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Urine glucose shows whether sugar from your blood is ending up in your urine. More glucose than normal can point to too much sugar in your blood, or to a rare kidney condition.[1]
On this page you can read what urine glucose is, what the guidelines say about a value that is too low or too high, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: urine sugar, sugar in the urine, glucosuria, glycosuria. At the lab: USTX.
Urine glucose is the amount of sugar in your urine. Glucose is a type of sugar and your body's main source of energy. It comes from your food. Your blood carries glucose to your cells.[1]
Normally there is little or no glucose in your urine. Your kidneys hold on to glucose and send it back to your blood. More glucose in your urine can point to too much sugar in your blood, or to a rare kidney condition. Some medicines, vitamin C or a large meal can also affect the result.[1]
The value is measured in a urine sample. This test is usually part of a broader urine test. A urine test alone cannot diagnose a condition. A blood glucose test gives a more accurate picture.[1]
Sugar in the urine used to be a common way to track blood sugar. A urine test is less accurate than a blood test. That is why a blood test is now used more often.[1]
The urine test can still be useful when drawing blood is difficult. For example, if your veins are scarred from earlier blood tests.[1]
You often get the test during a routine check-up. If you are pregnant, you usually get it as part of a urine test.[1]
A doctor may also order the test if a rare kidney problem is suspected. For example, if such a problem runs in your family. These problems do not always cause symptoms.[1]
The lab gives no numerical limit for urine glucose. It is a qualitative test. The lab calls a value within its limits normal.[2]
| Result | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Little to no glucose[1] | Normal. This does not rule out high blood sugar. | Everyone |
| More glucose than normal[1] | Can point to too much sugar in your blood | Everyone |
| More glucose than normal, with normal blood sugar[1] | Can point to a rare kidney condition | Everyone |
| More glucose than normal[1] | Can be a sign that blood sugar is not well controlled | People already diagnosed with a blood sugar condition |
| Some glucose, high for a longer time[1] | A little glucose is normal. Values that stay high for a long time can point to high blood sugar that only occurs during pregnancy. | People who are pregnant |
Source: MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), Glucose in Urine Test. A general explanation that describes the result without numerical limits.[1]
More glucose in your urine can point to too much sugar in your blood. It can also point to a rare kidney condition, either present from birth or developing later. It does not always mean you have a condition. Ask your doctor what your result means and whether a blood glucose test is needed.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
A large meal can affect your result.[1]
Some medicines and supplements, such as vitamin C, can affect your result. Tell your doctor everything you take. Do not stop a medicine without talking to your doctor.[1]
In people who are pregnant, some glucose in the urine is normal. If the value stays high for a long time, this can point to high blood sugar that only occurs during pregnancy.[1]
With a rare kidney condition, your kidneys remove glucose from your blood, even when your blood sugar is normal.[1]
Glucose in urine is included in BioProfile 77, 87, 121 and 150.[3]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 23 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 23 October 2026. Every number on this page comes from one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to review this page. Once the review is done, the expert's name and the date of the review will appear at the top. This page explains and does not give a diagnosis. Discuss any value outside the normal range with your GP.
