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What Can Cause Diabetes Insipidus?

Diabetes insipidus is a disease that results in excessive thirst and urine production. The Mayo Clinic reports that diabetes insipidus is rare but serious and has a number of possible causes.

  1. Background

    • The body balances its fluids by regulating the output of the kidneys to match the body's overall hydration levels. If the body is properly hydrated, the kidneys produce a higher volume of urine, but when excess fluid is needed, a hormone called vasopressin prevents the kidneys from making too much urine.

    Central Diabetes Insipidus

    • The cause of central diabetes insipidus usually is damage to one of the glands that produces vasopressin (the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands), resulting in a shortage of the hormone. Possible causes of the damage include surgery, tumors, infections and head injuries.

    Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus

    • Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus occurs when the tubes in the kidneys do not respond to vasopressin and continually release urine into the bladder due to a genetic disorder or a chronic kidney disease or infection. Lithium and some antidepressants also have the potential to cause the disease.

    Gestational Diabetes Insipidus

    • Gestational diabetes insipidus occurs only in pregnant women due to enzymes produced by the placenta that destroy vasopressin.

    Considerations

    • In 30 percent of diabetes insipidus cases, no specific cause is ever determined.

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