Women may experience any number of sexually related dysfunction such as reduced or non-existent libido, inability to achieve orgasm, painful intercourse due to lack of natural lubrication in the vaginal canal, or unexplained sudden loss of interest in sexual intercourse. This is common in women between the ages of 35 and 50, and can hit even before menopause.

Thrush and Yeast Infection

The vagina requires a delicate PH balance in order to protect itself from fungal as well as other types of infections. Thrush as well as yeast infection can be quite uncomfortable and sometimes even painful depending on the severity of the onset. High sugar levelsin the blood can cause glucose to be excreted in urine.

Moderate to Severe Vaginal Itching

Diabetes in women can cause unexplained itching (even without any existing infection).

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms

During pregnancy, female hormones are out of control, which can cause any number of problems, not the least of which is gestational diabetes. While this ailment often does not have any outward symptoms, it can cause increased thirstiness as well as unusual urinary frequency (even before the second trimester). Excessive weight gain has also been associated with gestational diabetes, but has yet to be determined whether it is a cause or effect.

Among the complications that may arise from this diabetes during pregnancy include the following:

• larger than average baby
• high blood pressure
• pre-eclampsia
• extended labor

The only way to determine whether a pregnant woman is suffering from gestational diabetes is by measuring blood sugar levels. Preventing this disease is possible by reducing sugar intake during pregnancy. If/when craving for sweets, fruits make for excellent substitute for sugar-filled desserts.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes in Men

Among the earliest signs of diabetes for males include:

• Blurred/blurry vision
• Unusual fatigue (even without significant physical exertion)
• Severe and unexplained weight loss and/or weight gain
• Tingling sensation in the fingertips/lower extremities followed by sudden numbness that lasts for a few seconds to a few minutes
• frequent urination (urine is excreted not all at once because the bladder is unable to empty itself completely. Can also be caused by an overactive bladder)
• Sores that do not or take too long to heal
• Increased/increasing appetite and/or hunger pangs that can lead to binge eating

Other, more obvious symptoms of diabetes in men are the following:

Lack of sexual appetite

More likely, men who have full blown adult onset diabetes will experience lack of sex drive. Even when they libido level is normal, they might suffer from erectile dysfunction as well as premature ejaculation.

Retrograde Ejaculation

The older people get, the harder it is for them to lose weight or start exercising. The body also starts to deteriorate faster, especially the pancreas, which is responsible for producing and regulating insulin levels.

Submit for Regular Check-ups

Checking your blood sugar levels every few months make it easier to keep track of whether you are at risk of developing diabetes. If you have a history of diabetes in your family, it becomes necessary to submit for bi-annual or quarterly blood tests. Always monitor your body mass index (BMI) and see if you are within the normal range 18-25 BMI. You might also want to ask your general practitioner some practical tips on how you can reduce your risk.

Educate Yourself

Knowing some of the common risk factors as well as causes of diabetes would go a long way in avoiding this debilitating disease. Among the known risk factors are as follows:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Heavy consumption of alcohol
• High blood pressure (if your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, you are more likely to develop diabetes as well as coronary heart disease)
• Excessive stress levels (elevated levels of stress causes cortisol to increase, which causes retention of fat in several areas of the body.