Why is frequent urination a symptom of diabetes

Normally, when your kidneys create urine, they reabsorb all of the sugar and direct it back to the bloodstream. With type 1 diabetes, excess glucose ends up in the urine, where it pulls more water and results in more urine.

As we mentioned above the dehydration that results from polyuria, or excessive urination, can lead to kidney problems—or even diabetic ketoacidosis, which can be life-threatening. We value your privacy. When you visit JDRF. I Decline I Agree. Diabetes is a condition that, among other symptoms, causes your body to have trouble creating or using insulin. Insulin is a hormone that draws glucose or sugar into the cells to use as energy.

This can result in highly elevated blood sugar levels. Too much sugar in your blood is extremely taxing on the kidneys , which work to process that sugar. This process also flushes out valuable hydrating fluids from your body, often leaving people with diabetes peeing frequently as well as dehydrated.

One of the key warning signs, however, should be if frequent urination starts to wake you up from sleep and deplete your energy levels.

But urinating more than usual is just one of many signs and can be caused by any number of health conditions. If you notice several of them, or just want to be sure, consult a doctor. There is no normal amount of times to pee on a daily basis. Frequent urination is usually defined as having to go more frequently than you normally do.

Urinating more often than normal can result from a number of different factors. Diabetes is only one possible explanation. Some other conditions that can sometimes affect your bladder function include:.

Some of these causes, like having an overactive bladder , are inconvenient but relatively harmless. Other conditions are quite serious.

You should see a doctor about your frequent urination if:. Treating bladder problems stemming from diabetes is best approached by treating the disease as a whole.

If you do have diabetes, your doctor will come up with a treatment plan specifically for you. In general, common treatments for diabetes include:.

But, in order for your cells to bring glucose in for energy, they need insulin. For someone who doesn't have diabetes, the body reabsorbs glucose as it passes through the kidneys. But that's not the case for people with diabetes. Instead, your body will try to get rid of the excess by making more urine," Johnson explained.

Naturally, if your body is making more urine, you're going to have to urinate more often.