What is a Diabetes Urine Test?

A diabetes urine test is a process by which a qualified doctor performs a test to determine whether an individual is currently suffering from diabetes. Typically, during the course of this test, the doctor will examine the ratio between protein, glucose, and ketone bodies in the urine. While one test is occasionally sufficient for the proper diagnosis of diabetes, most qualified professionals will want to do at least one more round of testing in order to confirm the presence of the condition.

For the diabetes urine test, the individual being examined will typically be instructed to abstain from fluids of all kinds for at least eight hours before the test is to be performed. After this point, a preliminary urine sample will be collected, and the testee will be allowed to consume a small amount of liquid. The individual undergoing test will be instructed to remain fluid-free for another four hours, and a second urine sample will be collected.

Once the urine samples have both been collected, the doctor who is administering the diabetes urine test will examine the concentration of sugar in the urine. If the results of the diabetes urine test again turn up positive, he or she may want to perform one more urine test in order to completely rule out any other types of similar metabolic conditions that can mimic diabetes.

If all three urine tests can back with positive results, the doctor will typically want to perform one more test. This typically involves a blood draw in order to look for diabetes. During a blood draw for diabetes, the doctor will examine the blood for high amounts of sugar, specifically amounts that measure over 200 mg/dL. As with the urinalysis test, the blood draw is typically done several times in order to ensure that the initial results are, in fact, correct.

While a diabetes diagnosis can be concerning, there are several important ways in which the condition can be managed. Most often, individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes will begin medication therapy through either oral medication or the use of injectable insulin. However, diabetes can also be managed with great success through diet and exercise. For best results, individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes should eat foods rich in fiber, and low in fat and sugar. In addition, starting a daily walking regimen that emphasizes cardiovascular exercise and that lasts for at least 30 minutes is a great, natural way to deal with the condition.