Sugars are named in many different ways depending on their various chemical structures, and the names mostly end with "-ose." For example, fruit sugars are known as fructose, milk sugars as lactose and table sugars as sucrose. Glucose and dextrose share the same chemical structure and are frequently used synonymously.
The Difference
Both glucose and dextrose are terms referring to the simplest form of sugars broken down from carbohydrates. These molecules are used by nearly all living organism as the primary source of energy. Glucose represents the two forms sugars, isomers, that mirror each other, d-glucose and l-glucose. Only d-glucose is biologically active and is chemically known as dextrose monohydrate.
Dextrose
The term “dextrose” commonly refers to glucose solutions administered into the blood vessels for fluid or nutrient replacement in a hospital setting. One gram of dextrose contains 3.4 calories. For patients who receive dextrose solutions, these solutions are abbreviated as "D5W," meaning the dextrose solution contains 5 grams of dextrose per 100 milliliters of the solution of water. To determine how many calories you get from D5W, your doctor or dietitian will decide how much of the solution you are going to get. If you receive 1,500 milliliters of the solution, you will get 75 grams of dextrose and 255 calories.
Glucose
Glucose is the term most frequently used in the field of endocrinology in discussions of food and how they affect blood glucose values. Glucose is measured in the blood to determine if you have diabetes; to treat hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar; and to perform home blood-glucose monitoring. When studying the breakdown of food, glucose is the standard term used as the single unit of sugar that is turned into energy.
Warnings
Do not administer dextrose solution without first consulting a health care professional. It may cause high blood glucose in diabetics and also interrupt your body's electrolyte balance, such as lowering potassium levels.
