Diuretics are drug or foods that help remove excess water from the body by increasing the kidneys' production of urine. Some of the most useful diuretics also increase the salt content of urine.

The kidney's normal function is to maintain the constancy of the internal environment of the body by excreting appropriate amount of water, inorganic salts and organic waste products. But when the normal function is disrupted, diuretics are often used to help restore an adequate output of water and solutes in urine.

Diuretics Medicine: There are many available diuretics in the market with different chemical structure and varying potency.

Types of diuretics medicine:

• Thiazides diuretics (bendroflumethiazide) is a moderately potent diuretics. This diuretic are also use to treat high blood pressure.
• Loop diuretics (furosemide) its effect is to make the kidneys re-absorb less salt and water, and so produce more urine. Loop is powerful diuretics that are usually used for treating heart failure.
• Potassium-sparing diuretics (amiloride) these diuretics help to prevent the removal of potassium from the body. Potassium has many important roles in your body, including keeping your heart healthy and your blood pressure at a normal level. Potassium-sparing diuretics are weak when used alone but are often given in combination with a thiazide diuretic to prevent low potassium levels in the body (hypokalaemia). They work to balance the sodium and potassium chloride in the body. They do this by increasing the amount of sodium that is lost from the body in the urine and reducing the amount of potassium lost in the urine.

Natural Diuretics: If you are allergic to any medicine or concern with the side-effect of diuretics medicine it is always safe to use the natural diuretics.

• Water also sometimes functions as a diuretic. The ingestion of water in amounts exceeding the needs of the body produces diuresis.
• Herbal tea like green tea and dandelion root are natural diuretic and can help in detoxification.
• Fruits like watermelon, cucumbers are rich in sulfur which help stimulates the kidneys and aids in removing uric acid.
• Vegetables like Asparagus, Cabbage, Carrots, Onions and Garlic are believed to aid metabolism, remove toxins and excess fluid from the body.

Disorders wherein Diuretics are commonly use:

• Diuretics are use in the treatment of Edema, an accumulation of fluid in the body resulting from congestive heart failure or some other disease process. In eliminating salt and water from the body, diuretics help restore its normal salt and water balance.
• High blood pressure. Removing the excess salt and fluid will make it easier for your heart to pump and therefore lower the blood pressure.
• Heat failure. Removing the excess water gives the heart less pumping work to do and reduces breathlessness.
• Kidney and liver problems
• Glaucoma

How Diuretics are taken: Most diuretics are in tablet form (also known as "water tablet"). It is advisable to take this in the morning or early afternoon so that it won't interfere with your sleep.

Caution:

• Diuretics have varying types of potency and side effects, it is always recommended to consult your doctors on what kind of diuretic medicine is suitable for your condition.
• Some diuretics can deplete the potassium level in your blood; therefore it is advisable to take potassium supplement or foods that are rich in potassium.
• Do not take potassium supplements if you are taking potassium-sparing diuretics, unless recommended by your doctor, because this could make the potassium levels in your body too high.