Frequent urination – first signs of diabetesFrequent urination is one of the first signs of diabetes. The others are listed on the home page but include excessive thirst, fatigue and weight loss. The question is what is the cause of frequent urination? To answer this question we have to analyse how this system works. The insulin hormone that is produced by the pancreas causes the cells of the body and muscle tissues to effectively use glucose for energy. If the insulin does not work properly maybe because the cells are insulin resistant or the pancreas is not producing enough insulin the glucose remains in the blood. The glucose remains in the blood and continue increasing until it is very high causing hyperglycaemia. As a result of the cells in the body not being able to utilise the extra glucose the body has to try to get rid of it. The best way for the body to rid itself or try to rid itself of the extra glucose is by dumping it through the kidneys through the process of frequent urination. Therefore in other words, excess urination is an opportunity for the body to rid itself of the extra glucose in the blood. This process is representative of diabetes mellitus, which is sometimes referred to as “sugar diabetes”. It is thought that the normal level of urine per day by the average adult person is one to two litres. There are other autoimmune explanations for frequent urination apart from sugar diabetes. The other main explanation for excessive urination is “water diabetes”. Water diabetes has nothing to do with the pancreas or blood sugar levels. It instead relates to the improper functioning of the anti diuretic hormone (ADH) which causes the kidneys to pass urine frequently. This can be corrected through medication or if the condition is not severe it could be remedied by simply drinking more fluids. There are other causes of frequent urination. These include: Alcohol Psychogenic polydipsia – This is the compulsive drinking of water. The body will get rid of the excess water it is receiving. The best way to remedy this condition is to monitor fluid intake. Pre diabetes or hyperglycaemia Renal failure The important thing to note is that the only way to definately identify diabetes is to do a blood glucose test. That is either the fasting plasma blood glucose test or the oral glucose tolerance test. Speak to your health care team for advice as to what to do.
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