If you’re wondering, “Does diabetes affect sex drive?” or “How does diabetes affect a woman sexually?” — you’re not alone. Diabetes can affect many aspects of health, including sexual function.

For some people, diabetes may change how their bodies respond during sex or how pleasurable sex feels. These changes are common, and there are a variety of strategies and treatment options to consider.

In this article, we’ll look at how diabetes can affect sexual health, signs you may notice, and steps you can take to improve intimacy, quality of life, and well-being while managing diabetes.

How Do Physical Changes From Diabetes Impact Sexual Health?

Many people know that diabetes can be related to erectile dysfunction. What’s less widely known is that symptoms of type 2 diabetes can cause changes in vaginal function and arousal as well. There are a number of ways this can happen.

When diabetes isn’t managed well, it can eventually damage both the blood vessels and the nerves in the body, including those involved in sexual arousal. These health issues can make it harder for a person to achieve orgasm, even if they don’t have any other issues with sexual response.

Additionally, inflammation associated with diabetes may cause changes in the brain that make it harder to orgasm. When you know you’re unlikely to orgasm, you might not want sex as much.

Nerve damage can also make the vagina dry. This dryness is twice as likely for someone diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Sex without proper lubrication can be incredibly painful, making you less likely to want to try.

Diabetes can also increase the risk of infections. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women with diabetes are more likely to get both urinary tract infections (UTIs) and vaginal yeast infections. This seems to be connected to the fact that their urine may have higher concentrations of sugar, which can promote both bacterial and yeast growth. These infections can also make sex painful.

Treatments for Better Sex With Diabetes

Taking control of diabetes and getting blood sugar levels into the normal range may help with a lot of the issues mentioned above. Working with your healthcare team, you may use medications or lifestyle changes for diabetes management.

Some of the issues mentioned above may require additional treatments, too. If you are in perimenopause or menopause, hormone therapy might help with vaginal dryness. Vaginal lubricants can also help make your sex life comfortable again. If blood flow to the clitoris is a problem, some people find clitoral pumps can help.

If you’re experiencing yeast or urinary tract infections, prompt medical treatment is important. Staying well hydrated and urinating after sex can also lower the risk of urinary tract infections.

Open and honest communication with your partner may help, too. If your libido is down, it’s important to talk about it and help your partner understand what’s going on. You can explain that it might take you longer to reach orgasm or to be able to produce natural vaginal lubrication. You can suggest taking things slower, using lubricant, or focusing on the activities you find most enjoyable.

Does Metformin Affect a Woman Sexually?

Metformin is a common treatment option to lower high blood sugar levels. If you’re wondering, “How does metformin affect a woman sexually?” at least one study shows that it helps. In a study published in Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes, women with diabetes who reported low sexual desire and/or sexual satisfaction found taking metformin helped get those feelings back to normal.

How Do Psychological Factors From Diabetes Influence Sexual Health?

You can spend a lot of time and energy worrying about your blood glucose levels and diabetes care. When you’re stressed out and tired, you’re less likely to crave sex.

People living with diabetes also have a higher risk for depression, which is also associated with a lower sex drive. If you’re trying to have a baby, the fact that diabetes can negatively affect fertility and pregnancy may intensify these feelings.

A 2022 study of 100 people with diabetes found that they reported having a worse body image than people without diabetes. When you don’t feel good about your body, you may not feel like being looked at or touched. These feelings can make you want to avoid intimacy.

Finally, sexual issues like these may result in more sexual issues. When sex is uncomfortable or doesn’t lead to desired results like pleasure or pregnancy, people can end up feeling inadequate and lose their self-esteem. Some may even experience despair. These feelings, in turn, can make sex even more daunting.

Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Talking to a mental health professional, like a counselor or a therapist, can help you work through some of these issues. They can help you manage your anxiety, learn to feel better about your body, and work through complex topics like infertility or lack of desire.

They can also work with you and your partner together. This can help resolve tension in your relationship over sexual issues or fertility problems. After all, stress in the bedroom can lead to tension in other aspects of your relationship, which can cause even more stress in the bedroom.

How To Improve Your Sex Drive When You Have Diabetes

You might also want to see a healthcare professional who specializes in sexual health. They may have ideas or treatments that will help you reconnect with your desires and with a partner. They’re also likely to know the best lubricants and other treatments for sex-specific issues, so you can feel confident about your body and your ability to orgasm again.

Again, open communication between partners is crucial. If a partner can help you feel better about your body or less stressed about managing diabetes, that in and of itself might make them more attractive to you. Similarly, if a partner can have compassion for the challenges of living with diabetes, the bedroom can continue to be a safe place even when sexual activity is difficult.

Relationships and Intimacy When One Partner Has Diabetes

Being in a relationship when you have diabetes might have its challenges, but what matters most is supporting each other and managing the condition together.

Sometimes, diabetes can lead to health issues — such as yeast infections or urinary tract infections — that may affect intimacy. In those cases, partners may need to pause sexual activity until the infection is treated to avoid discomfort or recurring infections.

As with any relationship, practicing safe sex and getting tested for sexually transmitted infections can also protect both partners. Beyond that, diabetes doesn’t limit a person’s ability to build strong, loving, and fulfilling relationships.

Join the Conversation

On DiabetesTeam, people share their experiences with diabetes, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Has diabetes affected your sexual health or your connection with your partner? Let others know in the comments below.