The key difference between blood sugar and urine sugar is that blood sugar is the glucose present in the blood, while urine sugar is glucose or other sugars like lactose, fructose, or galactose in the urine.
Glucose is the main food for the brain, and it is an extremely important source of fuel throughout the human body. It is mainly in the blood and is also called blood sugar. Due to insulin deficiency, the level of blood sugar can be raised, which ultimately leads to diabetes. Moreover, a small amount of glucose is in the urine, and it is normal. However, in diabetes, a high amount of sugar or glucose excretes through the urine. Therefore, both blood sugar and urine sugar are associated with diabetes.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Blood Sugar
3. What is Urine Sugar
4. Similarities – Blood Sugar and Urine Sugar
5. Blood Sugar and Urine Sugar in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Blood Sugar and Urine Sugar
What is Blood Sugar?
Blood sugar is the glucose present in the blood. Blood sugar is the primary source of energy in the human body. It mainly comes from the food we eat. The body breaks down most of the food into blood sugar or glucose and releases it into the bloodstream. When blood glucose goes up, it signals the pancreas to release a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps the glucose to transport into the cells and to be used for energy. Therefore, diabetes is a disease that causes too high a level of blood glucose due to insulin deficiency.
The level of glucose can be detected through blood sugar tests such as oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) or HbA1c tests. Moreover, the expected values for normal fasting blood glucose concentration are between 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) and 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L). People who suffer from high blood sugar may have symptoms such as feeling thirsty, feeling weak, headaches, urinating often, and blurred vision. Furthermore, the level of blood sugar in the blood can be controlled by medications like oral insulin and biguanides such as metformin.
What is Urine Sugar?
Urine sugar is glucose or other sugars like lactose, fructose, or galactose in the urine. Under normal circumstances, sugar is not detected in urine, or its quantity is negligible. The normal range of glucose in your urine is between 0 and 0.8 mmol/L. Moreover, the phenomenon that causes the presence of high levels of sugar in urine is called glycosuria.
The level of sugar in the urine can be detected through urine glucose tests such as urine strip tests. Some of these symptoms associated with high urine sugar are tingling sensation in the hands and feet, insomnia, frequent urinating at night, cold sweating, blurred vision, excessive thirst, dry mouth, delayed wound healing, sudden weight loss, difficulty in concentration, increased or decreased appetite, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and altered state of consciousness. High levels of glucose in urine or glycosuria is associated with diseases such as prediabetes, diabetes, gestational diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and hereditary & congenital diseases. Furthermore, glycosuria can be treated through a strict diet, regular exercise, insulin shots, and drugs like metformin.
What are the Similarities Between Blood Sugar and Urine Sugar?
- Blood sugar and urine sugar are mainly glucose in blood and urine.
- High levels of blood sugar and urine sugar are both associated with diabetes.
- Elevated levels of both can cause similar symptoms such as weakness, frequent urination, blurred vision, etc.
- Both can be measured through laboratory testing.
- Elevated levels of both can be controlled by insulin shots and drugs such as metformin.
What is the Difference Between Blood Sugar and Urine Sugar?
Blood sugar is the glucose present in the blood, while urine sugar is glucose or other sugars like lactose, fructose, or galactose in the urine. Thus, this is the key difference between blood sugar and urine sugar. Furthermore, the normal level of blood sugar is between 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) and 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L), while the normal level of urine sugar is between 0 and 0.8 mmol/L.
The below infographic presents the differences between blood sugar and urine sugar in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Blood Sugar vs Urine Sugar
Glucose is the main source of energy for cells in the human body. It is found in the blood, so it is called blood sugar. Urine sugar is glucose or other sugars like lactose, fructose, or galactose found in the urine. Glucose levels in the blood can increase due to a lack of insulin secreted by the pancreas. This condition is known as diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, a small amount of glucose in the urine is a normal condition. In diabetes, a high amount of sugar or glucose excretes through the urine. So, this summarizes the difference between blood sugar and urine sugar.
Reference:
1. “Blood Sugar | Blood Glucose | Diabetes.” MedlinePlus.
2. “Glucose (Urine).” Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Homeostasis of blood sugar” By Christinelmiller – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Urine Samples – Laboratory” (CC0) via Pxfuel