[1] Glycosuria leads to excessive water loss into the urine with resultant dehydration, a process called osmotic diuresis.

Additionally, SGLT2 inhibitor medications ("gliflozins" or "flozins") produce glycosuria as their primary mechanism of action, by inhibiting sodium/glucose cotransporter 2 in the kidneys and thereby interfering with renal glucose reabsorption.

In a patient with glucosuria, diabetes is confirmed by measuring fasting or random plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c).

If the RTG is so low that even normal blood glucose levels produce the condition, it is referred to as renal glycosuria.

If yeast is present in the bladder, the sugar in the urine may begin to ferment, producing a rare condition known as urinary auto-brewery syndrome.