Type 2 diabetes can seem harmless at first glance because the symptoms do not necessarily make you feel unwell. In fact, a person can live with the chronic condition for years without knowing it. Diabetes only tends to assert itself when blood sugar levels are consistently high and when this occurs, an unusual toilet habit may ensue warning you may be at risk of the chronic condition.
When a person has type 2 diabetes, their level of sugar in the blood is often abnormally high.
With these sugars, not all of them can be reabsorbed and some of this excess glucose from the blood ends up in the urine where it draws more water.
When this occurs, a person will have unusually large volumes of urine causing a condition known as polyuria.
Polyuria is a condition where the body urinates more than usual and passes excessive or abnormally large amounts of urine each time you urinate, said Diabetes.co.uk
The health site continued: “Polyuria is defined as the frequent passage of large volumes of urine – more than three litres a day compared to the normal daily urine output in adults of about one to two litres.
“It is one of the main symptoms of diabetes and can lead to severe dehydration, which if left untreated can affect kidney function.
“Polyuria is usually the result of drinking excessive amounts of fluids, particularly water and fluids that contain caffeine or alcohol.”
In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, the effect of polyuria on bladder function in diabetes was investigated.
The study noted: “Fluid intake and urine output were increased in diabetic and polyureic animals; failure to appropriately gain weight was seen in diabetics only.
“Overall, many characteristic changes in cystometrographic studies in diabetic animals could be attributed to polyuria.
“In histological studies, bladder hypertrophy, increase in smooth muscle and urothelium, and increase in protein and DNA content per bladder were observed in diuretic and diabetic rats.”
The study concluded that although lower urinary tract changes in anatomy and function in diabetic patients might arise from a number of causes, polyuria seems to play an important causative role.
When a person’s blood glucose levels become too high, the body tries to assist this situation by removing the excess glucose from the blood through the kidneys.
The kidneys will also filter out more water while this happens, and the result is a person needing to urinate more than usual.
This is often an indication that something is not right and why an increased need to urinate could be a warning sign that you may be at risk of type 2 diabetes.
Blood glucose testing strips is a way for a person to test their sugar levels if they are concerned, they may be at risk.
If you have diabetes but don’t have blood glucose testing supplies, you may wish to note down how often you are urinating and discuss this with your health team.
Your health team should be able to advise whether the problem may be related to diabetes and any remedial action you can take.
“The most common sign of polyuria is producing abnormally large volumes of urine at regular intervals throughout the day and at night,” added Diabetes.co.uk.
“If you are concerned about the amount you urinate and think you may have polyuria, you should make a note each day of how much you drink, how often you urinate and how much urine you produce every time you go to the toilet.”
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