Can Thirst Be a Symptom of Diabetes?

From verywellhealth.com

Excessive thirst, known as polydipsia, is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes. It often occurs with other signs of diabetes, including frequent urination (polyuria) and intense hunger (polyphagia).

Diabetes is not the only cause of thirst. Feeling thirsty is also common when you’re dehydrated or have recently eaten a salty meal. Certain medications, like diuretics (“water pills"), may also increase thirst.

This article explores why diabetes causes excessive thirst, treatment and management of diabetes, and when to see your healthcare provider. 

Grace Cary / Getty Images

What Is Thirst? 

Thirst is defined as a strong feeling or craving to drink fluids, usually accompanied by sensations of dry mouth and throat. The human body is about 60% water, and feeling thirsty is a signal from the brain to replenish body fluids when dehydrated.

Staying hydrated is essential for supporting critical body processes and maintaining good health. Water helps regulate body temperature, lubricates joints, supports digestion, and removes waste, so it’s important to drink when you feel thirsty.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re insatiably thirsty and drinking more fluids than is typically recommended. If your thirst is caused by diabetes, diagnosis and treatment can help manage symptoms.

Is Thirst a Symptom of Diabetes?

Drinking fluids normally satisfies thirst. But people with diabetes often feel thirsty no matter how much fluid they consume. Excessive thirst is one of the earliest signs and most common symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high glucose (blood sugar) levels, or hyperglycaemia, in the bloodstream. The condition occurs when the body’s ability to produce or respond to insulin —a hormone that helps cells use blood sugar for energy—is impaired. 

When diabetes is left untreated and blood sugar levels remain too high for an extended period, the kidneys must work harder to filter excess glucose and eliminate it through urination. If you’re not drinking enough, the kidneys may draw fluids from body tissues and organs to produce more urine and clear out the glucose. This process can cause dehydration and make you feel thirsty. 

After drinking to quench your thirst, you'll urinate more often. If blood sugar levels remain high, the kidneys will continue working overtime to eliminate excess glucose, the brain will continue to send thirst signals, and you may continue to feel thirsty no matter how much fluid you consume. 

Treatments and Management of Excessive Thirst

Excessive thirst associated with diabetes can be managed with treatments that work to lower blood glucose levels. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, your healthcare provider will develop a treatment plan to keep your blood sugar level within a healthy range and manage symptoms of the disorder. Once your blood sugar level is well controlled, excessive thirst should wane. 

Treatments for diabetes vary depending on the type of diabetes you have.

Type 1 diabetes treatments include:

• Insulin therapy: Insulin is a vital component of type 1 diabetes management. It may be administered by injection, insulin pump, insulin pen, or an inhaler.
• Glucose monitoring: Frequent blood sugar monitoring can be done using blood-sugar meters or continuous glucose monitors. 
• Oral medications: Some people with type 1 diabetes may be prescribed blood pressure drugs and cholesterol medications with insulin to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications, such as cardiovascular disease. 
• Healthy lifestyle habits: Regular exercise, eating a diabetes-friendly diet (low in carbohydrates and processed sugars), and stress management are essential for managing type 1 diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes treatments include:

• Lifestyle changes: Some people with type 2 diabetes may manage the condition solely through eating a healthy diet low in carbohydrates and processed sugars, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise.  
• Oral medications: If healthy lifestyle habits are not enough to control glucose levels, oral medications that lower blood glucose levels may be prescribed. 
• Insulin: Not everyone with type 2 diabetes requires insulin, but it may be prescribed if lifestyle changes and oral medications are not effectively controlling glucose levels.

When to See Your Healthcare Provider

See your healthcare provider if your thirst is not quenched, regardless of how much you drink, and is accompanied by other unexplained symptoms. Other common symptoms of diabetes include:

• Increased hunger 
• Frequent urination
• Blurry vision 
• Weight loss without trying
• Persistent fatigue 
• Peripheral neuropathy, numbness or tingling in the hands and/or feet 
• Dry skin 

When you see your healthcare provider, they may ask questions about your excessive thirst, including how long you’ve been experiencing it, how quickly it developed, or if you’ve made any recent changes to your diet. If your healthcare provider suspects you have diabetes, they may order tests to check your blood glucose level to provide an accurate diagnosis. 

If you are being treated for diabetes and continue to feel thirsty all the time, your blood sugar levels are not being well controlled. Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms so they can adjust your treatment plan and help balance your blood sugar levels.  

Summary 

Excessive thirst is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. When blood sugar is higher than normal for an extended time, the kidneys must work extra hard to filter and eliminate excess sugar from the bloodstream. This can lead to dehydration and may make people with diabetes feel as if their thirst cannot be quenched.

Diabetes treatments, such as lifestyle changes, insulin therapy, and oral medications, can help control blood sugar levels to reduce symptoms, including excessive thirst. Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re thirstier than usual and have other diabetes symptoms.

If you have a diabetes diagnosis but continue to feel extra thirsty, your blood sugar may not be well controlled. Your healthcare provider may adjust your treatment regimen to help balance your blood glucose level.

A Word From Verywell

Excessive thirst may be an early sign of diabetes. If you live with diabetes, being mindful of your health can help keep your blood sugar levels under control. Taking care of yourself by following your treatment regimen, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular exercise can help you reduce symptoms and manage the condition. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Is excessive thirst a sign of diabetes?

  Excessive thirst is one of the earliest signs and most common symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It is often accompanied by other common symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination and intense hunger. 

• What are ways to manage thirst with diabetes?

  Diabetes treatments, such as insulin therapy and oral medications, can balance blood sugar levels and prevent or reduce excessive thirst. Drinking plenty of fluids may help in the short term, but keeping your blood sugar levels within a normal range is essential for managing thirst with diabetes. 

• https://www.verywellhealth.com/diabetes-and-thirst-6541361

The Three P’s of Diabetes

From verywellhealth.com

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by high blood sugar. It occurs when the body’s ability to turn glucose from the food you eat into energy is hindered. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps manage blood sugar levels in the bloodstream by helping blood sugar get into cells where it is used for energy. When the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or any at all, or if the body becomes resistant to insulin, sugar in the blood cannot enter cells and remains in the blood, resulting in high blood glucose.

There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when a person doesn’t produce enough insulin, while type 2 occurs when a person doesn’t respond to insulin or is insulin-resistant. Roughly 34.2 million American adults have at least one of these two types of diabetes, which is about one in 10 people. 

Three specific ailments are most common in people with diabetes: polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia, which are known as the three P's of diabetes.

Polydipsia

Polydipsia is the medical term used to describe extreme and excessive thirst. Often polydipsia is linked to conditions that affect the renal system and can cause a person to urinate more frequently than they should. This increase in urination leads the body to feel as though it needs to replace the liquid lost during urination. It has also been linked to conditions that lead to excessive fluid loss such as excessive sweating, high-salt diets, and the use of diuretics.

When it comes to diabetes, polydipsia is one of the most common symptoms. Since diabetes leads to an excessive amount of glucose in the blood, the body must do something to try to balance those levels. The kidneys create more urine so that the glucose can be excreted quickly, thus restoring glucose levels to normal. This can lead to a rapid loss of fluid and, in turn, thirstiness.

Polyuria 

Polyuria means urinating a lot, and it often goes hand in hand with polydipsia. It is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes.3 It is so typical in people who have diabetes because when glucose builds up, it can enter tubules within the kidneys. If the glucose goes into those tubules but is unable to be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream, it leads to an increase in urination. While the kidneys attempt to filter out the glucose, they also filter out more water from other parts of the body. This leads to the overproduction of urine that then needs to be secreted.

It can be difficult to diagnose the cause of polyuria without taking into consideration polydipsia as they are typically both present at the same time. When one is extremely thirsty, they tend to urinate more from drinking more liquids. When one urinates more, they become more dehydrated and experience an increase in thirst.

Central Diabetes Insipidus and the Three P's

Although people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can present with polydipsia and polyuria, another type of rare disorder known as central diabetes insipidus (CDI) can also lead to both excessive thirst and urination. The cause of CDI, however, is not related to common diabetes and can be attributed to a specific deficiency in the protein arginine vasopressin.

Polyphagia 

Polyphagia is the medical term used to describe excessive hunger. There are times when an increase in appetite is expected, such as after an increase in physical activity or during hormonal changes, but eating will typically satisfy the hunger and appetite levels will normalize following food consumption. In the case of polyphagia, eating will not stop the hunger.

In those with diabetes, since glucose is not easily transferred into cells to be used for energy, the body will continue to send signals to the brain that it is hungry because it isn’t getting the energy it needs from the food already eaten.

Diagnosis: Are the Three P’s Enough?

All three P's are found in most diabetics, but for those with type 2 diabetes, they may be less noticeable than in those with type 1 diabetes. In some cases, those with diabetes may not experience these symptoms at all and could still have the condition.

For a doctor to diagnose diabetes, they will take note of all the symptoms and perform some tests. Some tests a doctor will conduct include:

• A1C test: This test looks at a blood marker that gives an estimate of the average blood glucose over the past two to three months. If a person has diabetes, their percentage will be 6.5% or higher.
• Fasting blood sugar test: This test requires a person to avoid all food consumption for a period of time, typically overnight. It measures blood sugar levels after not eating to determine if they are still high without any food being put into the body. If a person has a level of 126 mg/dL or higher after a fasting test, they have diabetes.
• Glucose tolerance test: This test also requires an overnight fast, but it is done differently than the fasting blood sugar test. Doctors will measure your blood sugar levels before you drink a liquid that has glucose and then again after you do. The blood sugar levels could be checked anywhere from one to three hours after you drink this liquid. If after two hours blood sugar levels are 200 mg/dL or higher, that indicates that you have diabetes.
• Random blood sugar test: Unlike the fasting and glucose tolerance test, this one is done randomly without any fasting. If blood sugar levels are shown to be 200 mg/dL or higher, it indicates that someone has diabetes.

Treatment

Even if a person doesn’t have diabetes, the presence of polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia indicates that blood glucose levels in the body are high. It’s vital to control blood glucose levels to avoid any health complications that can arise from it. High blood sugar can lead to various health issues because it can cause blood vessel damage. When this happens, the risk for developing heart disease, kidney disease, vision or nerve problems, and stroke are all increased.

Managing blood sugar levels can be easy to do if a person is aware of the symptoms to watch out for. In the case of low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycaemia, keeping certain supplies handy such as fruit juice, regular soda, hard candy, or glucose tablets can help restore levels. To manage high blood sugar, also known as hyperglycaemia, it’s recommended that a person becomes more active on a regular basis and eats foods that have a low glycaemic index.

Consumption of carbohydrates should also be kept in check. Choose to eat fewer carbs or by choosing carbs that are slowly digested. This can help decrease the risk of a blood sugar spike. It’s also important to eat regularly and avoid skipping meals, limit alcohol and junk food consumption, and practice portion control.

Exercise and Blood Sugar Levels

Exercise is a vital component of managing blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that brief high-intensity workouts can help keep blood sugar in check for one to three days following the exercise session.

A Word From Verywell

In the event that you are suffering from the three P’s, you should seek medical attention from your doctor. They will help confirm or rule out diabetes. Other symptoms that aren’t included in the three P’s should also be monitored. Getting blood work regularly, even if you don’t have symptoms that are typically present for those with undiagnosed diabetes, can help identify whether you have high blood sugar or prediabetes. Early detection can help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by simply making a few lifestyle changes.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/three-ps-of-diabetes-5120529

Type 2 diabetes symptoms: Do you feel like you're always dehydrated? It could be a sign

From express.co.uk

TYPE 2 diabetes develops gradually over time, with one in four diabetics not knowing they have the condition. Could you be one of them? You may be if you're feeling thirsty right now

The tell-tale definition of diabetes is high blood sugars, which can be confirmed with a blood test or finger-prick device. For those who haven't been diagnosed with the condition, how can you tell if you've got it?
One of the earliest warning signs of diabetes is feeling "abnormally thirsty".

Medically known as polydipsia, the charity Diabetes UK added that the symptom is usually accompanied by "dryness of mouth".

This type of thirst isn't quenched by drinking a glass of water. In fact, no matter how much you drink, you still feel thirsty.

Abnormal thirst is one of the three big signs of type 2 diabetes: polyuria and polyphagia are the other two.
Polyuria – an increased need to urinate – tends to pair with abnormal thirst.

Why does this happen?

When the amount of sugar in the blood becomes too high, the kidneys work extra hard to remove excess sugar via urine.
This causes a person to urinate more often than usual (exceeding five litres per day).

             Type 2 diabetes: Do you find yourself drinking more and more? (Image: Getty)

Bear in mind the bladder – considered a storage tank for urine – can comfortably contain 500ml of wee. The NHS Trust commented that "the bladder should be emptied three to four hourly", meaning every four hours in a day.

People are recommended to drink between up to two litres every day, so doing the maths, four toilet trips in a day should be considered normal.
Those who suffer from diabetes are unable to effectively transport sugar from the blood into the cells.

Sugar (i.e. glucose) is an energy source for the body's cells, but in diabetes, the cells aren't able to absorb the sugar. As sugar keeps mounting in the bloodstream, instead of the cells, polyphagia can occur. Polyphagia is the feeling of intense hunger, as the body craves an energy source.
Simply eating will not satisfy feelings of polyphagia, as this will just increase blood sugar levels.

Sugar is sourced from the foods you eat, so eating will worsen symptoms.
If you're experiencing these symptoms, do book an appointment with your GP to get your blood sugar levels tested.

Other symptoms of the condition include fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision and slow-healing wounds.
Understandably, fatigue can occur as the body tires from not being able to use its energy source.
To recognise fatigue, it'll feel as though you're lacking in energy and you may find it difficult to carry out simple everyday tasks.
Feelings of dizziness may occur as the body becomes dehydrated and the brain struggles to function properly – this can show up as light-headedness.

Diabetes can cause the lens inside your eye to swell, affecting your vision – this can lead to temporary blurring of eyesight.
Slow-healing wounds can occur as diabetes affects the nerves, leading to poor circulation – and blood is vital in healing wounds.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1334694/type-2-diabetes-symptoms-abnormal-thirst-polydipsia