You can have a satisfying and active sex life if you're living with diabetes. For some people, it can be a key part of their experiences and relationships with others – and you can see this in our videos later on.
But there are a few common questions and concerns people have about sex and diabetes so we’ve covered them below.
This includes information on what to do if you have a sexual problem you think may be linked to your diabetes, as it can be a complication of diabetes. Not everyone with diabetes has sexual problems. But if you do, support and treatment is available.
On this page we cover:
- Is sex good for diabetes?
- How sex affects blood sugar levels
- Sex and diabetes tech
- Can diabetes cause sexual problems?
- Does diabetes medication cause sexual problems?
- Can diabetes cause infertility?
- Screening for sexual problems
Is sex good for diabetes?
Sex is a form of exercise so it’s good for your diabetes.Physical activity helps your body use insulin better, keeping your long-term blood sugar levels within target range and helping you stay healthy.
Physical activity – and positive relationships – are also good for your emotional health.
And sex can be a stress reliever which can benefit your diabetes.
How sex affects blood sugar levels
As with any form of exercise, sex can affect your blood sugar levels.
Everyone’s response will be different, but generally if you’re very nervous or your body has released adrenaline, you may see a brief spike in blood sugar levels.
If you use insulin or other medication that lowers your blood sugar levels, there’s also a risk of them dropping low and you have a hypo, also known as hypoglycaemia.
So if that applies to you, it’s worth checking your blood sugar levels before sex and having something sugary nearby so you can treat a hypo.
If you’ve been drinking alcohol, you’re more likely to have a hypo, depending on how much alcohol you’ve had, and how long ago it was before having sex.
If you’ve had hypos during sex before you may feel anxious and worried beforehand.
Some people with diabetes get very nervous about having hypos. We call this hypo anxiety and if this is familiar to you, it can affect how you feel about sex. It may be worth talking to your partner so they can support you and you can both prepare for a possible hypo.
Sex and diabetes tech
It can help to discuss with your partner how diabetes may affect you during sex, and the significance of any tech that you use.
You might want to consider, for example, telling them that you may have to stop at an intimate moment to deal with your continuous glucose monitor (CGM) alarms or treat a hypo.
If you use an insulin pump, you may feel comfortable showing this tech to your partner. Or you may find that tech can get in the way, and you may feel self-conscious about a new partner seeing it for the first time during sex, or you may worry about your pump coming loose from your body or coming off.
But it’s completely your decision whether you remove your tech or not. Taking your pump off may mean you’re less likely to have a hypo. Leaving your pump on means your blood sugars shouldn’t get too high, but they also may drop too low.
If hypos have been a problem for you in the past during sex, and you use an insulin pump, you could try using something called the ‘activity mode’or ‘temporary basal rate’. In this mode a hypo is less likely as either your pump will deliver slightly less insulin, or if you use a hybrid closed-loop pump, it will aim for a slightly higher blood sugar level.
Talking to your healthcare team about these concerns may feel uncomfortable at first, but it may ease your worries.
In this video clip, Jen chats about her experiences of having sex and using an insulin pump.
Can diabetes cause sexual problems?
Lots of things can cause or play a part in sexual problems, including diabetes. So if you have a sexual problem, it’s worth finding out if diabetes may be a cause or if it can be ruled out.
Diabetes can sometimes affect sex drive, level of arousal, sexual function and sensation, due to physical factors or emotional factors, or a combination. This can apply if you have prediabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes or another type of diabetes. Find out more below.
At least a third of people with diabetes have reported issues with their sex life in each of the different research studies done.
Sexual problems can sometimes be a sign of another underlying health problem, such as heart disease. So it’s important to seek medical advice.
Physical factors and sexual problems
How diabetes can affect your sex life is an under-researched area. But we know that diabetes can affect erections in men and arousal in women.
Prolonged high blood sugar levels over time can cause damage to blood vessels and a type of nerve damage called diabetic automatic neuropathy, which can cause changes to your sexual organs including reduced blood flow. This can also happen if you have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Nerve damage can reduce stimulation and feeling. High blood sugar levels can sometimes be caused by insulin resistance – where insulin isn’t working properly - and fluctuating hormone levels.
Many people may not be aware that diabetes can sometimes affect the functioning of sexual organs. But once you’re aware of this, it can be easy for you or other professionals that you see to assume diabetes is the cause of any sexual problem.
But it’s worth remembering that there may be lots of reasons your body may not be responding how it has previously. Everything from stress or lack of sleep to too much alcohol or changes in how you feel about your partner can be things that can affect your sex life.
So it’s important to get support in helping work out the cause. For more detailed information, see our separate diabetes and sex pages for men and women.
Urinary tract infections and yeast infections (thrush)
Some people with diabetes can have regular episodes of thrush or urinary tract infections (UTIs) as high blood sugar levels and some diabetes medications, such as SGLT2 inhibitors, make this more likely.
This may stop you having sex during that time until it’s cleared up and can affect your sexual confidence. Both UTIs and thrush can develop as a result of having sex but aren’t usually passed to you from a partner during sex. Thrush is more common in women but can affect men too.
See our tips on helping to prevent UTIs and thrush.
Diabetes doesn’t increase your risk of picking up a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Emotional factors and sexual problems
Your interest in sex, your sex drive and your sexual response can be affected if you’re having emotional difficulties. If you’re going through a phase where managing your diabetes is feeling overwhelming, known as diabetes distress, for example, this may have an impact. It can affect how you feel about yourself and your relationships and your sex life.
It's good to talk to your partner about your feelings so you feel comfortable being intimate with them.
“When my levels are high my body doesn't feel right, it feels weird so even if the mood is right it is nearly an out of body experience. And it is so annoying to have to say "I'd love to have sex but I can't right now". With the right person it is one of the joys of life.” Forum member
In this video, couples talk about how diabetes affects their relationships.
And in the video below, Kris and his girlfriend Sophie talk about one memorable night when his diabetes got in the way of sex.
Does diabetes medication cause sexual problems?
There is no conclusive evidence that any type of diabetes medication causes any sexual problems. Some people think insulin or metformin, for example, can affect your sex life, but the research results are mixed.
If you think your diabetes medication is affecting your sex life you should discuss this with your GP or diabetes team. However, some other medications can cause sexual problems. Some blood pressure tablets and anti-depressants from the SSRI family(selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can affect arousal and orgasm.
So you should always check the leaflet that comes with your medication. If you think medication is causing a sexual problem, you can ask your GP if you can try a different medication.
Can diabetes cause infertility?
It is known that diabetes can sometimes have an impact on fertility, especially if diabetes is undiagnosed or if blood sugars are not well managed. So, if you’re thinking of trying for a baby or worried you may be infertile, it’s important to speak to your GP for advice and any tests.
If you’re thinking about having a baby, you should see your diabetes nurse or GP before you stop contraception. If you have diabetes, pregnancy comes with risks for you and the baby. See our information on planning a pregnancy.
Screening for sexual problems
Sexual problems are recognised by the NHS as a complication of diabetes and you should be offered treatment, but there is no screening. Although some healthcare professionals may ask about any sexual problems at your diabetes health checks, most are unlikely to.
So if you have sexual problems, you’ll usually need to mention this yourself. Speak to your healthcare team or GP. They should be more than happy to support you or refer you to a specialist if needed. You don’t have to go through it alone.
Treatment for sexual problems
As well as chatting things through, your GP or healthcare team should offer further health checks or tests they think you need to rule out any other health conditions and review the side effects of any medication you’re taking.
If the cause is emotional, you can also be referred to a sexual health counsellor to chat through any problems including how you’re managing your diabetes, which may help ease sexual difficulties.
Treatments can include:
- Medicines for erectile dysfunction
- Over-the-counter lubricants for vaginal dryness
- Switching to a medication that doesn’t affect sexual function
- Hormone therapy (HRT, testosterone therapy)
- Anti-depressants
- Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
- Relationship counselling
- Sexual counselling
Helping to prevent sexual problems
To help you reduce your risk of sexual problems from your diabetes, it’s important to:
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Go to your diabetes health checks (annual review)
Your blood sugar levels (HbA1c), blood pressure and cholesterol will all be measured and you can see if you need support from your healthcare team to keep your levels for each within target range. -
Keep your blood sugars near or within your target range
This will help reduce blood vessel and nerve damage which can affect blood flow to your sexual organs. And it will help you avoid thrush or UTIs. Other things you can do to help prevent thrush or UTIs is to drink plenty of sugar free fluid, and don't use perfumed shower gel or wear tight underwear. -
Continue to take any medication to lower your blood sugar levels
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Get support to be physically active
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Eat a healthy balanced diet
Having all the vitamins and minerals you need will help protect against and repair early nerve damage. -
Limit your alcohol intake if you drink. Aim for fewer than 14 units a week spread over at least three days.
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Get support if you're finding it hard to manage your diabetes
Speak to your diabetes team. They should support you to help prevent diabetes distress or burnout which can lead to sexual problems. -
Stopping smoking
Further support
Sex can come with a lot of pressure. If you're struggling with your sex drive or complications from diabetes it can feel overwhelming.
You’re not alone. If you're worried or need advice or someone to listen, we’re here to support you, as well as your diabetes healthcare team. You can call our helpline on 0345 123 2399 and talk to our trained advisors.
Or you can join our online forum so you can chat to other people who might be having similar sexual problems as you.
If you want more sexual health advice quickly, see the information on the NHS website which also signposts to other organisations.
Organisations like Brook offer information on sexual wellbeing.
Relationship support provider Relate have lots of resources on sexual relationships. They offer couples counselling and sex therapy and have advice on different sexualities like pansexuality or asexuality, or you can find their nearest centre. If you’re in Scotland, visit their sister organisations Relationships Scotland or Relate NI for support.
