A healthy adult passes between 3 cups and 2 quarts of urine a day and infants pass roughly 1 cup of urine per day, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. The volume and frequency of urination can increase due to various factors such as medications, medical disorders and fluid consumption. Frequent urination combined with weight loss is often a sign of a potentially serious or life-threatening condition.
Diuretics
Increased or frequent urination is a common side effect when taking diuretics, or water pills. Diuretics are used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, glaucoma and edema. They make the kidneys put more sodium in your urine to help lower sodium levels. The sodium exits the body along with water from your blood, reducing the amount of fluid circulating through the blood vessels and the pressure on the arterial walls.
Urinary Tract Infection
Frequent urination is also a common symptom of a urinary tract infection, or UTI. Any part of the urinary tract, such as the kidneys, urethra, ureters and bladder, can become infected. Most infections, however, involve the urethra and bladder, according to the MayoClinic.com. At the onset of a UTI, a person may experience a strong urge to urinate and/or frequently pass small amounts of urine. Persons with UTIs involving the bladder may experience frequent, painful urination.
Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.6 million adults and children have diabetes, 5.7 million of which are undiagnosed. Diabetes often goes undiagnosed for a long period of time because the symptoms initially cause little concern. Frequent urination and sudden weight loss are among the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, which also include extreme hunger, fatigue, irritability, and unusual thirst.
Nocturia
Nocturia is more common in older adults and characterized by frequently passing small amounts of urine at nighttime. Persons with heart and liver failure and poorly controlled diabetes also may suffer from nocturia. It is often caused by an obstruction in the urethra that causes urine to back up in bladder. In older men, this obstruction may due to an enlarged prostrate, according to the Merck Manuals. Sometimes nocturia occurs as a result of drinking a lot of fluids late in the evening.
Other
Anything that presses on or irritates the bladder can cause frequent urination, such as a kidney stone or a tumor in or outside of the bladder. In pregnant women, the fetus inside the uterus can put pressure on their bladder and create a frequent urge to urinate.
Treatment
Treatment for frequent urination that may or may not be accompanied with weight loss involves diagnosing and treating the underlying condition. A physical examination and blood and urine tests may be performed to determine causes and treatment options.
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