The feeling of thirst helps our body to maintain normal body temperature and to maintain normal bodily functions based on seasonal changes. Thirst is a natural thing. It’s normal to feel thirsty after having a meal, after a hard workout session, and while roaming around in hot sunlight. But for some people, thirst is a frequent happening. Also, no amount of water would be able to quench their thirst. This could be a sign of problems in the body.
Why thirst?
Your body is made of 70% water. Starting from the small muscles to bones contains water. When the body is deprived of water, there is a decrease in the level of oxygen. So our brain indicates the need for water in the form of thirst.
What is excessive thirst?
A normal person needs around 2 to 3 liters of water every day. When a person feels the need to drink more than these normal levels of water, we can consider it as excessive thirst.
What is the reason for excessive thirst?
Excessive thirst could be a sign that there is a problem in the body. Some people could feel excessive thirst when they are about to catch a cold. Apart from this, it could also be a sign of other problems in the body and some common reasons as follows.
1. Dehydration
When glands in your body start to secrete lesser amounts of fluids, it makes your body deprived of water. This leads to loss of water in the body and hence excessive thirst. There are some reasons for this.
- The body is not in good health condition.
- Roaming in hot sunlight.
- Excessive sweating due to various body problems.
- Frequent urination.
2. Diabetes Mellitus
When there are excessive levels of sugar in your blood, your kidneys will have a hard time to purify it. This will hinder the workings of your kidneys. Due to this reason a person will start to feel excessive thirst. So it could also be a symptom of Diabetes Mellitus
3. Diabetes Insipidus
There will be frequent urination problem, when there is low-level secretion of the Antidiuretic hormone in the brain, this can trigger excessive thirst. This problem is termed as Diabetes Insipidus. This can be controlled using proper treatment.
4. Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is a stage when all of a sudden the blood glucose levels starts to shoot up beyond the normal level. In order to maintain a normal glucose level, our body will trigger urination more frequently. This leads to dehydration and excessive thirst. This problem can be controlled by controlling blood glucose levels.
5. Mental problems
Anxiety and depression sometimes trigger the need for high levels of water. Problems like Food poison and Gastroenteritis, also cause excessive thirst in some people.
Who needs to be more watchful?
Most victims of excessive thirst are women. If a woman over 40 years of age feels excessive thirst, there is a 70% chance that it could be due to diabetes. So it is better to test for diabetes immediately. For women over 60 years of age, Dyspepsia is one of the main causes of excessive thirst. Dyspepsia brings along high blood pressure as well. It’s important to keep that in mind.