Urinary Tract Infection - Other Treatments

Fluids

Many doctors believe that emptying the bladder frequently will help prevent bladder irritation and therefore recommend drinking plenty of water daily and urinating often.

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Cranberries, Blueberries, and Lignonberries

Cranberries, blueberries, and lignonberry, a European relative of the cranberry, are three fruits that may have protective properties. Researchers are finding that red pigments in these closely related fruits called tannins (or proanthocyanadins) prevent E. coli bacteria from adhering to cells in the urinary tract, thereby inhibiting infection. Fructose, which is commonly used to sweeten fruit juices, may also interfere with bacterial adhesion.

Cranberry juice offers well-known protection against urinary tract infections. In one study, only 15% of elderly women who drank cranberry juice daily for six months experienced UTIs, compared with 28% of women who did not drink the juice. Its effects were stronger in helping the body rid itself of infections than in preventing them in the first place, but it showed benefits in both situations.

Studies have suggested that for protection, it is necessary to drink at least one to two cups of 30% cranberry or lignonberry juice daily, or to take at least 300 mg to 400 mg in tablet form twice daily.

Probiotics, Lactobacilli, and Fermented Milk Products

Important research has targeted probiotics (essentially friendly organisms), which may protect against infections in the genital and urinary tracts. They may have other health benefits as well, including important ones in children. The most well-known probiotics are the lactobacilli strains, such as acidophilus, which is found in yogurt and other fermented milk products (e.g., kefir). The probiotics bifidobacteria and GG lactobacilli may prove to be even more important. Other probiotics include the lactobacilli rhamnosus, casel, plantarium, bulgaricus, and salivarius, and also Enterococcus faecium and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Lactobacilli have the potential to help protect women from UTIs in a number of ways:

Maintain a low pH environment.
Hinder E. coli growth.
Produce hydrogen peroxide, which produces an environment hostile for bacteria.

In one 2003 study drinking fermented milk reduced the risk for UTIs. Not all studies show benefits from drinks containing lactobacilli, but more research is warranted.

Investigative Protective Measures

Escherichia Coli 83972. A strain of E. coli called 83972 is being investigated because it can grow in the urinary tract without causing infection, crowding out other potentially harmful bacteria. Some research suggests that it may be protective in certain individuals, including those with spinal cord injuries or urinary catheters.