Thirst is normally just the brain's way of warning that you're dehydrated because you're not drinking enough fluid. But excessive and persistent thirst (known as polydipsia) could be a sign of an underlying problem such as diabetes.
We all need to drink water — typically more than we realize. So, what if you drink loads of water each day but are still feeling thirsty and dehydrated? It can be a sign that something else is going on. Factors like your medication, how much you sweat and if you're sick can affect your levels of hydration.
Normally when we get dehydrated (as measured by an increasing concentration of solutes in our blood) thirst kicks in to make us drink water to dilute our blood back down to an acceptable level. But, once we start drinking, this sensation generally subsides within a minute or less, even if we were really thirsty.
Extreme Thirst
No matter how much you drink, it feels like you're still dehydrated. Your tissues (such as your muscles) are, in fact, dehydrated when there's too much glucose (sugar) in your blood.
Polydipsia is the medical term for extreme thirst that a person cannot quench by drinking. It is not a disease but a symptom of certain health problems, such as diabetes. People who have this symptom should see a doctor.
Diabetes insipidus is a condition in which your ability to control the balance of water within your body is not working properly. Your kidneys are not able to retain water and this causes you to pass large amounts of urine.
Your body's fluid levels affect how well your kidneys can filter out toxins, and also have a big impact on blood pressure. If you haven't taken in enough for your body to keep things running well, your brain will let you know by triggering a thirst response, Dr. Moreno says.
Anemia: According to the US National Health, Lung and Blood Institute, severe anemia might lead to excessive thirst. Anemia is a condition in which there are low levels of healthy red blood cells due to the production of defective red blood cells. This, in turn, causes a lack of oxygen to various organs of the body.
Excessive thirst and increased urination are common diabetes signs and symptoms. When you have diabetes, excess glucose — a type of sugar — builds up in your blood. Your kidneys are forced to work overtime to filter and absorb the excess glucose.
Magnesium is a natural mineral essential to health and hydration. Although it's not as directly important to hydration as Sodium and Potassium, it still plays an important role. That's why we make sure to put Magnesium at optimal levels in Hydrant, our potent hydration mix.
When You're Drinking Too Much Water. In most people, with normal kidney function, drinking too much water can irritate your bladder increasing the risk of urine leakage. As fluid intake increases, the amount of urine made will increase along with it.
The average person will take about 10 minutes or less for their body to process one glass of water because they have normal levels of bodily functions such as digestion and absorption.
Experiencing feelings of thirst is completely normal and should be addressed; however, it is not necessarily a good indicator of dehydration. Other common warning signs your body uses to alert you to drink more water are dry mouth, feeling weak, fatigue, irritability, and headaches.
Adipsia, also known as hypodipsia, is a symptom of inappropriately decreased or absent feelings of thirst. It involves an increased osmolality or concentration of solute in the urine, which stimulates secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) from the hypothalamus to the kidneys.
Is clear urine always a good thing? In most cases, clear urine is a sign that you're well hydrated. And that's a positive thing because good hydration helps your body function at its best. But, in some cases, clear pee may mean that you're drinking too much water and you're too hydrated.
What's normal and how many times is too frequent to urinate? Most people pee about seven to eight times per day, on average. If you feel the need to pee much more than that, or if you're getting up every hour or 30 minutes to go, you might be frequently urinating.
Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed via a blood test and sometimes a urine test. Your doctor may order the blood test if you have symptoms such as weakness, irritability, abnormal heart rhythm, nausea and/or diarrhoea, or if you have abnormal calcium or potassium levels.
Health risks of too much vitamin D
extreme dehydration.
If you have diabetes insipidus, you'll continue to pee large amounts of watery (dilute), light-colored urine when normally you'd only pee a small amount of concentrated, dark yellow urine.
Common symptoms of diabetes: Urinating often. Feeling very thirsty. Feeling very hungry—even though you are eating.