It is well known that weight problems, which are seen in more and more people all over the world, can lead to important health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers, osteoarthritis, social problems, premature death. However, the effects of obesity on sexual life have not been studied much. With obesity, the transformation of various hormones from the increased fat tissue in the body increases, which can lead to sexual disorders in the person with this hormonal change. In addition, obesity is closely related to conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and depression, which are known to cause sexual disorders, and it is thought that excess weight negatively affects sexual life through its negative effects on the vessels. In addition, obesity can also affect the mood of the individual and lead to sexual dysfunctions.
Studies show that there is a relationship between obesity and sexual dysfunction in men. It has been determined that the risk of erection problems in overweight men can be 30%-90% higher than those of normal weight. In addition, men with erectile dysfunction have a larger waist circumference than those who do not have this problem. These people are also more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
Studies examining the relationship between obesity and sexual dysfunction in women are very few. Some studies have shown that weight problems in women negatively affect sexual arousal and satisfaction. It has been revealed that sexual dysfunction is more common in women with metabolic syndrome, where risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure come together as well as obesity in the abdominal region. In a study, it was observed that there was a tendency to decrease in sexual desire and satisfaction as weight increased, especially in young women.
There are studies showing that weight loss generally improves sex life in both men and women. It has been shown that moderate weight loss (average 13%) provides improvement in many areas such as not feeling sexually attractive, lack of sexual desire, not wanting to be seen naked, difficulty in sexual intercourse, avoidance of sexuality and not enjoying sexual life. In addition, it has been reported that treating weight problems in women can reduce the risk factors associated with pregnancy, pregnancy process, infertility and menopause.
As a result, you need to lose your excess weight for a healthier life and sexual life. For this, it is very important to first determine your hormonal status by an internal medicine or endocrinology specialist and then start weight loss treatment.
I wish everyone a healthy day.
Specialist Dr. Burak Umut ÇAĞLAR
Internal Medicine Specialist
