Diabetes insipidus

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Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition in which the kidneys allow too much water to leave the body. It is characterised by needing to urinate often and passing a large quantity of urine, and feeling extremely thirsty. It is a completely different disease from diabetes mellitus.

The job of the kidneys is to filter the blood. The kidneys sort the substances that the blood carries, such as minerals, toxins and water, and sends them to different places around the body. Minerals are sent around the body to help the it grow and heal. Toxins are made to leave the body through sweat and urine. Some water is kept in the body and stored in the cells and blood. Any water that is left over leaves the body with the toxins, through sweat and urine.

A hormone called antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is used to control the amount of water in the body. ADH is released from a part of the brain called the pituitary gland when there is not enough water in the body. It tells the kidneys to keep more water and not to send it out of the body. In diabetes inspidus, either there is not enough ADH in the body, or the kidneys do not respond to it. This means that too much water is leaving the body, and makes you feel dehydrated.

ADH is also called vasopressin.