subject: The Relationship Between Diabetes and Thirst [print this page] The Relationship Between Diabetes and Thirst
The link between diabetes and thirst will solely be best understood if one encompasses a correct data of the pathophysiology of the disease. The will to drink water most of the times is one in every of the indications that one might have the disease.
Water is required for the body's metabolic activities; it conjointly provides a soothing surroundings for the body cells. It's maintained within the interstitial and intercellular spaces, and additionally assists the body to eliminate some merchandise of metabolism. As a result of this activity of serving to to eliminate waste product, it needs to provide urine which is the vehicle for the bye merchandise to be transported out of the kidneys.
But, when there is diabetes mellitus, glucose (with high molecular weight) is excreted out of the body through the urinary system. As the blood glucose level rises, it leads to impairment within the renal tubular re-absorption mechanism for glucose. This ends up in some sugar being excreted in the urine.
This excretion of glucose in urine, called glucosuria, happens when its level exceeds 180mg/100ml of blood. Water is excreted as glucose is eliminated from the body. Its high molecular weight ends up in the formation and excretion of high amount of urine, a condition known in medical parlance as polyuria.
Since water is important for the maintenance of the body's metabolic activities, the body tries to compensate for this loss by sending a message to the brain that in turn stimulates the desire to drink water. So the individual feels thirsty most of the times (Polydipsia) as a means of replacing the fluid lost through frequent, excessive urination.
More typically, the quantity of fluid the individual takes is not enough to make amends for this frequent loss. This brings regarding increased thirst; and when the fluid intake eventually becomes inadequate, the individual becomes dehydrated.
Since the renal tubular re-absorption mechanism is overwhelmed, the individual is unable to regulate the frequency with which urine is made; he/she passes urine many times throughout the day and in the dark this also leads to a disturbance in his sleep as he has to urge up several times to ease himself.
Simply because the individual loses fluid through frequent urination, he conjointly feels thirsty involuntarily as a approach of creating a balance between intake and output. This explains the explanation why the there is uncontrollable thirst in diabetes.
It's so advisable for you to test your blood sugar level the moment you begin to feel you're having an uncommon thirst, particularly if it's conjointly in the course of frequent or excessive urination.