Research says 4 women in 10 have a UTI at least once in their lives, and they also affect 12% of men. While antibiotics are essential to cure an active infection, the fact UTIs tend to keep coming back in some people has led many to explore dietary supplements.
Understanding UTIs
UTIs occur when bacteria, usually Escherichia coli (E. coli), enter the urinary tract through the urethra and multiply in the bladder. Although this bacteria causes 80% of infections and 90% of recurrent infections, there are in fact 19 different known bacteria that can infect the bladder. The infection begins in the urethra, the tube that lets urine out of your bladder when you pee. It gradually works its way up until it reaches the bladder. If it’s not treated with antibiotics, it can sometimes continue up to the kidneys. At this point it’s a potentially life-threatening illness which can progress very fast. This is why it’s so important to see a doctor without delay if you suspect a UTI.
Women are more prone to UTIs due to their shorter urethras, but they can also affect men. Recurring UTIs are one of the common, yet least discussed, symptoms of menopause. According to the NHS website (scroll to the bottom of the page for the link) common symptoms of UTIs include:
- pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria)
- needing to pee more often than usual
- needing to pee more often than usual during the night (nocturia)
- needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
- pee that looks cloudy
- blood in your pee
- lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
- a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- a very low temperature below 36C
- Your pee may also be dark or smell. (If this is your only symptom, it might be simply because you haven’t been drinking enough.)
Children or babies with UTIs can also get very grouchy. They may wet the bed, and they may refuse to eat and even vomit. It can be hard to spot UTIs in babies, which makes them extra risky.
In elderly people, there may be changes in behaviour. This could mean becoming agitated or confused, they may wet themselves (if they are incontinent this may become worse than usual) and there may be shivering or shaking. These surprising signs of UTIs in the elderly mean they can often be missed, and mistaken for a worsening of dementia.
Causes of UTIs
Various factors contribute to the development of UTIs, including sexual activity, menopause, urinary tract abnormalities, and compromised immune function. However, maintaining good urinary hygiene and adopting healthy lifestyle habits can significantly reduce the risk of infection. For women, it’s also important to nurture a healthy microbiome in the vagina.
Natural UTI Preventive Measures
It’s very important to understand that you must not try to cure an active urinary infection using the remedies below without consulting a doctor. Natural remedies are a support to antibiotics. Their real strength is in breaking the cycle of recurring infections. Many people, particularly women in perimenopause, suffer from UTIs again and again.
Take D-Mannose to clean Your bladder
Derived from cranberries and other fruits, D-Mannose is a simple sugar that can help prevent E. coli bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract walls. This makes it easier to flush them out during urination. Around 30% of the D-mannose you eat reaches your bladder, but it’s hard to get enough from fruit on a consistent daily basis. Many women opt for a D-mannose supplement after treatment for a UTI. Some find they can stave off a new infection if they take D-Mannose promptly enough to nip it in the bud.
Eat cranberries daily, or a cranberry supplement
Fresh cranberries and cranberry juice are incredibly healthy because they are packed full of powerful natural antioxidants, phytochemicals and prebiotic fibre. Cranberry has an impressive range of potential benefits including reduced risk of disease, improved cholesterol and blood sugar levels and immune support. The one downside is that standard cranberry juice contains as much sugar as coke or other fizzy drinks. This is why it’s probably healthier to turn to a good quality cranberry extract instead.
Cranberry extract contains D-mannose that prevents e. coli bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract lining. The main type is a sugar called D-mannose. About a third of the D-mannose that you eat ends up lining your bladder to offer this protection, while another third performs the same job in your intestine.
Cranberries are also packed with proanthocyanidins, which are thought to help stop the harmful E. coli bacteria from clinging to the sides of your bladder, so you can pee them out. Cranberry also makes the urine more acidic, which is thought to provide an additional line of defence against infections.
Take the right probiotics for vaginal health and freshness
A healthy balance of gut bacteria is linked to improved overall immunity, which can indirectly contribute to preventing UTIs. Probiotics, found in yogurt or as supplements, support the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Probiotic bacteria also colonise and protect the vagina, helping to keep harmful bacteria at bay and giving a healthy vagina its natural smell. Since the bacteria that cause UTIs typically enter the urethra from the vagina, keeping a healthy vaginal microbiome is a crucial part of preventing repeat infections. Some probiotic supplements are formulated specifically for women, with the right bacteria to help keep the vagina healthy and contribute to preventing repeat cystitis or bladder infections.
Studies indicate that our 50/50 blend of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus and Lactobacillus Reuteri makes the most effective probiotic formula for fighting urinary tract infections and improving the vaginal microbiome. They actively attack harmful E. coli, the bacteria responsible for most UTIs.
Take vitamin C for an immune boost
You need a daily serving of three oranges or the equivalent amount of vitamin C daily, to keep your immune system working well. It’s your immune system that does the work to keep the right balance of healthy bacteria in your vagina. Vitamin C can also help make the urine more acidic, creating an environment less conducive to bacterial growth.
Physical hygiene and other important habits to prevent UTIs
- Stay hydrated so you regularly flush you bladder clean by peeing.
- Always wipe from front to back so that you never transfer bacteria from your anal area towards your vagina.
- By hygienic when having sex, avoid anything that transfers bacteria from your bottom to your vagina and insist your partner always washes thoroughly before sex.
- Don’t wash your vagina with perfumed soaps or disinfectant soaps that can kill off the healthy bacteria you need in there to keep it healthy and smelling fresh.
VitaBright’s Super Strength Cranberry Probiotic Complex
VitaBright’s Super Strength Cranberry Probiotic Complex helps prevent urinary infections, keeps your vagina healthy and smelling right and boosts immune defences. Designed by our dietician to support women’s health naturally, a 2-capsule daily serving gives you a super-strength concentrate of 35 grammes of bladder-cleansing fresh cranberries to flush out E. coli bacteria that cause most urinary tract infections (UTIs). It’s enriched with 5 billion CFU of the probiotic bacteria L. Rhamnosus & L. Reuteri to restore a healthy vaginal microbiome, and Vitamin C to give an extra immunity boost.
