The medical term for glucose in urine is glycosuria or glucosuria, which can be an indicator of several health conditions, including diabetes. Find out what are the factors that can cause glycosuria by going through this write-up.
Urine usually contains a very small amount of glucose. The urine of a healthy individual contains less than 0.1% glucose, which cannot be detected by the regular urine tests. Urine usually does not contain a significant amount of sugar or glucose, as the kidneys reabsorb the filtered glucose and return it to the bloodstream.
Glucose can be found in urine only when the level of blood sugar rises to such an extent that it exceeds the capacity of the kidneys to reabsorb glucose. There is a renal threshold for glucose, and it is approximately 160 to 190 mg/dL.
If the level of blood sugar exceeds this threshold limit, the kidneys get overwhelmed and they fail to reabsorb glucose efficiently. As a result, a significant amount of glucose can pass into the urine. This condition is medically known as glycosuria or glucosuria.
Glycosuria Causes
The glucose present in the bloodstream is filtered by the glomeruli of the kidneys. The filtered glucose is then reabsorbed by the proximal renal tubules of the kidneys, and returned to the bloodstream.
This normal process can get disrupted, when the level glucose in the bloodstream increases to such an extent that the kidneys fail to reabsorb it completely. So, they begin to spill the excess glucose into the urine.
So, conditions that can cause the blood glucose level to increase significantly can lead to glycosuria. Another possible cause is an inability of the renal tubules to reabsorb glucose efficiently even when the level of blood sugar is normal. Elevated blood sugar or hyperglycemia can be caused by conditions like diabetes mellitus. This is the reason why, glycosuria is considered a sign of diabetes.
In diabetes, the body cells fail to absorb and utilize glucose from the bloodstream, either due to a deficiency of insulin, or an inability of the body cells to respond to insulin. As a result, the level of blood sugar increases.
Apart from diabetes, certain other conditions can also cause hyperglycemia and then glycosuria. Such conditions include, Cushing's syndrome, thyrotoxicosis, and acromegaly.
Sometimes, glycosuria can be associated with benign conditions, like eating a heavy meal or eating a large amount of sugary food. Even emotional stress can increase the level of sugar in blood and urine.
Hyperalimentation can also cause the blood glucose level to rise and exceed the level of renal threshold. On the other hand, renal glycosuria is the condition where the kidneys fail to reabsorb glucose completely even when the level of blood sugar is normal.
This condition can be associated with kidney problems, Fanconi syndrome, Wilson's disease, cystinosis, hereditary tyrosinemia, heavy metal poisoning, Lowe's syndrome, and interstitial nephritis.
Glycosuria During Pregnancy
The presence of a small amount of glucose in the urine during pregnancy can be normal. The renal threshold gets reduced during pregnancy, for which a small amount of glucose can spill into the urine.
A reduced renal threshold during pregnancy can be associated with increased renal flow. However, consistent glycosuria can indicate gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes can cause high blood glucose levels during pregnancy.
The presence of sugar in urine is detected with the help of the dipstick test. As glycosuria can be caused by so many factors, it can be treated only after ascertaining the underlying causes. If diabetes is the cause of glycosuria, then it can be treated with insulin, and lifestyle and dietary modifications.
The treatment options for glycosuria can vary significantly depending on the exact causes. So, if your urine glucose level is consistently high, consider to get the condition properly evaluated with the help of a physician.
Disclaimer: This post is for informative purposes only, and should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice.