If you are drinking lots of water, it may not be just because of the hot summer. Polydipsia or excessive thirst could also occur due to uncontrolled diabetes.
Experts say polydipsia basically means excessive thirst, where a person drinks lots and lots of water. Dr Manjunath Malige, director, diabetes & endocrinology, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, says, “This is usually an indication of fluid deficiency or dehydration. It typically happens when blood sugar levels are very high. When a person has high blood glucose levels, he/she will pass a lot of urine, leading to fluid deficiency and dehydration. This stimulates the thirst centre in the brain and the person starts feeling thirsty.”
Experts say there is no set measurement for the amount of water intake to determine the condition. However, if one is drinking about twice as much water than usual, then it could be polydipsia.
Causes of polydipsia
Polydipsia can be caused due to diabetes insipidus, a condition where the body produces excessive urine due to hormonal issues, resulting in fluid loss. However, this is not related to diabetes. Dr Malige explains, “The pituitary gland produces a hormone called antidiuretic hormone, which regulates the amount of water in the body in the form of water intake and urine passage. So, when this hormone is produced in very low quantities, the person will start urinating frequently, resulting in increased thirst.”
Dr Rajeshwari Janakiraman, chief consultant, diabetology and endocrinology, Manipal Hospital Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru, says that polydipsia can also result from a tumor or trauma to the thirst centre in the brain. “It could also be due to some psychological problem. It is then called psychogenic polydipsia. There are also some medications like anti-allergy medicines that can cause dryness in the mouth, thereby making you more thirsty,” she says.
Polydipsia and diabetes
Experts say if the blood glucose level crosses the renal threshold (concentration level up to which a substance dissolved in the blood is prevented from passing through the kidneys into the urine), the kidneys remove the extra glucose along with water through urine, resulting in excessive urination (polyuria). Dr Malige says, “Polydipsia is usually accompanied by polyuria, which refers to passing large volumes of urine, and this will lead to weight loss as well.” Dr Janakiraman adds, “Sometimes, diabetics can experience polydipsia as a result of polyuria, and since a lot of sugar is being excreted in the urine, it can also lead to polyphagia, which means increased hunger.” Polydipsia, polyuria and polyphagia can be referred to as the ‘three P’s’ of diabetes.
Polydipsia can also be a symptom of undiagnosed diabetes and can often be misinterpreted, says Dr Janakiraman. “In places with hot climate, like India, people might think they are drinking more water due to the heat, but it could be the other way around. Also, if people with diabetes aren’t careful and drink juices or coconut water, unaware of their high blood glucose levels, it can worsen the situation. So, if you have diabetes, it is best to drink plain water or something like buttermilk without sugar.”
According to Dr Malige, while polydipsia occurs in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it is more common in case of the type 1 variant. “As there’s no production of insulin in type 1 diabetes, the blood sugar level can rise very quickly, leading to dehydration,” he adds.
Treatment
Polydipsia can be managed depending on the cause. Controlling blood sugar levels through diet, exercises and medications can help to manage the condition in people with diabetes. “If it is caused due to hormonal imbalance, tests are done and the condition can be treated with medications,” says Dr Malige. Dr Janakiraman adds, if polydipsia is drug-induced and those drugs cannot be stopped, they are advised to have smaller amounts of cold or warm water. “People tend to drink less water when it is cold or warm. However, in case of diabetics, we tell them to drink as per thirst, but not in excess,” she says.
Takeaways
- Polydipsia refers to excessive thirst, where an individual drinks about twice as much water than usual.
- The condition can be caused due to uncontrolled diabetes, certain medications, hormonal or psychological issues and tumor or trauma to the brain.
- Polydipsia is usually accompanied by polyuria. Since a lot of sugar is excreted through urine, it can also lead to polyphagia.
- For people with diabetes, the best way to manage the condition is by controlling blood sugar levels through diet, exercises and medications.
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Educative and informative writing