Cutting sugary drinks could protect your sex life

When men experience sexual difficulties, many assume it is stress, ageing, or relationship strain. Few immediately consider blood sugar levels, blood pressure readings, or waist size. Yet, across Jamaica, chronic non-communicable diseases are quietly becoming one of the leading causes of sexual dysfunction in men.

The connection is not complicated.

An erection depends on healthy blood vessels and intact nerves. Diabetes damages both. High blood pressure stiffens arteries. Elevated cholesterol narrows them. Obesity disrupts hormone balance and lowers testosterone levels. When blood flow is reduced and hormones are affected, sexual performance declines.

In many cases, erectile dysfunction is not the first disease; it is the first warning sign.

The blood vessels in the penis are similar size/smaller than those supplying the heart. When they begin to narrow due to diabetes or cardiovascular disease, symptoms can appear there years before a heart attack or stroke. What happens in the bedroom may be signalling what is happening in the arteries.

In my clinical practice, I am seeing younger men presenting with erectile dysfunction linked not to age, but to uncontrolled diabetes, obesity, and metabolic disease. Many are surprised when a sexual health complaint leads to a diagnosis of high blood pressure or elevated blood sugar. Yet the link is well established.

Chronic diseases also affect fertility and overall well-being. Poorly controlled diabetes can impair sperm quality. Obesity can reduce testosterone levels, contributing to low libido, fatigue, and reduced muscle mass. These changes are gradual and often ignored until they begin to affect quality of life.

The encouraging reality is that improvement is possible. When blood sugar is controlled, weight reduced, and blood pressure treated, sexual function often improves. Exercise, healthier eating, and early medical intervention can restore not only performance, but confidence.

This is why prevention matters -- not just individually, but nationally.

Jamaica is facing a growing burden of diabetes and other chronic illnesses, driven in part by excessive sugar consumption. Sugary drinks and highly processed foods have become everyday staples. The health consequences are now visible in our clinics and hospitals.

Public health measures that aim to reduce sugar intake, including the newly proposed sugar tax, deserve support. Such policies are not about restricting choice; they are about protecting health. By discouraging excessive sugar consumption, we reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and, by extension, sexual dysfunction and other urological complications.

Reducing sugar intake is not simply about waistlines. It is about protecting blood vessels, preserving hormonal health, and preventing long-term damage that affects men in deeply personal ways.

Sexual health is often viewed as a private matter, but it reflects the overall state of a man's health. When chronic diseases rise, sexual dysfunction rises with them.

If you are experiencing erectile difficulties, low libido, or reduced stamina, do not dismiss it as just ageing. It may be your body's early warning system. A simple check of blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol can uncover issues long before they become life-threatening.

Taking control of chronic disease is not only about living longer. It is about living stronger, healthier, and with dignity.

In our next article, we will examine what every man over 40 should know about prostate health and why early screening saves lives.

Because men's health matters.

Dr Elon Thompson is a consultant urologist with extensive experience in treating a range of urological conditions. He also serves as a government senator, contributing his medical expertise to national policy discussions.