Is constant thirst a sign of illness? Why do you always want to drink water?

Doctors are sounding the alarm due to the rapid increase in diabetes incidence statistics. A group of foreign scientists decided to highlight the main prediabetic symptoms that make it possible to catch dangerous disease at an early stage of development and take timely measures for healing.

According to doctors, one of the first characteristic signs of the onset of diabetes is increased drowsiness, lethargy after eating. Such a reaction of the body is evidence that it is overloaded with carbohydrates. This is especially harmful if a person is addicted to food stuffed with so-called “fast” carbohydrates, supplied with sugar or white wheat flour. If after lunch you are overcome by an unbearable desire to sleep, you need to reduce the amount of foods with “fast” carbohydrates. Instead, eat foods with “slow”, more complex carbohydrates- cereals, vegetables, fresh fruits. It is also useful to give yourself a little physical activity after eating, for example, just walking for 15 minutes.

Another formidable symptom is carbohydrate thirst, that is, a strong craving for foods with simple carbohydrates. If you constantly crave sweets and starchy foods, it means that your pancreas is not working properly: it produces a large amount of insulin, which is why your blood sugar level does not remain stably even, but drops. It is dangerous to abruptly remove sugar from your diet in such a situation, but there is a way out - instead of sweets with refined sugar, eat nuts, carrots, and bananas.
High blood pressure with excess weight is a sure companion of diabetes. The blood becomes more viscous, which makes it more difficult for it to move throughout the body, and the cells do not receive the required amount of carbohydrates. In this case, it is necessary to reduce blood cholesterol levels and start losing excess weight.
A beer belly, which indicates the concentration of fat in the abdominal area, aggravates the tendency to diabetes. Belly fat contributes to increased blood pressure, increases the risk of cardiovascular pathologies. Fat belly in general high level cholesterol increases a person's chances of developing diabetes many times over.

A strong feeling of thirst can be absolutely normal after intense physical activity, on a hot afternoon, or even after eating something salty or spicy. But thirst, which appears for no reason and which is almost impossible to quench, is a serious signal sent by the body. Let's talk further about what diseases are indicated by constant thirst.
Syndrome constant thirst doctors call it polydipsia. This is a pathological phenomenon that indicates a clear lack of fluid in the body. Loss of fluid can be associated both with the above phenomena and after disruption of the body (vomiting, increased sweating, diarrhea).
Those diseases that are evidenced by constant thirst can be quite serious, so this alarming “bell” cannot be ignored. Most often, thirst is provoked by liver or kidney diseases, infectious diseases, increased blood sugar levels, improper water metabolism, burns. In addition, doctors also add what diseases you should think about when they appear. constant desire drink. These are diseases mental nature, nervous disorders, schizophrenia, obsessive and depressive states, a feeling of thirst often occurs after head injuries, possibly resulting in a concussion.

The natural feeling of thirst allows the body to function normally. This is a biological motivation, thanks to which the body receives the amount of fluid it needs and also maintains an optimal water-salt ratio. When thirsty, as you know, a feeling of dryness appears in the mouth. This feeling may be false or true. In case of false thirst, it is enough to simply rinse your mouth with water, after which this feeling goes away. If this was not enough, and the body requires large quantity water, it’s time to think about what diseases this condition may indicate.

To prevent the feeling of a constant desire to drink, it is necessary to promptly replenish the sufficient supply of fluid required by your body specifically. Correctly calculating fluid requirements will prevent fluid intake. For example, 1 kg of body weight of an adult requires about 40 g of water. This is a daily requirement. Taking these indicators into account, you can calculate how much water you need per day, and whether there is any reason to worry about unreasonably occurring thirst. It is a misconception that a person needs to drink at least two liters a day. Everyone has an individual need, depending on their own body weight. This is the indicator we should proceed from. True, an allowance should be made for the lifestyle an ordinary adult leads. Constant increased sweating and expenditure of large amounts of energy require drinking more water. But a sedentary lifestyle can reduce the need for fluid.

In addition, it should be taken into account that constant thirst indicates nervous overload and stress. If work is associated with worries and experiences, then thirst is inevitable.
We should also talk about the thirst that occurs in children. First of all, thirst can be provoked in adolescents due to the fact that they lead an active and mobile lifestyle. In children, the phenomenon of constant thirst indicates some dangerous conditions in the body. For example, a disorder of the cardiovascular system such as congestive heart failure indicates weakness of the heart muscle, which is not able to pump a sufficient volume of blood and oxygen. As soon as a child experiences even the slightest stress, his heart failure worsens, as evidenced by constant thirst.
Parents need to keep in mind that the child's urination and fluid intake should be proportional. Otherwise, you should consult a doctor and check the condition of your kidneys. The kidneys are natural system filtration in the body, and if their work is disrupted, they can completely stop absorbing water and retain it in sufficient quantity in organ systems.

In any case, you should not immediately draw conclusions about the presence of any diseases in your child or yourself if you experience frequent thirst. Observe young children for some time. If you notice any abnormalities, consult a doctor.
The most popular reasons for unreasonable feelings extreme thirst is diabetes mellitus. If, along with a strong desire to drink, an uncontrollable feeling of hunger appears, as well as frequent urination, we can assume that these are symptoms of diabetes. It can manifest in a similar way in children and adults.
Another disease is diabetes insipidus. With this disease, the sensitivity of the kidneys to antidiuretic hormone is impaired, or the amount of this hormone sharply decreases. With this disease, frequent urination may also make itself felt, strong feeling thirst, but the child loses his appetite.

An irresistible desire to drink should be satisfied only with clean water. If you drink tea, juices and carbonated drinks, you can cause even more harm to the body and aggravate the disease. If your body is sending you any signals, try to understand what diseases it is trying to tell you about. If the pathology indicated by constant thirst is not confirmed by doctors, reconsider your daily diet. Try to reduce the amount of spicy foods, salty foods and sweets you eat. Remember that thirst is caused by excessive smoking and dehydration after drinking alcohol and coffee. Before you see a doctor, make sure that your thirst is not caused by taking any medications prescribed to you.

The cause of night thirst can be a change in brain biorhythms. This conclusion was reached by a professor of neurology at McGill University in Quebec. Doctors advise to be attentive to the body, since thirst may hide other problems.

Reasons why you feel thirsty

People say “a fish can’t walk on dry land,” if you’ve eaten a herring, and even a salted one, put a carafe of water by the bed. The body needs moisture to restore water-salt balance. The amount of salt a person needs is 4 grams per day. If the norm goes off scale, the cells release water to equalize the concentration and signal to the brain about a lack of moisture. As a result, the person begins to suffer from thirst.

Poor nutrition

A diet low in fruits and vegetables increases the risk of dehydration. Vitamin A and riboflavin deficiency lead to dry mouth.

Thirst also occurs if you ate fatty and heavy foods during the day and before bed. These foods cause acid reflux or heartburn.

Not drinking enough water

The human body consists of water - 90% in infants, 80% in adolescents, 70% in adults, 50% in elderly people. Lack of moisture leads to disease and old age. Every day a person loses water through sweat glands and urine. To make up for the loss, the body turns on defense mechanism- I'm thirsty. He needs clean water.

According to research by American scientists, the amount of water per day depends on the physiology, place of residence and human activity. Some need 8 glasses, others more.

The following symptoms indicate a lack of water in the body:

go to the toilet rarely;
constipation;
dark colored urine;
dry mouth;
dry skin, sticky saliva;
dizziness;
feeling tired, lethargic, irritable;
increase in pressure.

Problems with the nasopharynx

Thirst at night can be caused by nasal congestion. The person begins to “breathe” through the mouth. The air is drying up oral cavity and leads to difficulty breathing and dryness.

Taking medications

Night thirst can be caused by taking medications from the group of painkillers, for diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, against infectious and fungal diseases.

Diabetes

High blood sugar, like salt, attracts water from cells. For this reason, the kidneys work intensively and urination becomes more frequent. Due to lack of moisture, the body signals thirst. Doctors call diabetic thirst polydipsia. Frequent desire to drink is a symptom that you need to pay attention to and get examined.

Kidney diseases

The desire to drink a lot of water day and night can provoke kidney diseases - polycystic disease, pyelonephritis, cystitis, glomerular nephritis and diabetes insipidus. If urinary tract affected by infection, in order to remove toxins, the body provokes increased urination.

At Not diabetes mellitus The kidneys are deficient in a hormone that helps them control the amount of water in the body. Excessive thirst is one of the symptoms of such diseases.

Anemia

Dry mouth may indicate anemia, a condition in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells. In addition to thirst, a person complains of dizziness, weakness, feeling tired, rapid pulse and sweating.

Is thirst dangerous at night?

The body's loss of water from 1-2% causes thirst. Often a person begins to experience it when the body is dehydrated. The body indicates a lack of moisture with symptoms:

pain in the limbs and back;
mood swings;
dry and pale skin;
fatigue and depression;
constipation and infrequent urination;
dark colored urine.

If the urine has become dark, the body is trying to solve the problem of removing toxins by retaining water in the kidneys. Doctors advise, especially older people, to pay attention to the color of urine. You should be alarmed if you have not urinated for several hours.

Most causes of thirst indicate pathology in the body. Monitor your condition - if thirst is not related to medication or diet, consult a doctor.

How to get rid of night thirst

The amount of fluid in the body is 40-50 liters. It is needed to nourish cells and organs, intervertebral discs And of cardio-vascular system. Thanks to the water in the compositions, shock-absorbing cushions are created and the gastrointestinal tract functions.

According to scientists, as soon as cells begin to experience moisture deficiency, the aging process begins. Daily requirement in water is 30 ml per 1 kg of weight. If you weigh 70 kg, your fluid volume is 2 liters. In this case, other factors are taken into account - place of residence, physiological data and work.

If you don't like drinking water, eat vegetables, fruits and greens. They are natural suppliers of clean water. Freshly squeezed juices, green and fruit teas also quench your thirst.

You drink a lot, five or even ten liters a day, but the thirst does not go away. At the same time, I constantly want to go to the toilet.

What could it be?

This picture is typical for diabetes mellitus. As a result of the disease, the level of glucose in the blood increases. This leads to increased formation and excretion of urine, which means dehydration.

Thirst also torments a person with another type of diabetes - diabetes insipidus, which develops due to the fact that the pituitary gland does not produce enough of the hormone vasopressin. Its deficiency also leads to increased urination, dehydration, and therefore an increased need to drink.

What to do?

You need to contact an endocrinologist for a diagnosis. If you have diabetes, you will need glucose-lowering medications and possibly insulin injections. With non-sugar - replacement therapy vasopressin analogues.

Situation 2

Although you drink a lot, little urine is excreted, and swelling has appeared.

What could it be?

Kidney problems. Persistent thirst occurs with pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, hydronephrosis and polycystic kidney disease.

What to do?

Contact a nephrologist without delay. The doctor will determine the diagnosis and select treatment. Don't delay your visit! Thirst may indicate a developing renal failure. This most dangerous condition often detected too late, when the patient can only benefit from hemodialysis or a kidney transplant. Therefore, paying attention to it in time means saving the kidneys from further destruction.

Situation 3

You are not only thirsty all the time, but you have also lost a lot of weight, feel pain in your bones, and get tired quickly. At the same time, you go to the toilet often, the urine has become whiter.

What could it be?

These symptoms indicate - increased function parathyroid glands. Against the background of this disease, calcium metabolism is disrupted; it is abundantly excreted in the urine, which is why it changes color.

What to do?

You need to contact an endocrinologist. Hyperparathyroidism is a condition that can lead to complications, including bone fractures and ulcers. duodenum. In addition, increased activity of the parathyroid glands may indicate the formation of an adenoma in them - benign tumor. Therefore, it is important to start treatment on time.

Situation 4

You are constantly thirsty, if there is a lack of water, you are prone to whims, irritable and conflict-ridden, but no other ailments are observed.

What could it be?

This condition is attributed to thirst of an unclear nature; the reasons here are more psychological than physiological.

What to do?

To be on the safe side, it's worth getting your kidneys checked. If they are healthy and have the opportunity to quench their thirst more often green tea or clean water, then it’s okay.

If drinking plenty leads to swelling, try to trick the body. Lean into the water and take a few swallows, but don't drink. If the reason is psychological, this is sometimes enough for our brain to feel like it has quenched its thirst for a while.

Situation 5

Intense thirst began to occur after you started taking medications for hypertension.

What could it be?

Drugs to reduce blood pressure They have a diuretic effect and also cause dry mouth. Because of this, thirst may increase. Other diuretics that some people use to try to lose weight can have the same effect.

What to do?

If you have hypertension, consult your doctor and, if possible, replace medications with diuretic effects with others. But it’s better to lose weight with diet and physical exercise, and not drugs and dietary supplements with diuretic components. Moreover, they only create the illusion of weight loss: it is not fat that goes away, but water, which is quickly replenished as soon as you drink it.

People who are always thirsty often don’t even think that this state of affairs is not the norm. They don’t even notice how they drain countless glasses, mugs and bottles of liquid, be it tea, coffee, juice, compote, mineral water or just water. Even their loved ones get used to such “peculiarities” of behavior and do not pay attention. In fact, finding the root cause is very important for health.

To maintain water-salt balance
To ensure thermoregulation
To improve your well-being
To ensure normal metabolism
To thin the blood
For joint lubrication
To obtain energy
To improve digestion

According to research, the average daily fluid intake for a person is about two liters. But some drinkers manage to drink much more. Some do not even experience discomfort in the form of frequent visits to the toilet or a full stomach. Why do you always want to drink? Where does the desire to saturate the body with life-giving moisture come from?

Reasons for frequent desire to get drunk:

False drinks.

It has been proven that any liquid other than water cannot truly quench your thirst. After all, only H2O is a drink for the body, and everything else is food. Moreover, some drinks, especially sweet or alcoholic ones, cause dehydration. Everyone knows what sushnyak is in the morning after drinking strong drinks in the evening. Lemonade and cola also cause thirst due to increased blood sugar.

Incorrect drinking process.

If in big gulps quickly drink a lot (1-3 liters) of water or other liquid, then the stomach will be filled immediately, and the thirst will not subside. Because the brain will process the signal about receiving moisture only within 10 minutes. It is not surprising that during this time you will want to drink more and more, especially if you did not have the opportunity to drink right away.

With kidney and heart failure, diabetes, liver disease, constant thirst is observed. This is due to dysfunction of vital important organs, in this case it is violated water balance the body, because too much fluid is excreted uncontrollably.

Brain injury or pathology.

The center responsible for the feeling of thirst is located in the brain; if it is damaged due to injury or affected by a tumor, then it sends distorted signals.

Environment.

If a person is in conditions of dry and warm air, he will feel thirsty all the time, because the consumption of fluid in the body will increase due to the drying out of the mucous membranes and increased sweating.

Poor nutrition.

It is known that after eating salty, sweet, smoked, spicy and floury foods, you are drawn to water. It is quite logical that if you eat such foods all the time, then thirst will not disappear, because the body will need water to absorb “heavy” food and remove the harmful substances contained in it.

Work specifics.

People who, due to their profession, have to talk a lot (teachers, politicians, presenters, etc.) often experience thirst due to the drying out of the oral mucosa. Who works in dry, warm rooms, especially physically. After all, the amount of fluid excreted by the body increases to maintain normal body temperature.

Smoking, alcohol, drugs.

Heavy smokers and drug addicts often suffer from thirst. This is due to the fact that the body tries to remove toxic substances that poison the blood and all organs. If you drink alcohol in large doses in the evening, then the next morning the body will suffer from dehydration, which is confirmed by the so-called dryness. Thirst is also one of the main signs of a person who uses drugs.

Taking medications.

For some drugs by-effect- dry mouth, which provokes thirst. These include diuretics, antibiotics, expectorants, and sedatives.

Frequent stress or anxiety.

It has been proven that when a person is worried or worried, he feels dry mouth, this can be regarded as thirst. The reason lies in increased heart rate, rapid breathing, often increased sweating caused by stress.

Why you shouldn't drink a lot

Frequent thirst leads to the need to drink a lot to quench the body's desire. But overuse liquid has an adverse effect on humans. History has even recorded fatal cases of “intoxication” with water. What kind of troubles can await water farmers?

The body's salt balance is disrupted
The kidneys and heart are overloaded
Stomach stretches

How to fight desire

First, you need to learn to drink plain clean water. Not even mineral, much less carbonated. Scientists say that tea, sweet carbonated and other drinks do not quench thirst. On the contrary, they dehydrate the body because they require plain water to be absorbed.

Next, you need to establish the correct drinking process. It involves drinking water slowly, taking small sips. After all, it has long been proven that the feeling of thirst disappears approximately 10 minutes after drinking liquid.

Recommend daily norm Drink water regularly in equal portions, without waiting for thirst to appear. But it should be taken into account that under certain conditions (sports, increased body temperature, heavy sweating) the amount of H2O needs to be increased.

It is also advised to make it a habit to drink clean water in the morning immediately after sleep and before each meal, about 10-15 minutes. Drinking in the morning will help the body wake up faster.

A glass of water before meals will help determine whether the body really needs food or whether the feeling of hunger is simply intertwined with thirst. If you don’t feel like eating 10 minutes after drinking water, it means there was a signal about the need for water. If the feeling of hunger has not passed, then it’s time to eat.

If you have abnormal thirst, it is best to consult a doctor. Establishing the cause of regular thirst will help to understand the problem and avoid deterioration in health. In such a situation, it is better to get tested, the first of which is a blood sugar test. An MRI of the brain, ultrasound of the kidneys and liver may be recommended.

This is interesting:

The so-called drinks are not actually drinks, but food. This is explained by the fact that the body must expend some energy to absorb any substance other than water. That’s why expressions like “have some tea” were used in the past.

A lack of salt in the body is just as dangerous as its excess. If a person limits his salt intake and drinks a lot of water, he may well develop a disease such as hyponatremia.

There is an opinion that if you drink more than three liters of water in an hour, you can die from swelling of the brain, lungs or a decrease in potassium levels in the body.

Thirst occurs when the body is already 2% dehydrated. With a loss of 10% of fluid, a person begins to experience dizziness, impaired speech, and coordination of movements; at 20-25%, death occurs.

Designed for long distance runners special mode drinking to quench thirst and not harm the body with excess fluid.

Frequent thirst can have many causes. In any case, it's worth sticking to healthy image life, regular and balanced nutrition, drink 1-2 liters of water per day. It is better to use mineral water only for treatment as prescribed by a doctor. Then the body will work like a clock, and the drinking regime will return to normal, thirst will cease to bother you.

Doctors call the syndrome of constant thirst polydipsia. This is a pathological phenomenon that indicates a clear lack of fluid in the body. Loss of fluid can be associated both with the above phenomena and after disruption of the body (vomiting, increased sweating, diarrhea).

Those diseases that are evidenced by constant thirst can be quite serious, so this alarming “bell” cannot be ignored. Most often, thirst is provoked by liver or kidney diseases, infectious diseases, increased blood sugar levels, improper water metabolism, and burns. In addition, doctors also add what diseases you should think about if you have a constant desire to drink. These are mental illnesses, nervous disorders, schizophrenia, obsessive and depressive states, the feeling of thirst often occurs after head injuries, possibly resulting in a concussion.

Natural Causes of Thirst

Evaporation of water through sweat. The body produces sweat when physical activity or increased ambient temperature. If you're sweating and now you're thirsty, that's normal. Don't worry - this is a normal reaction. You should be wary of excessive sweating. U different people can be considered normal different level sweating. Sweating should be considered excessive if you observe a sharp increase in sweating compared to your usual level. Such a change may be a symptom of a number of diseases of the lungs, kidneys, heart, nervous system, immune system, inflammatory processes. Inflammatory processes can be determined by elevated temperature bodies. Diagnosis of other factors will require visiting a doctor and conducting tests and laboratory tests.

High body temperature can cause thirst. Take your temperature and see a doctor if it is elevated.

Very dry air. If the air around is very dry, then the body loses moisture and occurs. desire drink. Air conditioners especially dry the air. If thirst goes away when the humidity normalizes, then the reason is not in your health, but in the dry air. Drink more water. Get some plants. Plants evaporate a lot of water, raising humidity.

Soft water. If you drink water with insufficient mineral salts, you may experience constant thirst. Mineral salts promote the absorption of water and its retention in the body. Try drinking bottled water with a normal content of minerals, or, if this is not contraindicated for you, then mineral water sodium chloride group with a small salt content. If it doesn’t help, then the reason is not the water, but something else.

Hard water, excess salts in the diet. Excess mineral salts can also cause thirst, since salts, if in excess, attract water and prevent its normal absorption by cells. The kidneys remove excess salts along with water.

Diuretic food. Some foods have a diuretic effect. For example, coffee. I can't drink coffee at all. Afterwards I die of thirst. Diuretic products help remove water from the body. Dehydration and desire to drink occur. Try to give up such food for a while. If thirst has disappeared, then everything is fine with your health, such thirst is safe, you can return to normal food intake, drink water for your health.

Spicy or salty foods. Spicy or salty foods simply irritate the mouth and throat. Thirst arises reflexively. Avoid such foods for a while. If the thirst has passed, then there is no point in worrying further. You can return to your normal diet. It is completely normal to drink spicy and salty foods with plenty of water.

Causes of pathological thirst

Here are some of the most common causes of pathological thirst (polydipsia):

Lack of water and salt in the body (for example, as a result of sweating, diarrhea, vomiting).
Taking certain medications.
Excessive consumption of alcohol, caffeine and salt.

Possible diseases

Thirst may be a sign of a more serious illness; it is caused by:

Hyperglycemia ( increased content blood sugar);
Diabetes;
Diabetes insipidus (water metabolism disorder);
Renal disorders (for example, Fanconi syndrome);
Dehydration;
Liver diseases (hepatitis or cirrhosis);
Bleeding (for example, in the intestines);
Burns or infection;
Head injury;
Mental disorders (schizophrenia, obsessive states that cause thirst).

Medications

Taking certain medications can cause thirst.

Diuretics. Used in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes and heart failure. Also prescribed for edema and diabetes insipidus. They lead to frequent urination and dehydration of the body.
Tetracycline antibiotics. Used for treatment bacterial infections. Remove sodium from the body.
Lithium. Used for treatment bipolar disorder and other mental disorders.
Phenothiazine. Used to treat schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

How to get rid of constant thirst?

Try to drink before you feel the urge to drink water. To prevent thirst from making itself felt, drink half a cup of clean water every hour. Increase the amount of fluid you drink if you are for a long time in a dry, warm room. It is recommended to drink eight glasses of liquid throughout the day.

Watch your urination. To rid your body of dehydration, you should drink enough fluid so that your urine is not dark or too dark. light color. An indicator of sufficient fluid content is urine of normal, moderate yellow color.

Drink clean water during physical work, sports training. During hard work, a person loses from 1.5 to 2 liters of fluid and only after that does he feel thirsty. Therefore, to avoid dehydration, drink half a glass of water 15 minutes before starting work or playing sports. Then drink water every 15 minutes. during and 15 minutes after finishing work or training.

If thirst is constant, you drink a large amount of liquid per day, but you still want to drink, you need to take a blood test for high sugar. Since diabetes may be the cause of constant thirst, you need to undergo medical examination, and if necessary adhere to special program treatment, diet.

So we talked about why constant thirst appears, the reasons, and how to get rid of it. If the symptoms described above appear, you should immediately seek advice from an endocrinologist or therapist. If you want to drink after a head injury, then you need to see a neurologist or traumatologist. Having established the cause of constant thirst, it is easier to get rid of it obsessive-compulsive disorder. Be healthy!