Why are polydipsia, polyuria, and polypahgia all symptoms of diabetes?!
Question: If you can provide any specifics that would be great, this is a question from a case study i am doing for my physiology lab and i dont really understand the physiological aspects of it yet.
Answers: If you can provide any specifics that would be great, this is a question from a case study i am doing for my physiology lab and i dont really understand the physiological aspects of it yet.
Polyphagia comes about because either the pancreas is not producing insulin (type 1 diabetes mellitus) or the body has become insensitive to the effects of the insulin that is being produced (type 2 diabetes mellitus). In either case, what is happening is that sugar (glucose) within the system is not being made available to the body's cells to produce energy. In effect, the body is starving. To compensate, more food is required in an attempt to 'feed' those body cells, hence the almost unavoidable intake of more food.
Because glucose is not being taken up by the body's cells for the production of energy, there's a build up of it within the bloodstream. As this, in itself, can lead to detrimental effects on various organs, the body's natural defence [defense if you're American] is to expel it. As it's the kidneys that tend to deal with many waste products, it is excreted in the form of frequent urination. (Polyuria)
As the body is excreting so much fluid, you become dehydrated. The natural defence, therefore, is to replace that fluid, leading by imbibing more fluid. (Polydipsia.) In effect, what's happening is that you are 'flushing' your system through.
I'm quite sure that if we get any medical professionals on here you'll get a more coherent explanation.