A “urinary tract infection” or “UTI” is a very common infection that occurs along the urinary tract and is usually caused by bacteria. These infections commonly cause urinary urgency, pain during urination, or cloudy, pink, or red-colored urine. In the United States, UTIs account for over 8.6 million doctor’s office visits. This makes UTI’s one of the most common bacterial infections encountered by patients! UTIs are much more common among women and nearly half of the female population will experience a UTI during their lifetime.

Medical Doctors routinely prescribe powerful antibiotics to treat UTIs, and individuals with recurrent UTI may be prescribed a longer course of treatment. These antibiotics can be extremely helpful, however over time, especially with chronic use, can also lead to antibiotic resistance.  Eventually, this can make UTI’s more difficult to treat for the individual.

Scientific studies suggest that certain natural compounds can significantly help to reduce adherence of bacteria to the urinary tract. This can reduce UTI recurrence and/or reduce the presence of pathogenic bacteria and improve the immune system to help fight infections! Before we get into the specifics regarding these awesome natural substances, I would like to address certain behavioral changes that can be very helpful for reducing the occurrence of UTIs.

Behavioral measures

Some behavioral changes may also help prevent UTIs, especially in children. Recurrent UTIs in female children are associated with infrequent urination, delaying urination after the urge to urinate manifests, and delaying of defecation.Similarly, women who delay urination for more than one hour post-urge have an increased risk of developing UTIs, which suggests that urinating shortly after feeling the need to urinate could help prevent UTIs!  Some sources suggest that urinating shortly before and after intercourse also helps to reduce a female’s risk of developing UTIs. Other behavioral interventions that may reduce the risk of developing a UTI include wearing cotton underwear, avoiding tight-fitting clothing, and wiping from front-to-back to prevent transportation of bacteria from the anus to the urethra.

Effective Natural Compounds

As mentioned, certain natural compounds may also significantly help to reduce the chance of urinary tract infections. These compounds are cranberry, D-mannose and probiotics.

IMPORTANT! Always talk to your medical or naturopathic doctor before starting any substance or supplement. Even natural substances can have side effects or interfere with certain medications.

  1. Cranberry

Cranberries contain special substances that may be able to treat or prevent UTIs. Cranberry juice and powders made from cranberry extract have been used for decades to prevent or treat UTIs.Evidence suggests that substances known as proanthocyanidins, which are found in cranberries, may interfere with the adhesion of bacteria to the walls of the urinary tract and reduce colonization of bacteria in the urinary tract. Studies show that because of these anti-bacterial actions cranberries can reduce the chance of UTIs.

It is important to note that cranberry juice is only effective if it is 100% cranberry concentrate. This means NO SUGAR ADDED! Sugary cranberry cocktails do not help UTIs, and in fact, the sugar may make things worse.

  1. D-mannose

D-mannose is a sugar that can be found in, among other things, cranberries!! There are now many supplements on the market that contain concentrated D-mannose power. One of the interesting aspects of D-mannose is that it is able to bind to the cells that line the urinary tract. This makes it difficult for bacteria to adhere to the lining to the urinary tract and therefore helps to prevent UTIs.

  1. Probiotics

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that reside in the gut and positively impact our health. These “friendly bacteria” are promising for UTIs. There are many possible ways that probiotics may prevent UTIs: they may compete with other bacteria for resources, secrete natural antibacterial chemicals (called bacteriocin), and prevent pathogenic bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract.

There are many different types of probiotics. Specifically, bacteria in the Lactobacillus family, normally found in the female vagina, are thought to prevent UTIs.Recurrent UTIs are often associated with decreased levels of this beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria and increased colonization with a harmful E. colibacteria.Lactobacillus bacteria also may prevent UTIs by stimulating the immune system and producing other beneficial substances that kill infectious bacteria.

Dr. Emily Lipinski, ND

 

Works cited

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Natural and Effective Solutions to manage Urinary Tract Infections