Hyderabad: Obese men who have undergone bariatric surgery have shown an increase in sexual function after the procedure but the same improvement has not been established in women according to 25 studies which were analysed by researchers. Experts state that sexual functioning in men improves as hormone levels improve once the obesity in the body is reduced. The studies have found that after bariatric surgery, the insulin sensitivity improved due to which problems of erectile dysfunction were reduced. But in women the improvement in sexual functioning or desire was not as much as observed in men. But amongst women, improvement in fertility has been recorded.
Dr Venugopal Pareek, senior consultant bariatric surgeon explained, “Overweight or obese men are often found to experience erectile dysfunction or shortness of breath during intercourse. Low testosterone levels are a factor for poor sexual function in obese men. There is also a psychological barrier of low self-esteem which is seen in them. After weight loss surgery, there is found to be restoration of testosterone to good levels. This gives them the much needed sexual libido and fertility.”
For women it was found that female libido or sexual desire was also affected due to the psychological problems of being obese. Dr Anup Aggarwal, bariatric surgeon explained, “There is normalisation of hormones even in women after the surgery. But in the studies they have found that when compared to men, the libido is still low. But women have also benefited from bariatric surgery as studies show that their fertility rates improve.”
Insulin sensitivity was found in both genders and researchers state that it is the key to deal with the problem of obesity. Bariatric surgery is coming across as a safe treatment option for super obese people state experts where data from various studies have shown marked improvement in the quality of life post surgery.
