Having a frequent "urge to go," a burning sensation when you do, and achy lower abdominal pain are symptoms that many women recognize—and dread. They are symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTIs), which account for eight million doctor visits a year. Moreover, if a woman gets one UTI, there’s a good chance that she’ll have a flare-up later on. Recommendations for preventing bladder infections include drinking plenty of water—and by "plenty," we mean two quarts or more a day. It also means urinating often, especially after intercourse. The idea is to make sure that urine doesn’t stay in the bladder very long. All those fluids passing through help to wash away the bacteria that can flourish and fester there.
Bladder infections that are already raging are a little trickier. Doctors usually recommend antibiotics. Unfortunately, frequent antibiotic use may make the troublesome bacteria immune to the medication, leading to recurrent infections.
To combat a bladder infection, you need to take measures to improve your overall immunity, says Mark McClure, M.D., a urologist in Raleigh, North Carolina. You also need to target those bacteria and see if you can get rid of them as soon as they come back again. Supplements can help with both of these infection-prevention initiatives.
Add Some C to a Multi
Women with bladder infections would do well to address the cause of their problem, not simply the symptoms, says Dr. McClure. "Overall wellness issues and immunity should be the foundation from which you work to get well."
Stress, in particular, can predispose you to chronic or recurrent UTIs, he says, because it depletes the immune system and weakens your defenses against bacteria. "It affects the body in many negative ways, so I recommend yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation," he says.
Stress is caused by more than a hectic schedule or overly tense muscles, however. Poor nutrition is a form of stress that can affect immune performance, too, notes Dr. McClure. If you’re not getting enough dietary fiber, you’re loading up on sugar, and you have a lot of caffeine in your system, you reduce your body’s defenses against infection, he explains. Eating better all the time should be your ultimate goal in order to prevent future infections.
Taking a good-quality, high-potency multivitamin daily is a step in the right direction, says Dr. McClure. If you’re already doing that, add some extra vitamin C, he suggests. Taking 500 milligrams every two hours can help improve immune function by boosting white blood cell counts—a sign of better defenses. While this much C probably isn’t needed on a daily basis, the body seems to require additional amounts of this nutrient in times of infection.
Prevention with Cranberry Extract
Long discussed and debated, the tart, red cranberry’s bladder-friendly effects have finally been demonstrated. Cranberry really does help prevent the occurrence of UTIs.
A study conducted by cranberry researcher Edward Walker, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and director of the center for chemical technology at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, showed that cranberry can help women with recurring UTIs.
In the study, 10 women were given capsules of solid cranberry concentrate for a period of three months. Then researchers switched them to a concentrate that looked like the same substance but didn’t have any cranberry ingredients in it (a placebo). The results showed that when the women were taking real cranberry, they had half as many infections as when they were taking the placebos.
Cranberry has long been thought to work against UTIs by acidifying urine, making it into a less hospitable environment for bacteria. It’s actually bacteria’s ability to stick to the bladder or urinary tract walls, however, that causes infection to set in. Urine acidity doesn’t seem to have much to do with it, researchers say. Besides, for cranberry to have an acidifying effect, you’d have to eat a veritable bushel of berries, according to Dr. Walker.
His research has found the active ingredient that gives cranberry its potent anti-adhesion properties, counteracting the sticky attack and making infection much less likely. When cranberry is present, the bacteria in the bladder or urinary tract can’t hold on. Without firm footing, they are essentially rendered harmless.
"The bacteria will die on their own without a place to live," says Dr. Walker. Then the natural flow of urine gives the bad guys an easy ride out of town. "It’s a lot gentler to just send them out of the body like this rather than use antibiotics," he says.
According to Dr. Walker’s results, cranberry’s strong suit is preventing—not curing—UTIs. "Our hypothesis was that cranberry would reduce the number of recurrent infections," he says—and that’s exactly what happened.
For women plagued by regular infections, this news is as good as it gets. It means that you can use a cranberry supplement as a preventive measure. Take 400 milligrams of standardized cranberry extract twice a day, suggests Dr. Walker. The extract is available in health food stores.
An Herb to Squelch Infection
Uva-ursi, a strangely named shrub that grows in North America, can be a suitable stand-in for antibiotic infection fighters, says naturopathic doctor Tori Hudson, N.D., professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and author of Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. "It’s really the most important, most useful herb for treating bladder infections," she says.
While you can take uva-ursi as a tea, the dosage is more precise if you take supplements. If you find capsules that contain only powdered uva-ursi leaves, you’ll need to take 500 to 1,000 milligrams three times a day, according to Dr. Hudson. A higher concentration is found in an extract of uva-ursi standardized to contain 20 percent arbutin, one of the active ingredients. If you take that concentration, you’ll need only 125 to 250 milligrams three times daily, she says.
Stop taking uva-ursi when you feel well again. It could cause problems if taken over the long term. Also, it may be preferable to avoid taking cranberry extract at the same time, Dr. Hudson cautions, since arbutin works best in a nonacidic environment. You can take cranberry afterward to prevent recurring infections, she says. Pregnant women should avoid uva-ursi completely because it may bring on uterine contractions.
| Uva-Ursi Knocks Out Bad Bacteria For more than 1,000 years, people around the world have treated urinary troubles with the leaves of uva-ursi. Tannin and arbutin, the active ingredients, have important qualities that give this herb its impressive powers. Tannin is an astringent, which means that it causes tissue to contract in a way that can make an inhospitable environment for bacteria. In the urinary tract, arbutin becomes an antiseptic, which means that it directly battles the growth of bacteria and other organisms. “Other plants do contain arbutin, but the highest amounts are found in uva-ursi,” says naturopathic doctor Tori Hudson, N.D., professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and director of A Woman’s Time health clinic, both in Portland, Oregon. While you can make a compress of uva-ursi and apply it directly to cuts and scrapes to help prevent infection, the herb is more often used to treat urinary problems than for minor first-aid. In addition to being sold in supplement form, uva-ursi is available in some specially blended teas. |
Kava Root for Pain Relief
Painful urination is one of the earliest—and worst—symptoms of a bladder infection. The odd, uncomfortable spasms of pain can continue long after you’ve urinated.
The muscle-relaxing herb kava kava can be a boon to women who have substantial pain from a bladder infection, says Dr. McClure. Its active ingredients, called kavalactones, have a mild tranquilizing effect, and they also seem to create antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects in the urinary tract. With that combination of benefits, kava is especially well-suited for treating UTIs.
Kava comes in tincture form as well as capsules. Follow the dosage directions on the label. With the tincture, for example, the instructions are often to dilute one to two milliliters in one cup of liquid and take it two to five times a day.
Using kava for up to three months appears to be very safe for most people, but it can cause drowsiness and interact with some medications.
Battle Bacteria with Goldenseal
Urinary tract infections are usually caused by one type of bacteria in particular—the awful organism known as Escherichia coli. Luckily, there’s a natural weapon that has a special hatred for E. coli—its nemesis is the herb called goldenseal.
Goldenseal’s antimicrobial and immune-stimulating properties make it a popular choice for treating infection in general, says Dr. Hudson. Berberine, the active ingredient, is what makes it specifically useful for UTIs, she says. Take 500 to 1,000 milligrams of goldenseal root extract daily, but don’t take it for more than one week. Do not take this herb if you are pregnant, however.
