Diabetes insipidus (DI) is when the kidneys pass a large amount of urine that is made up of mostly water.
There are two forms:
Central DI happens when the body does not make enough of a hormone that controls urine. The cause is not always known. Rarely, it can be from a faulty gene. Some causes are:
NDI happens when the body makes the hormone that controls urine but the kidneys do not respond to it. Causes are:
DI is more common in people with other family members who have it. Central DI is more common in people with anterior pituitary hormone problems. NDI is more common in people who take lithium.
Symptoms may be:
Babies and children may be:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. An exam may be done. Blood and urine tests will also be done.
These tests may be done to find the cause:
Central DI is treated with a man-made hormone that takes the place of the one that a person's body makes to control urine.
NDI may be treated with:
There are no known ways to lower the chance of having DI.
American Diabetes Association
Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus Foundation
Canadian Diabetes Association
Health Canada
Central diabetes insipidus. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/central-diabetes-insipidus. Updated July 30, 2019. Accessed October 22, 2019.
Diabetes insipidus. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/diabetes-insipidus. Updated October 2015. Accessed October 22, 2019.
Di Iorgi N, Napoli F, et al. Diabetes insipidus-diagnosis and management. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012;77(2):69-84.
Jain V. Ravindranath A. Diabetes insipidus in children. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Jan;29(1):39-45. Available at: https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/jpem.2016.29.issue-1/jpem-2014-0518/jpem-2014-0518.xml. Accessed October 22, 2019.
Lu H. Diabetes insipidus. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;969:213-225.
Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/nephrogenic-...betes-insipidus/. Updated October 2, 2018. Accessed October 22, 2019.
Oiso Y, Robertson GL, et al. Clinical review: Treatment of neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Oct;98(10):3958-3967.
Last reviewed September 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.