Sweet Bitterness: Diabetes Mellitus and the Assault on Man's Dignity and Fecundity

Abstract

In his seminal 107th inaugural lecture delivered at Delta State University, Abraka, Prof. Eze Kingsley Nwangwa embarks on a deeply personal and scientifically rigorous journey to interrogate the dual menace of diabetes mellitus and male reproductive dysfunction. Framed under the thought-provoking title “Sweet Bitterness: Unmasking the Thief of Man’s Dignity and Fecundity,” the lecture explores the socio-medical implications of diabetes, especially its understudied impact on fertility, fecundity, and quality of life.

The lecture traces the historical, physiological, and psychosocial dimensions of diabetes—from ancient medicine and the discovery of insulin to its modern epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. With Nigeria now home to over 11.2 million diabetics, the lecture highlights how lifestyle-induced hyperglycemia not only burdens the healthcare system but undermines manhood, reproduction, and societal stability.

Through experimental and clinical evidence, Prof. Nwangwa demonstrates that diabetes disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, reduces testosterone, LH, and FSH levels, and causes marked degeneration in testicular histology. The lecture also delves into the compounding effects of stress and endocrine-disrupting chemicals on fertility and reproductive health.

Offering hope, Prof. Nwangwa presents research-backed therapeutic strategies—intermittent fasting, exercise, antioxidant-rich foods (like coconut water and vitamin E), and plant-based therapies—that can restore hormonal balance and improve reproductive outcomes.

Ultimately, the lecture is both a scientific exposition and a moral call to reclaim man’s dignity, urging clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to confront diabetes not just as a metabolic disorder but as an existential threat to fecundity and societal continuity.