Thirst is a sign that your body needs more water. While it’s normal to feel thirsty after working out or eating something spicy, excessive thirst could indicate a health problem.
7 causes of excessive thirst
1. Dehydration
Dehydration can occur when you sweat too much, whether through vigorous exercise or too much sun exposure. It can also be caused by diarrhea and vomiting, leading to the loss of water and electrolytes from the body. Signs of dehydration include excessive thirst as well as:
2. Diabetes
Diabetes can cause polydipsia (excessive thirst) and polyuria (increased frequency of urination). When sugar levels become very high, your body tries to remove it through urine. This glucose-rich urine takes water along with it, which causes people with diabetes to urinate frequently. This can make you feel thirsty all the time.
3. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
- Fruity or acetone smell on the breath
- Dry or flushed skin
- Abdominal pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea and vomiting
- Tiredness
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Loss of consciousness
- Coma
DKA is a life-threatening condition that requires emergency medical help. Emergency medical treatment involves replenishing the body with fluids administered intravenously and bringing blood sugar levels down by administering insulin. Blood sugar testing and urine ketone testing kits are available over the counter that can help you monitor your blood sugar level and ketone levels at home.
4. Pregnancy
Feeling thirsty most of the time and feeling the need to pee often are two common signs of pregnancy. However, since these can also be signs of gestational diabetes, consult your doctor and screen yourself for diabetes if you think you are at risk.
5. Medications
Excessive thirst can be a side effect of certain medications:
- Anticholinergics (class of medications used for a wide variety of illnesses including diarrhea, asthma, and Parkinson’s disease)
- Demeclocycline (antibiotic used for bacterial infections)
- Diuretics (class of medications given to reduce body swelling and for hypertension)
- Phenothiazines (class of medications given for convulsions)
- Lithium (mood-stabilizer given for mental disorders such as mania)
- Antipsychotics
- Antidepressants
- Alpha agonists (class of medications given for hypertension and ADHD)
- SGLT2 inhibitors (a type of diabetes medication)
- Steroids
If you are on these medications and begin to feel thirstier even after drinking plenty of fluids, do not stop these medications until consulting your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe another medication.
6. Diabetes insipidus
Polydipsia may be a symptom of diabetes insipidus. Unlike diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus is a rare condition that affects 1 in 25,000 people and is caused by a problem with the production of the hormone vasopressin. Vasopressin is secreted by the pituitary gland and promotes water retention in the kidneys. If you have diabetes insipidus, you may pass large volumes of clear, odorless urine. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, your urine output may fall anywhere between 3.4-22.7 liters a day. Normally, a healthy person produces 800-2,000 milliliters of urine a day with typical fluid intake of about 2 liters per day.
7. Psychogenic polydipsia
Psychogenic polydipsia, also known as primary polydipsia, is a form of polydipsia characterized by excessive fluid intake without any physiological stimuli to drink. It is caused by psychiatric disorders, often schizophrenia, which is often accompanied by the feeling of dry mouth.
Thirst – Excessive. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003085.htm
Diabetes insipidus. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/diabetes-insipidus
3 Reasons Why You May Be Feeling Really Thirsty. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/reasons-why-you-may-be-feeling-really-thirsty/
Levy M, Prentice M, Wass J. Diabetes insipidus. BMJ. 2019 Feb 28;364:l321.
Top Why Am I So Thirsty Even After Drinking Water Related Articles
Diabetes Tips: Managing and Living With Diabetes
If you have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you need to approach life differently. Learn nutrition tips to control blood sugar, ways to manage your insulin, hyperglycemia triggers like stress, and what to do when traveling with diabetes. Discover the various symptoms of diabetes, how they put your body at risk, and steps you can take to live better with diabetes.
Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
Dehydration in Adults & Children
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms of dehydration include headache, lightheadedness, constipation, and bad breath. Treatment for dehydration is to replace lost fluids and electrolytes.
Dehydration Slideshow
Do you know the signs of dehydration? Dehydration can be mild or life-threatening. Learn causes, symptoms, treatments, and prevention tips to avoid dehydration.
Dehydration: Causes and Prevention
Dehydration occurs when the body fluid loss exceeds the intake. If the lost fluid is not replaced, it will eventually lead to a decrease in fluid levels in the body, affecting normal body functions. The most prominent effect of dehydration is low blood pressure, which triggers the stress response in the body.
Diabetes Quiz
Take the Diabetes Quiz and learn the causes, signs, symptoms, and types of this growing epidemic. What does diabetes have to do with obesity and diet? Learn about life as a diabetic.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a complication of type 1 diabetes that is life threatening. If a person thinks they may have diabetic ketoacidosis they should seek medical care immediately. Diabetic ketoacidosis happens when a person's insulin levels in the blood become dangerously low. Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis include dehydration, abdominal pain, confusion, and nausea and vomiting. Diabetic ketoacidosis needs medical treatment. It cannot be treated at home.
Healthy Living: Why Am I Always Thirsty?
Do you always feel thirsty? Find out if there's a medical reason behind your need for a long drink.What Are the 14 Signs of Dehydration?
Dehydration is a common problem. While many people think they’re drinking enough, approximately 75% of Americans aren’t. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of dehydration is important for reversing it and ensuring your body gets the water it needs.
Diabetes Urine Tests
Diabetes urine tests can help with the early detection of diabetic kidney disease, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and ketones, which may lead to ketoacidosis.