Metabolic syndrome and sexual dysfunction

According to a study at Centro Hospitalar de Coimbra-Urology Department, Coimbra, Portugal, the general worldwide increase in metabolic syndrome (MS) among most populations may result in more individuals with sexual dysfunction.

The metabolic syndrome (MS) is strongly correlated with erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism (predictors of future development of MS). Few studies have been addressed in the treatment of these dysfunctions in the special setting of MS, other than the observational effects on sexual function of individual risk factors correction. This can be a result of their understudied etiopathogeny. Nonsurgical weight loss has been shown to improve sexual function (with the mainstay on sedentarism prevention), whereas the efficacy of bariatric surgery in this respect, which has been suggested by some preliminary evidence, needs to be further confirmed by adequate clinical trials.

As the global incidence of MS increases, more individuals may experience sexual dysfunction and a systematic evaluation should be emphasized in this patient population, in order to identify those who are in need of intervention.