We all feel thirsty from time to time — after exercise, on hot days, or when we’ve skipped a few glasses of water.
But if you’re constantly reaching for your water bottle and still not satisfied, there may be more going on.
Here are 10 possible reasons behind your unquenchable thirst.
Dehydration
The most obvious reason for feeling thirsty is dehydration. When your body doesn’t have enough water to function properly, it lets you know.
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Causes include exercise, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and sweating. Other signs may include dark urine, dry skin, fatigue, and dizziness.
In children, watch for dry mouths, few tears, and reduced wet diapers.
Diabetes
Excessive thirst, or polydipsia, can be an early symptom of diabetes.
In this condition, your body can’t produce or use insulin effectively, leading to excess glucose in the blood.
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The kidneys try to flush it out, increasing urination — which, in turn, makes you more thirsty. Other signs include fatigue, blurred vision, and frequent hunger.
Diabetes insipidus
This rare condition is not related to diabetes, but it also causes intense thirst. It’s caused by a deficiency of a hormone that regulates fluid balance in the kidneys.
As a result, your body loses water through frequent urination, leaving you constantly thirsty. Dehydration and dry mouth are common symptoms.
Dry mouth
If your saliva glands aren’t working properly, you might experience a dry mouth and persistent thirst.
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This can be due to medications, nerve damage, tobacco use, Sjögren’s syndrome, or cancer treatments.
You may also notice thick saliva, bad breath, a sticky feeling in the mouth, and changes in taste or chewing ability.
Anemia
Severe anemia — a shortage of healthy red blood cells — can also lead to increased thirst.
It reduces the amount of oxygen in your tissues and can affect hydration levels.
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Symptoms include pale or yellowish skin, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, dizziness, and sweating. It can result from chronic disease, poor diet, or blood loss.
Hypercalcemia
Too much calcium in your blood, a condition known as hypercalcemia, can make you thirsty and cause frequent urination.
It’s often linked to overactive parathyroid glands, certain diseases like tuberculosis, or some cancers.
Other symptoms include nausea, constipation, confusion, depression, and muscle weakness.
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Spicy or salty food
Sometimes, your diet is the culprit. Eating spicy or salty meals can trigger thirst as your body attempts to balance sodium levels.
While this usually isn’t dangerous, it’s worth noting if your thirst seems to follow certain foods.
Medication and underlying diseases
Certain medications — like diuretics and anticholinergics — may cause dry mouth or excessive thirst.
Conditions such as hyperthyroidism or psychogenic polydipsia, a psychological condition that drives compulsive water drinking, can also lead to ongoing thirst without an actual need for hydration.
Pregnancy
Thirst is a common and usually normal symptom during pregnancy, due to increased fluid needs for both mom and baby.
However, it can also be a sign of gestational diabetes — a temporary form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy.
If diagnosed, managing your blood sugar levels can reduce your thirst and other symptoms.
When to seek medical help
If drinking water doesn’t help and you’re still thirsty all the time, it’s a good idea to see a doctor.
Especially if you also experience frequent urination, fatigue, increased hunger, or slow-healing wounds — these may indicate an underlying condition like diabetes or anemia.
This article is based on information from WebMD.