Common Causes Of Diuresis

February 5, 2024

Diuresis occurs when individuals are unable to get through the day without making frequent trips to the restroom. Many individuals don't think too much of it, and may even poke fun at themselves by thinking they have the bladder of a pregnant woman or small child. The problem is adults should only go the restroom an average of four to six times each day. They also only produce anywhere from three cups of urine to three quarts of urine each day.

If an individual uses the bathroom more than that but has not increased their fluid intake, they may have diuresis. This means the kidneys simply filter too much of the fluid an individual puts into their body. These are some of the most common health issues that can cause diuresis.

Uncontrolled Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious health concern, and not everyone is aware they have diabetes until their doctor diagnoses them, and not everyone who knows they have it does a good job of regulating their condition. Uncontrolled diabetes might occur when individuals have never been diagnosed and are not on medication or have not made the necessary lifestyle changes. It is also possible to have uncontrolled diabetes if individuals do not take their medication or manage it with diet alone.

If an individual's diabetes is out of control, their body continues to send excess glucose coursing through their bloodstream. When it reaches their kidneys, the excess piles up and prevents anything else from entering. This might make individuals use the bathroom more. It might also make them feel as if they are thirsty more often, which might cause them to drink more. The problem with this is many individuals do not think much of their increased urine output when they are thirsty and drinking all the time.

Hypercalcemia

Many individuals have heard others blame their weight gain on their thyroid gland, or blame their fatigue on the same gland. It might seem as if the thyroid causes a lot of problems. It's not entirely wrong to think that. The thyroid gland does a lot of work, and some of it is to remain active. However, it is also possible the thyroid can become overactive. When this occurs, the body causes too much calcium to circulate. When individuals have too much calcium working its way through their body, it is a condition called hypercalcemia.

The kidneys work overtime to filter out the excess calcium by causing individuals to use the bathroom more often. Each time someone uses the bathroom, their body releases calcium. This is the kidneys' way of trying to regulate the levels in the body to remain in good health. A doctor must diagnose this health condition, and that is when the patient and their doctor will come up with a treatment plan designed to help regulate calcium and urine output.

Diuretic Use

Not only are diuretics prescribed to many individuals with certain health conditions, but they are also used as a weight loss method. Diuretics are designed to help the body get rid of excess fluid. The primary purpose of this is to make individuals use the bathroom more often to help keep fluid levels down. Many individuals are prescribed diuretics in the form of water pills for medical reasons. Patients might suffer from chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, or even heart failure.

It is not just individuals who have health problems who have to use the bathroom more often when they take diuretics. As an individual takes them, their kidneys receive the message to get rid of more water, to get rid of more sodium, and to use the bathroom more often. Individuals will not feel as bloated because they will not have as much sodium in their body, and they will not have as much water weight either.

Frequent Exposure To Cold Temperatures

If an individual suffers from frequent exposure to cold temperatures, their body might feel as if it needs to use the bathroom more often. This is not the same kind of diuresis as the other types mentioned above. This is the body's fight or flight method to fight high blood pressure. When the body is exposed to extreme cold, blood vessels restrict. This helps keep individuals feeling warmer, but it also causes their blood pressure to rise significantly.

When blood pressure rises significantly, the kidneys recognize an issue and begin to work overtime. This includes working to eliminate more fluid in the body hoping the kidneys can cause blood pressure to drop and become more regular. If this is happening, and the individual spends a lot of time in the cold, they might be using the bathroom more often.

Specific Elements Of Diet

There is an old saying that you are what you eat, and specific elements of diet can cause individuals to use the bathroom more often than they should. Some of the food we eat is a natural diuretic, but not everyone is aware what they are eating is making them use the bathroom excessively. For example, some individuals might love to use herbs when they cook. Dandelion and parsley are both natural diuretics, which cause the kidneys to work overtime, resulting in more frequent bathroom usage.

Other things like green tea and some black teas are the same. If individuals eat too much salt, their kidneys will work overtime to expel all the sodium. The same goes for caffeinated beverages. Individuals who drink a lot of tea, soda, or coffee, might find they use the bathroom more than those who do not drink those things.

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