A new study has found that weight loss can lead to improved sexual health for men, including giving them an increased libido. The study was published this month in the Journal of Sexual Medicine and consisted of 31 men struggling with both obesity and type 2 diabetes. The men were placed on a calorie restricted diet in an effort to lose weight. They were split into groups and provided one of two diet plans. The first group consumed two liquid meal-replacements each day, with sensible, balanced dinners and the second group was given meals made up of high-protein, lower fat & carb choices. The study found that erectile function, sexual desire, and urinary symptoms improved significantly for all the participants, who lost on average 5 to 10 percent of their body weight over the 8 weeks. In addition, the researchers noted overall improvements in insulin sensitivity, blood glucose, and lipid profile for the men, regardless of which of the diets they were following. When examining at the results by diet, the participants on the low-calorie diet with the liquid meal replacements saw higher weight loss. These men lost on average 10% of their body weight after eight weeks, while the men on the higher protein diet only lost an average of 5% of their body weight.

At the conclusion of the study, the low calorie diet group averaged weight loss of nearly 30 lbs and the higher-protein group lost about 12 lbs. The findings prompted the researchers to conclude that for diabetic obese men, quick diet-induced weight loss not only reduces systemic inflammation, but also improves sexual, urinary, and endothelial function. Dr. George Fielding, a leading bariatric surgeon in New York, commented that the study “highlights a very important, but not much talked about, issue for all obese patients, namely their sexual function. Many patients, even young people, hint at this problem, but it’s usually glossed over.”