chance of being attacked by diseases related to the cardiovascular system and can also affect the patient’s kidney, eyes, skin, and other body parts. Diabetes symptoms in men can range from erectile dysfunction to loss of muscle mass. You need proper medical treatment in order to maintain your health in an overall.
Diabetes symptoms in men
Diabetes causes various symptoms that are common in both men and women. However, there are various diabetes symptoms in men that are restricted only in men. Some of these symptoms are mentioned below.
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is one of the most common diabetes symptoms in men. Almost 75 percent of men suffering from diabetes experience the problem of erectile dysfunction. They face difficulties to maintain or achieve an erection in time of sexual intercourse. Blood vessels serve as important factors regarding the erection process and due to the fact that diabetes damages them, men with diabetes suffer from erectile dysfunction.
Thrush of the genital
Men with diabetes might also face a continuous occurrence of genital thrush as diabetes symptoms in men. Genital thrush refers to a kind of fungal yeast-related infection. When the blood contains excessive amounts of sugar then it gets passed to the urine. However, given the fact that yeast lives on sugar, it is more likely to take place on the penis of diabetes affected man. Symptoms of the genital thrush include:
- a bad smell
- redness, itching and swelling around the penis head
- discomfort and soreness during having intercourse
- a lumpy and white thing appearing on the skin of the affected person’s penis.
Reduced mass of the muscle
A high level of blood sugar can cause the body to break down fat and muscles for energy. This is, however, a more common symptom of type 1 diabetes.
Retrograde ejaculation
Retrograde ejaculation happens to be another one of the diabetes symptoms in men. This causes some of the semen getting ejected into the bladder. The symptom of this condition might lead to lesser amounts of semen being released while ejaculating.
Damage to ANS (Automatic Nervous System)
Diabetes can also have harmful effects on the ANS and that might lead to having sexual problems in men. The task of the ANS is to widen or constrict the blood vessels. In case the nerves and blood vessels existing in the penis get harmed by diabetes, it can result into erectile dysfunction. When the blood vessels in the penis get injured due to diabetes the blood flow in the penis can get slower. This also works as a cause behind men with diabetes having erectile dysfunction.
Urological issues
Men can face urological issues if they have diabetes due to the damage of the diabetic nerve. These consist of the inability to control the urge to urinate, over-activity of the bladder and UTI or urinary tract infection.
Other diabetes symptoms in men that often get unnoticed are:
- frequently urinating
- blurred vision
- unexplained fatigue
- numbness or tingling sensation in feet and hands
- loss of weight without maintaining any diet plan
Signs of diabetes in women
Besides the shared symptoms of diabetes in both men and women, there are specific signs of diabetes in women. These symptoms can especially be noticed in women and ladies who are facing these symptoms should immediately consult doctors to avoid any additional complications. Some of the diabetic symptoms that are exclusive to women are mentioned below.
Vaginal thrush and oral and vaginal yeast infection
Diabetes can cause an overgrowth of the element of yeast that is caused by a type of fungus named Candida. It can cause an oral yeast infection, yeast infection in the vagina, as well as vaginal thrush. If you have an infection in your vaginal area then you might face some of the symptoms that include:
- soreness
- itching
- pain during having sex
- discharge of vaginal fluid
In the case of oral yeast infection, you will notice a coating of white on the inside of your mouth and on your tongue. These are caused by funguses that are grown due to the high sugar level in the blood.
Female sexual dysfunction
When nerve fibers are damaged by high levels of blood glucose then diabetic neuropathy takes place. This can cause a lack of feeling and tingle in different parts of your body that include your feet, hands, and legs. This condition can also have an effect on the area of the vagina and also cause lower libido in women.
Diabetes in women can also cause a lower flow of blood in the genital area and that will lead to lower levels of orgasm as well as a decrease in the level of sexual response. This might also cause dryness in the vagina and that might cause pain during sex.
Urinary infection
The chances of being attacked by UTI or urinary tract infection are higher in women who are affected by diabetes. UTIs occur when a particular type of bacteria makes an entry in the urinal tract. Such an infection might cause pain while urinating, burning sensation in the vagina, cloudy or bloody urine.
You might fall, a victim of kidney problems, if you do not take care of these symptoms in an early stage. The UTIs generally occur in women affected by diabetes because their immune system gets hampered because of the hyperglycemia.
PCOD (Polycystic ovary syndrome)
This is another symptom that a woman might have when she has high level of blood sugar. This kind of disorder occurs when a female produces higher amounts of male hormones and is then predisposed to getting polycystic ovary syndrome. The signs of PCOS include:
- irregularity in period
- acne on face
- gaining weight
- depression
- infertility
PCOS might also cause a particular type of insulin-related resistance and it might cause high levels of blood sugar in the body. This might enhance the chance of getting diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetes in children
Children are also now not safe from diabetes. There are certain symptoms of diabetes in children that require immediate care. Without providing proper attention to these symptoms they might develop into larger and more complicated troubles. Children can be affected by both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The symptoms of both the kinds of diabetes in children are mentioned below.
Frequent urination and increased thirst
When a child urinates frequently and gets thirsty often then one should test him for diabetes as these are signs of type 1 diabetes.
Hunger
Diabetes affected children will be hungry all the time.
Loss of weight
Type 1 diabetes might cause loss of weight in a child even when he is not following any strict diet chart,
Fatigue
Type 1 diabetes causes fatigue in children and they might tire easily without doing much.
Smelly breath
A child who is affected by diabetes might have a fruity kind of smell in his breath. If you notice your child to have a smelly breath you should consult a doctor immediately.
Irritability
There are many children who get irritated easily and keep nagging. This might be one of the alarming signs of diabetes in children. It should be immediately taken care of.
Blurred vision
Diabetes can cause blurred vision in children. If a child complains about his visions getting blurred then besides taking him to an eye specialist you should also test him for diabetes. Moreover, diabetes often affects the eyes and thus these symptoms are interrelated.
Itching in the genitals
Children who complain of itching in their private areas might be attacked by diabetes. Diabetes causes yeast infection and that causes irritation and infection in the genitals.
Slow healing
If a wound on the body of a child takes a very long time to get healed then he should be tested for diabetes. Diabetes decreases the rate of healing of a body and thus a child should be treated when such an occurrence takes place.
Food to take when being affected by diabetes
Selecting good food for diabetics can often prove to be a tough job. Your main aim when you have diabetes is to take food that will keep the level of blood sugar down in your body and controlled. Moreover, when you have diabetes symptoms in men you must take food that would help you to prevent the complications that might lead to various diseases of the heart. Here is a list of foods that you should take when you are a patient of diabetes.
Fatty fish
Fatty fish happens to be one of the best foods when you have diabetes. Some of the fish that you can take are sardines, salmon, anchovies, and herrings as they are high on EPA and DHA that are omega 3 fatty acids. These have major benefits on the health of the heart. When you are a patient of diabetes you need to take these facts on a regular basis to remain safe from being attacked by heart diseases.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice that is delicious and also contains various kinds of antioxidants. Various studies have shown that regular intake of cinnamon can help in reducing the blood sugar level in a diabetes patient. It can also improve the sensitivity of insulin. Cinnamon also helps in maintaining the level of triglyceride and cholesterol levels, especially in type 2 diabetes.
Leafy greens
Vegetables that are leafy green are highly nutritious and also contain low levels of calories. These vegetables also contain a very low level of digestive carbs that help in raising the level of blood sugar in your body. Kale, spinach are a few examples of leafy green vegetables that can help you to be rich in minerals and vitamins as well as vitamin C. In simple words, green vegetables are high on antioxidants and nutrients and thus help in protecting your eyes and heart that can be affected by diabetes.
Eggs
There are amazing health benefits of consuming eggs. They are one of the best food items that would keep you full for longer hours. If you consume eggs regularly then that can help to reduce the chances of getting heart diseases as well. Eggs further help in decreasing inflammation level improve the level of sensitivity of insulin and increase the HDL cholesterol that is good for you.
Eggs also help in modifying the shape and size of the LDL cholesterol that is rather bad for your health. You should only make sure that you are eating the whole of an egg. The primary beneficial nutrients of eggs are found in its yolk and not in the white part.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a type of spice that is high on health benefits. The main ingredient of turmeric is curcumin and it can help in lowering the levels of inflammation as well as the level of blood sugar and thus reduce the chances of getting affected by the diseases of the heart. Moreover, curcumin also helps in maintaining the health of the kidney in a diabetes patient. However, to avail of its maximum benefit, you should consume turmeric with black pepper.
Final thoughts
These are the basic facts that you need to know about diabetes symptoms in men as well as in children and women. No matter who shows the first signs of diabetes he/she should be immediately tested. Ignoring the signs of diabetes can prove to be extremely harmful to health as diabetes slowly affects the other parts of the body as well. Your kidney and eyes, as well as your heart, might be affected by diabetes in you do not take care of the disease during its early stage. Make sure to consult your family physician on spotting any of the mentioned signs.