Chronic UTIs Are Becoming Endemic

As we age, our bodies become more susceptible to certain health issues, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) are no exception. A recent national survey showed that 20 million women over the age of 50 (32%) have had a UTI in the past year.

What’s more concerning is that over half (55%) of these women will experience a recurrence of the same infection after treatment due to increasing antibiotic resistance. Over the past decade, frequent antibiotic use has led bacteria to develop defense mechanisms to survive and mutate during and after treatment.

The Triple Play Plan To Win The UTI Battle

Clinical research has shown that to defeat the cycle of recurring UTIs, treatment must extend beyond just the bladder. The “Triple Play” defense plan includes the urinary tract, the vagina, and the digestive tract.

Moreover, many natural supplements are more effective and safer than antibiotics for stopping UTIs for good.

Summary to Fend Off Chronic UTIs:

  1. Urinary tract: D-Mannose and Cranberry Extract
  2. Vagina: Estradiol cream and probiotic suppositories
  3. Digestive tract: A combination of two specific strains of probiotics

Dive into the details below.

1. Urinary Tract Defense: D-Mannose and Cranberry Extract

Antibiotics Are No Longer The Silver Bullet for UTIs

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) in Dallas found that older women are more prone to UTIs because their bladder walls can be invaded by multiple types of bacteria. This makes treatment more complex.

For instance, if your doctor treats an E. coli infection with nitrofurantoin, you may not feel better if Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria in your bladder remains untreated. There are at least 15 different types of UTI-causing bacteria, many of which have developed resistance to most antibiotics. For example, E. coli bacteria, commonly found in UTI urine cultures, are resistant to most commonly prescribed antibiotics.  Read more here about antibiotics that are no longer effective.

New Natural Alternatives For UTI Relief Are Now Available

Medical professionals now recommend natural alternatives to antibiotics. The two most frequently recommended are D-Mannose powder and Cranberry extract.

D-Mannose Powder To Clear UTI Symptoms

D-Mannose, a natural supplement, has been proven to clear UTI symptoms faster and more completely. Extracted from fruits, it produces glucose, a healthy sugar. UTI-causing bacteria are extremely attracted to D-Mannose sugar molecules, so they detach from the bladder lining and bind to these molecules, which are then quickly washed out with urine. It is effective against E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, representing 80% of all bacteria. Unlike antibiotics, it does not harm good bacteria or cause digestive and vaginal side effects. Click here to learn more about how D-Mannose works to clear up UTIs.

High-Powered Cranberry Extract Capsules To Protect Against New UTIs

Scientific research confirms that cranberry does not help alleviate UTI symptoms; BUT prevents new infections at certain concentrations.

Cranberry coats the bladder, preventing new bacteria from adhering to its surface. Only cranberry products with a daily dose of “36 mg PAC” on the label will prevent new UTIs. PAC stands for proanthocyanidins, the phenols that make cranberry effective.

Avoid products that combine D-Mannose and Cranberry extract, as you won’t get enough of each ingredient. You need both. Goodbye UTI has a “Clear and Protect Kit” that has been proven effective and safe.

2. Vaginal Defense: Estrogen Cream and Probiotic Suppositories

Antibiotic Treatment Causes Changes to Vaginal Bacteria

Many women have found that while antibiotics may have offered some help in clearing up the burning symptoms associated with their urinary tract, they have caused a yeast infection which produces a similar type of discomfort “down there”.  That’s because the antibiotics have disrupted the balance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina.

The most reliable way to get rid of a yeast infection is to visit your doctor and get a prescription for fluconazole, an oral treatment that may take 1 week to clear it up.  If you are sure that you  have a yeast infection, you can try a non-prescription antifungal cream or suppositories which contain boric acid, a mild antiseptic.  Click here to read the many ways you can try to treat a vaginal infection naturally.

Postmenopausal Changes Also Cause A Loss of “Good” Vaginal Bacteria

Menopause gradually causes a loss of both the estrogen hormone and the “good” Lactobacilli in the vagina that help stave off UTIs.

Estrogen Cream or Gel Therapy

A 2020 article in “Urology” provides a detailed case study and findings regarding the use of estrogen therapy to address these imbalances in estrogen and Lactobacilli.  Here is a summary.

As estrogen is depleted, the vaginal wall becomes dried out and infectious bacteria settle in its crevices, forming colonies and contributing to both vaginal and urinary tract problems.  In addition, the entire vaginal microbiome changes, with increasing pH following menopause and loss of lactobacillus predominance. These alterations allow a more hospitable environment for bacterial growth and increase the risk of UTI.  The application of estrogen (delivered either via ring or cream) has been clinically proven to be another way to defend against UTIs.

In fact, the 2019 American Urological Association guideline for recurrent UTIs in women recommends that doctors offer vaginal estrogen therapy to post-menopausal women with recurrent UTIs to reduce their risk.

There are several brands of estrogen cream that are recommended by doctors.  Estrace cream or Estradiol vaginal gel, insert, and ring are most frequently recommended.

Probiotics Suppository Therapy

Lactobacillus is the most frequently isolated microorganism from the healthy human vagina (this includes four strains: Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus iners, and Lactobacillus jensenii). These vaginal lactobacilli have been touted to prevent the invasion of bacteria by keeping their population in check.  Probiotics are a way to manage the right balance of vaginal flora.  But there are many ways to administer probiotics and an overwhelming number of probiotic strains.

Treatment with oral probiotics for vaginal balance has been tested, but the  research shows that using probiotic suppositories is much more effective.  In this 2021 article the conclusion was as follows: “Vaginal suppositories containing the GAI 98322 strain of Lactobacillus crispatus effectively prevent episodes of recurrent cystitis (UTIs), both during administration and for at least 1 year after administration.

3. Digestive Defense: Oral Probiotics

Many scientific studies have shown that regulation of the gastrointestinal flora with probiotic support may prevent genitourinary infections.

Antibiotics play a significant role in depleting “good” bacteria which can result in recurrent UTIs and vaginal Candida fungal infections.  According to an article in Physician 360, taking probiotics can help avoid UTIs in the following ways:

  • Prevent harmful bacteria like coli from attaching to urinary tract cells
  • Produce hydrogen peroxide in urine, which is a strong antibacterial
  • Lower urine pH, making conditions less favorable for bacteria

Probiotics can be taken in the form of capsules, powder or a variety of fermented dairy products.

Adding Lactobacilli Will Help The Bladder Stay Free UTIs

In an article published by LabRoots, researchers found that “Lactobacilli seem to eliminate pathogens from the urinary tract, even when those pathogens carry multiple antibiotic resistance genes”.  Translation: taking probiotics may also help with a new, dangerous UTI-causing bacteria known as ESBL E/Coli.  Read about it here.

There Are Many Probiotic Strains, But Only Two Lactobacilli Matter

The Physician 360 article goes on to say that the hydrogen peroxide-producing lactobacilli are believed to be important in providing protection from UTIs.   The research specifically identified that the L. reuteri RC-14 strain added to L. rhamnosus GR-1 created an ideal combination.

Products like Fem-dophilus state that they provide a mix of the two bacteria.  The label should say “For Vaginal and Urinary Tract” ; also look for the 1 Billion CFU (colony-forming units).