Thirst is an important part of human physiology. Thirst is controlled by a number of different signals. Consuming foods that are very sugary can make you thirsty, but excessive thirst may be a sign of problems regulating blood sugar levels. You should drink water or other low-sugar liquids when you are thirsty and contact your doctor if you find yourself frequently thirsty.
Sugar and Osmolarity
When you consume a high amount of sugar or any other type of carbohydrate, your blood glucose levels rise. The increase in the amount of glucose in your blood raises the osmolarity in your blood. Osmolarity is a chemical term that describes how many molecules are dissolved in a liquid; the more substances that are dissolved in the liquid, the higher the osmolarity. Increased osmolarity of the blood can trigger thirst as the body tries to dilute the extra sugar.
Osmolarity and the Brain
The brain is responsible for telling you that you are thirsty. There are specialized cells in parts of your brain that detect the osmolarity of your blood. As your osmolarity increases, these cells send signals to other parts of your brain to trigger the thirst response. Increased osmolarity is not the only thing that triggers thirst; for example, a decrease in blood pressure can also make you thirsty as your body tries to increase the volume of your blood. Your brain interprets many different signals to control whether or not you feel thirsty.
Thirst and Diabetes
Although thirst is a normal part of human physiology, too much thirst can be a sign of an underlying problem. For example, very high blood glucose levels can cause severe and chronic thirst. This may be a sign of diabetes that can be exacerbated by consuming sugar. Diabetes also causes you to pass large amounts of urine as the elevated blood glucose levels cause some sugar to appear in your urine; excessive urine production can also cause severe thirst.
Considerations
Feeling thirsty on occasion is normal and if you feel somewhat thirsty after consuming sugar it is nothing to be concerned about. If you feel chronically or severely thirsty, talk to your doctor. It is also important to drink water or some other beverage with little or no sugar when you are thirsty to prevent dehydration. Your thirst response often only occurs after you are already somewhat dehydrated, and severe dehydration can cause serious medical problems.
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