Sugar in the urine (glucosuria)

Sugar in the urine (glucosuria) is closely related to high blood sugar levels. Depending on the cause, individually effective therapeutic measures differ.

What is glucosuria?

Doctors speak of sugar in the urine (also known as urinary sugar, urine sugar or glucosuria) when the urine contains an increased amount of glucose.

From Sugar in the urine (also known as Urine sugar, Urine sugar or Glucosuria) Doctors speak when the urine contains an increased amount of glucose.

In humans, glucose enters the urine via the kidneys: So-called kidney corpuscles pull sugar out of the blood. The amount of glucose that is not absorbed by the kidney cells for recycling then ends up in the urine.

The urine of a healthy person usually contains only very low concentrations of glucose.Glucosuria often occurs when the blood sugar concentration in an affected person is higher than 180 mg / dl. Since glucosuria is often symptom-free, its presence is often discovered by chance.

causes

An increased concentration of glucose in the urine results from increased blood sugar levels: If the blood sugar level is too high, the kidneys can no longer draw the sugar sufficiently from the blood (if the kidney's capacity for glucose utilization is exhausted, this is also known as the kidney threshold). As a result, excess glucose is excreted in the urine and urinary sugar is produced.

Causes of glucosuria can be both renal (affecting the kidney) and non-renal in nature. The possible renal causes of glucose in the urine include, for example, kidney tumors or poisoning of the kidneys by heavy metals.

As a result, the kidneys are impaired in their function, which can affect the utilization of glucose. The most common non-renal cause of urinary sugar is the presence of diabetes mellitus (diabetes). Diabetes leads to a greatly increased blood sugar concentration, which is ultimately reflected in glucosuria or glucose in the urine.

Diseases with this symptom

• Diabetes mellitus
• Heavy metal poisoning

Diagnosis & course

The presence of glucosuria can be diagnosed using urine test strips. If glucose has been found in the urine, the next step is usually to investigate the causes of glucosuria. For this purpose, there is usually a patient discussion with the treating doctor.

The individual medical history of a patient can often provide initial clues to possible causes of urinary sugar. Based on a suspected diagnosis, the doctor can then carry out various other diagnostic tests, including a blood sample.

The course of glucose in the urine depends above all on the extent to which it is possible to control the respective causes. If, for example, renal causes such as functional impairments or diseases of the kidney can be treated or if they heal independently, this usually has a positive effect on the course of the glucosuria. The same applies to non-renal causes of glucosuria.

Complications

Sugar in the urine indicates increased blood sugar, which can occur especially in the context of diabetes, which has numerous complications. The sugar in the blood chemically combines with the proteins in the blood, which can then be deposited in the smaller vessel walls. This can lead to an occlusion and thus to a disruption of the blood supply to the corresponding organ.

Predisposed areas are the eye in the area of ​​the retina, the kidneys and nerves. In the eye it can lead to poor eyesight or even blindness (diabetic retinopathy). In the kidneys, urine excretion increases because the sugar osmotically attracts the water and the kidney cannot absorb the sugar sufficiently.

Thereupon the excretion becomes less and less, so that it ends in kidney failure (diabetic nephropathy). In the case of diabetes, wound healing disorders also occur as the blood flow is reduced. This leads to problems, especially on the foot. In addition, there is damage to nerves (diabetic neuropathy), so that it comes to sensitivity disorders.

In this way, smaller wounds on the foot cannot be noticed and these can enlarge and become infected. It is not uncommon for the tissue to die off and the foot has to be amputated (diabetic foot).

When should you go to the doctor?

An increased sugar content in the urine is always a reason for a doctor's visit. A few warning signs can tell whether it is glucosuria. Above all, an increased excretion of urine indicates an increased sugar level in the urine. If there is an accompanying visual impairment or wound healing disorders, it is most likely a glucose series.

Further alarm signs are sensory disturbances and paralysis of the feet, which increase rapidly. Most of the time, the breath smells of acetone and leads to tiredness and strong feelings of thirst. As the disease progresses, symptoms of exhaustion and severe weight loss increase. A doctor's visit is recommended if one or more of the symptoms mentioned can be observed.

If the symptoms persist for more than a few days, a doctor must clarify the cause and initiate appropriate treatment. Diabetes patients and other risk groups such as pregnant women and the elderly should speak to their doctor immediately if there are changes in urinary behavior and unusual physical symptoms. If sugar in the urine is treated early, further complications can be reliably avoided.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

The therapy of glucose in the urine usually starts with the treatment of corresponding causes. If glucosuria is caused by diabetes, for example, an increased blood sugar level can be countered by measures such as consistent nutrition or medication (such as the administration of insulin).

Which therapy concept is suitable here depends, among other things, on the type of diabetes present. In some cases, glucosuria is temporary and does not always require medical treatment. This can be the case, for example, during pregnancy: In pregnant women, the kidney threshold often drops, so that the kidney's capacity to utilize glucose from the blood is less.

This means that glucose builds up in the urine more quickly. After pregnancy, however, the kidney threshold rises again and the glucosuria often resolves itself again. Depending on the form of the renal causes of urinary sugar, these can be counteracted therapeutically, for example, through medicinal or surgical procedures; Successful therapy usually has a positive effect on glucosuria.

Outlook & forecast

Depending on the underlying disease, the increased blood sugar level is treated with different therapeutic approaches, whereby the prognosis is positive in most cases. Depending on whether the kidneys are involved or not, various complications can arise that affect the individual's chances of recovery.

If the disease progresses slightly, most patients do not notice any symptoms at all. In some cases, urine sugar appears only temporarily, for example during pregnancy, and then disappears again. This form of sugar in the urine doesn't always need treatment.

Successful therapies for functional disorders and diseases of the kidneys also have a positive effect on the course of glucosuria.

There are individual therapeutic approaches for diabetes mellitus with which patients can lead a largely symptom-free life. The diabetes itself persists for a lifetime, but the symptoms are treated to such an extent that the prognosis is favorable for the patient.

Complications can be wound healing disorders, visual disturbances and sugar deposits on the vessel walls. This can lead to an insufficient supply of the affected organs with blood and to an occlusion. In the worst case scenario, kidney failure occurs. However, these serious health disorders usually only occur if treatment has not been initiated. Measures such as a change in diet and sufficient exercise also have a positive effect.

prevention

Urinary sugar can be prevented, for example, through regular check-ups by the doctor. In this way, possible diseases or functional impairments that may result in glucose in the urine can often be diagnosed and treated at an early stage. If the underlying disease is already present, consistent therapeutic measures can prevent the development / worsening of glucosuria.

You can do that yourself

An increased amount of sugar in the urine usually occurs as a side effect of kidney failure or diabetes mellitus. Both diseases require medical treatment. Nevertheless, those affected can do a lot to support their bodies.

If diabetes is present, it is important to lower the blood sugar level and avoid excessive fluctuations. A change in diet is essential for this. Sugar should be avoided. The use of xylitol is recommended. With the same sweetening power, birch sugar only causes a minimal increase in blood sugar. Also, the consumption of fruit should be kept in moderation due to the fructose it contains. The proportion of fresh vegetables, however, should be increased. Whole grain products should be preferred when consuming carbohydrates. The multiple sugars contained are broken down more slowly, so the blood sugar level rises only slowly.

Regular exercise and adequate sleep also reduce blood sugar. In the case of gestational diabetes, stabilizing the blood sugar level is also strongly recommended and can easily be achieved through a conscious diet.

Renal insufficiency caused by exposure to heavy metals can be counteracted with the help of drainage cures. An important component is the cleansing and rehabilitation of the colon as well as a subsequent removal, for example by taking algae pressed pieces (Chlorella). Also pay attention to the daily amount consumed. A sufficient amount of still water or unsweetened herbal teas flushes the urinary tract and stimulates the metabolism. Caution is advised in the case of an existing kidney disease and consultation with the attending physician is advisable.