01/7Watch out for the symptoms that indicate high blood sugar levels
Diabetes is a chronic condition that signals a dangerous increase in blood sugar levels. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes was the ninth leading cause of death in 2019, with an estimated 1.5 million deaths directly caused by diabetes.
According to the health organization, there are different types of chronic diabetes conditions including type 1 and type 2 diabetes. While type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, with type 2 diabetes, the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it resists insulin.
One of the most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes is frequent urination. As per the Mayo Clinic, in the case of diabetic patients, excess glucose builds up the blood, which is why the kidneys are forced to push themselves to filter and absorb the excess glucose.
But when your kidneys can’t keep up, the excess glucose is then excreted into your urine, bringing along fluids from your tissues, which makes you dehydrated. When patients drink more water, it leads to constant bathroom visits.
In a span of 24 hours, a healthy person is likely to urinate about six to eight times, considering they drink two liters of fluids a day. Peeing between 4 and 10 times daily is also considered healthy, given that it does not interfere with your day to day activities.
That said, if you’re visiting the bathroom more often than that, it could either mean that you’re drinking too much water, coffee or tea, or something more serious.
Urinating more than 7-10 times a day could be a sign of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
According to the UK’s National Health Services (NHS), the amount of urine can range from 3 litres in mild cases to up to 20 litres per day in severe cases of diabetes.
In addition, it is likely to make one feel thirsty all the time and may cause the person to have a “dry” feeling in the mouth, no matter how much water they drink, says the health body.
However, it is important to note that frequent urination does not necessarily mean diabetes. Those with high blood pressure or unrelated kidney or bladder issues may also pee more.
Doctor Preethi Daniel, Clinical Director at London Doctors Clinic told Patient.info, “Peeing lots does not automatically mean a disease, so there is no need to be anxious if you feel otherwise well.”