Diabetes thirst: The reason you feel so parched

Excessive thirst is one of the first clues that you might have diabetes. It’s a result of the blood sugar imbalance caused by the condition. Learn how to recognise diabetes thirst and get rid of it, too.

Polydipsia, or excessive thirst, is a hallmark of diabetes. Thirst is linked to another common diabetes symptom: polyuria or urinating more than usual.

It’s typical to feel thirsty when you’re dehydrated. This can happen because:

• you’re not drinking enough water

• you’re sweating too much

• you’ve eaten something very salty or spicy

But unmanaged diabetes can make you feel parched all the time without any reason.

Why diabetes thirst occurs

Excessive thirst is one of the first signs you might have diabetes. Thirst and having to urinate more frequently than your baseline are caused by too much sugar (glucose) in your blood.

When you have diabetes, your body can’t use sugars from food properly. This causes sugar to collect in your blood. High blood sugar levels force your kidneys to go into overdrive to get rid of the extra sugar.

The kidneys need to make more urine to help pass extra sugar from your body. You’ll likely have to urinate more and have a higher volume of urine.

This uses up more of the water in your body. Water is even pulled from your tissues to help get rid of the extra sugar. Because you’re losing lots of water, you can feel very thirsty.

Your brain will tell you to drink more water to hydrate. In turn, this triggers more urination. The diabetes urine and thirst cycle will continue if your blood sugar levels are left unbalanced.

Diabetes types

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. All types of diabetes are chronic conditions that can affect how your body uses sugars. Sugar is the fuel your body needs to power every single one of its functions.

Glucose from food must get into your cells where it can be burned for energy. The only way to carry glucose into the cells is via the hormone insulin. Without insulin to transport it, glucose stays in your blood.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that stops your body from making insulin. This type of diabetes can affect people of any age, including children.

Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 and usually affects adults. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body can still make insulin. You may not make enough insulin, though, or your body may not be able to use it properly. This is called insulin resistance.

Other diabetes symptoms

Excessive thirst and frequent urination can happen in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. You may also have other symptoms. Both types can cause similar symptoms if they’re not treated and managed.

Diabetes symptoms include:

• dry mouth

• red, swollen, or tender gums

• tiredness and fatigue

• excessive hunger

• weight loss, which typically occurs in type 1 diabetes

• slow healing

• frequent infections

• mood changes

• irritability

• numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, which indicates diabetic neuropathy

People with type 2 diabetes may not have any symptoms for many years. Symptoms may be mild and get worse slowly.

Type 1 diabetes causes symptoms quickly, sometimes in only a few weeks. Symptoms may be severe.

When to see a doctor

If you experience excessive thirst or other symptoms, you may have diabetes, or your diabetes may not be well-managed.

Ask a doctor to give you a blood test for diabetes.

Some diabetes blood tests will require fasting for at least 8 hours beforehand. For this reason, it’s often best to schedule your appointment first thing in the morning to deliver an effective HbA1c blood test.

Extracts taken from Noreen Iftikhar from www.healthline.com