Diabetes insipidus refers to \u201ctasteless\u201d urine, usually clear in color, which is produced in excessive amounts and doesn\u2019t contain glucose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While they both have to do with urine, these two health conditions are quite different. Keep reading for a complete comparison of diabetes insipidus vs mellitus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is diabetes insipidus?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes insipidus (DI)<\/a> is a rare disorder that causes an imbalance of fluids and electrolytes in your body. Diabetes insipidus causes your body to make large amounts of urine, which can lead to dehydration, low blood pressure, and other issues (1<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone with diabetes insipidus can make up to 20 quarts of urine per day, when the more typical amount is around 1-3 quarts per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes insipidus is quite rare, impacting around 3 in 100,000 people. It\u2019s typically caused by a brain tumor impacting the pituitary gland or hypothalamus or from severe head trauma that damages these areas in your brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes mellitus (DM)<\/a> is a group of chronic diseases that impact your body\u2019s ability to metabolize glucose properly. Glucose, or blood sugar, is your body\u2019s main fuel source and is essential for survival (2<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is often diagnosed in childhood and is an autoimmune disease that attacks the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose enter your cells from your bloodstream to provide them with fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes is estimated to impact nearly 11% of the United States population. Of the people who have diabetes, the majority of them have type 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Millions of people also have prediabetes, a condition that increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 50% within the next 5-10 years after diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the symptoms of diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus are similar, while others are more distinct. The main difference between the two lies in how much urine is produced. It will be much higher with diabetes insipidus than with diabetes mellitus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes insipidus is more likely to occur more abruptly, such as after the diagnosis of a brain tumor or a traumatic brain injury. In contrast, diabetes mellitus has a much slower onset and can progress over several years. Diabetes mellitus often has no symptoms until it\u2019s progressed, which is why it\u2019s a dangerous and often silent disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting screened for diabetes mellitus can help reduce your risk of developing it. If you have prediabetes (a condition where your blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be considered diabetes), you have a good chance of reversing it with healthy lifestyle changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have diabetes insipidus, your body doesn\u2019t make enough antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also called vasopressin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ADH helps prevent dehydration<\/a> by helping the kidneys retain fluid. If diabetes insipidus is caused by a lack of ADH, it\u2019s called central diabetes insipidus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rarest form of diabetes insipidus is called nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and occurs when your kidneys don\u2019t respond to ADH. This type can be genetic and prevents your body from reabsorbing water back into your bloodstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes insipidus can be caused by trauma to your pituitary gland or hypothalamus, whether by brain surgery, a brain tumor, or a traumatic head injury. These are the most common causes of diabetes insipidus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other things that can increase your risk of diabetes insipidus include a family history of diabetes insipidus, taking medications that can cause kidney issues, and metabolic disorders that cause altered blood levels of certain minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes isn\u2019t an autoimmune disease. Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in adulthood, but it can also impact adolescents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Type 2 diabetes occurs from insulin resistance, which is when your body doesn\u2019t respond to insulin the way it should. Over time, insulin resistance can result in insulin deficiency, more similar to type 1 diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the risk factors for type 1 diabetes aren\u2019t as clear, the risk factors for type 2 diabetes are more well-established. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the biggest risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include having prediabetes (borderline diabetes), being over the age of 45, having a family history of diabetes, being overweight or obese, and not being physically active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another type of diabetes is gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy. Many women with gestational diabetes don\u2019t have diabetes before pregnancy, and it usually doesn\u2019t persist after the pregnancy is over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During a water deprivation test, you will withhold fluids for several hours to assess how your body responds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your urine output, weight, and levels of ADH hormone will be measured during a water deprivation test to see if your body is making enough ADH. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An MRI can detect issues with your pituitary gland or hypothalamus, which might indicate diabetes insipidus. This test is especially useful if you have a history of head trauma or a brain tumor, which can cause diabetes insipidus in a previously otherwise healthy person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A urine test can determine how concentrated your urine is. This can be helpful when diagnosing diabetes insipidus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some types of diabetes insipidus are genetic. Genetic testing can determine if you\u2019ve inherited diabetes insipidus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes is diagnosed with blood sugar tests<\/strong> such as fasting blood sugar, random blood sugar, and a hemoglobin A1c test<\/a>. These tests are usually done in a laboratory setting and most often use a venous blood draw versus a fingerstick test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For gestational diabetes, you\u2019ll likely have a glucose tolerance test<\/a> where you drink a sugary drink and have your blood sugar level measured one, two, and three hours afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll usually be screened for gestational diabetes between 24-28 weeks of gestation. If you don\u2019t pass the initial screening, you\u2019ll likely be referred to do the three-hour glucose tolerance test. If you fail the three-hour glucose test, you\u2019ll most likely receive a diagnosis of gestational diabetes and be advised on a treatment plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This can help prevent fluid retention, which can further cause electrolyte imbalances. You might also be encouraged to eat a lower-protein diet which helps your kidneys not produce as much urine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A lower-sodium diet<\/a> can also reduce thirst, which is often prevalent with diabetes insipidus due to the high volume of urine loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have dehydration from increased urination, you might need to be treated with IV fluids to restore fluid balance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have low blood levels of certain minerals like potassium from a fluid imbalance or diuretic use, those can be replaced in a hospital setting using IV fluids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Antidiuretic drugs like Desmopressin help your body not produce as much urine. Desmopressin is a synthetic version of vasopressin (ADH), the hormone often lacking if you have diabetes insipidus. Antidiuretic drugs help reduce thirst and reduce dehydration by helping your body hold on to more fluids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It might seem counterintuitive to use a diuretic to treat increased urination since most diuretics cause increased urination. While paradoxical, drugs like thiazide diuretics are used to treat diabetes insipidus by helping reduce the rate at which your kidneys filter blood, which reduces the amount of urine produced. These types of medications are often used along with thiazide diuretics to help reduce the amount of urine produced. Taking NSAIDs over a long period can increase your risk of stomach ulcers, so you should only take medications as prescribed and recommended by your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carbohydrates are a type of nutrient that turns into blood glucose and are found in foods like grains, fruit, some dairy products like milk and yogurt, legumes, and foods with added sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eating a healthy diet low in added sugars and moderate in carbohydrates can help treat diabetes mellitus. Being physically active helps improve blood sugar levels<\/a> and insulin sensitivity. It\u2019s recommended to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week to help manage blood sugar levels. Both cardiovascular exercise and resistance\/weight training are beneficial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several types of medications are used to treat diabetes, including insulin, sulfonylureas, metformin, and non-insulin injectable medications. Metformin<\/a> is a common first-line drug therapy for people with type 2 diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People with type 1 diabetes are only treated with insulin, which can be a combination of long-acting, short-acting, and intermediate-acting to achieve blood sugar goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your healthcare provider might recommend checking your blood sugar levels at home using a glucometer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Testing your blood sugar levels at home gives you more insight into what impacts your blood sugar levels and whether or not your current treatment plan is effective. It can also help identify low blood sugar, which can cause dizziness and fainting if left untreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n While it\u2019s technically possible to have both diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus at the same time, it would be extremely rare and very unlikely. While around 1 in 10 people have diabetes, only 1 in 25,000 of the general population will have diabetes insipidus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetes insipidus (DI) have similar names, that\u2019s where most of their similarities end. Both conditions have to do with urine output (that\u2019s how they\u2019re named), but the causes and treatment of both are quite different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some key differences to note:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is diabetes mellitus?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSymptoms of diabetes insipidus vs mellitus <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Signs of diabetes insipidus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Signs of diabetes mellitus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Causes of diabetes insipidus vs mellitus <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes insipidus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes mellitus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diagnosing diabetes insipidus vs mellitus <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes insipidus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Water deprivation test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Urine tests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Genetic screening<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes mellitus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Treatment for diabetes insipidus vs mellitus <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes insipidus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Low-sodium diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
IV fluids\/electrolyte replacement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Antidiuretic drugs<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diuretic drugs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Your electrolyte levels will likely be monitored to prevent imbalances that can occur from diuretic use, such as low potassium (hypokalemia).<\/p>\n\n\n\nNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diabetes mellitus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diet changes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Some people can manage their diabetes with diet and lifestyle alone, while others need medication. Needing medication isn\u2019t necessarily an indicator of an unhealthy lifestyle or \u201cnon-compliance\u201d by the patient – some patients develop insulin deficiency and don\u2019t make enough insulin over time, which can require medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhysical activity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Medications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
At-home blood sugar monitoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSimilarities and differences between diabetes insipidus vs mellitus <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Similarities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Differences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Can you have diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus at the same time?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Explore More<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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