One of the major symptoms of diabetes is increased thirst, which leads one to ask “What causes thirst in diabetes?” Thirst is our body’s natural response to a lack of fluid. This may happen because of high temperatures, exercise, or a response to the things that we eat.

Do you ever remember having a very sweet piece of cake or candy, and becoming extremely thirsty afterwards? This is because sugar particles deplete water from the body’s cells. When this happens chemical messages are sent to the brain indicating a need for excess fluids.

Similarly, when the brain senses that there is too much sugar in your blood stream, the body attempts to flush it out through our urine by using whatever bodily fluids available and may actually cause you to thirst for water. In response to this you urinate more frequently, and in turn, become thirsty again. …