Supplements for UTI

For many people who live with UTIs, supplements are an option they may consider for treatment. As antimicrobial resistance is a real and pressing issue, the idea of an alternative to traditional antibiotics can be appealing for some. From the age old legend of cranberry juice for UTIs, to newer breakthroughs in supplements for UTI treatment. But are supplements truly a fix-all cure for this complex condition?

In this article we will go over the basics of using supplements for treating UTIs, from why people turn to supplements, to the pros and cons of usage, and even reviewing some of the options available.

Why supplements? 

There are many reasons why people try to treat their UTIs with supplements. Pursuing alternative treatments for your health is a personal and conscious decision, especially when it comes to long term conditions. For every reason that is covered in this article, there is likely another that isn’t mentioned. However, there do tend to be a few common reasons why people may try supplements for their UTI.

One of the reasons is the issue of antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance from continued antibiotic use is a health crisis worldwide. As doctors continuously prescribe antibiotics for all sorts of conditions, pathogens learn to develop countermeasures to these drugs. When bacteria become drug-resistant, conditions that could be treated by straightforward antibiotic use prior become a complex ailment.

For some people the idea of using a natural treatment such as supplements over an artificial drug is appealing. Many people take different approaches to their health, and some people personally prefer natural treatments.

An under discussed reason why people seek out supplements for UTI is that it can sometimes be the most accessible treatment. Urinary tract infections have a documented issue with showing up accurately on traditional tests such as the standard urine culture or dipstick test. For recurrent or chronic UTIs, inaccurate testing is even more common. 

Antibiotics and other treatments require a prescription. When testing comes back negative despite an abundance of symptoms, some people will make the choice to turn to supplements and over the counter remedies due to ease of access.

The science around supplements for chronic conditions needs more study. It’s important to note that at least in the United States, at the moment supplements do not undergo the same testing by the Food and Drug Administration as most mainline medications do. 

The cost of supplement usage

While supplements can be an accessible alternative to antibiotics and other traditional medication, that doesn’t mean they’re not without their potential risks. 

Oftentimes the cost of using supplements is literal. Someone living with UTI might feel inclined to try supplement after supplement, causing a huge financial burden. Even though supplements are over the counter, when you’re getting different messages from all sorts of sources about what supplement to use for your UTI, it can cause a financial toll when buying different supplements begins to add up. The option of trying many supplements in hopes of finding one that makes a difference is a real struggle people living with UTI face, and can quickly start making a monetary impact.

Additionally, the mental and emotional burden of placing your hopes upon a treatment only to find out that it’s another dead end is very real. As not every supplement works the same from person to person, what helps someone else may do nothing for you. But that doesn’t lessen the feeling of disappointment, or in some cases even that “something is wrong with you,” when a treatment you wanted to help you recover is ineffective.

The toll of extensive supplement use can be physical too. Science around supplement usage for medical conditions is still developing. When you try a supplement you are putting something into your body that may not be helpful in the long run. Many people take supplements without the oversight of a doctor, resulting in a treatment option that in some ways is a bit of a shot in the dark. It’s important to be prudent and think through the pros and cons when you consider taking supplements.

Commonly used supplements

There are so many different supplements that can be used to potentially treat urinary tract infections that it’s impossible to cover them all in this article. That being said, there are some supplements that are commonly used for this purpose.

Perhaps the two supplements that you hear the most about when it comes to UTIs are D-mannose and cranberry extract.

D-mannose and cranberry are also some of the most widely researched supplements for UTI at the moment. D-mannose is an organic compound known as a monosaccharide, or more specifically a sugar, that occurs naturally in the body and is synthesized from glucose. 

Science has shown that E. coli adheres to D-mannose, preventing it from binding to the bladder tissue.  As E. coli causes over 80% of UTI cases, this is a promising statistic. However, it’s important to note that D-mannose works for E. coli and not for infections caused by other bacteria types.

Cranberry extract is a long-touted supplement for UTI. Studies have indicated that cranberry supplements can be effective at preventing UTIs for some people. These supplements can be taken preventively, sometimes before sexual activity. Still, further research needs to be done. Scientific reviews have shown inconsistent findings from studies into cranberry for UTI. Some of this is due to the lack of standardization among cranberry supplements. Similarly, those with chronic and recurrent UTI sometimes report mixed success with cranberry.

Other supplements that are frequently used among those with UTI are aloe pills and probiotics for prevention of UTIs. Potassium salt has studies showing it can reduce pain and discomfort during urination. For acute UTI, some have found success with herbal remedies such as berberine and uva ursi.

Conclusion

The general over-the-counter availability of supplements, alternative approach to traditional medicine, and budding science around supplements can make them appealing for UTI use.. In some cases supplements can be helpful for this condition, but there are a few caveats to keep in mind.

Even though supplements are frequently utilized, there isn’t always enough scientific evidence to back up usage of supplements for UTI. For every person who finds success with supplements, there is another individual who finds little to no impact. 

The result is an industry that is somewhat of a ‘wild west,’ especially due to the decreased governmental regulation around supplements in comparison to traditional medicine. In the United States, supplements and other natural medicine aren't subjected to the same quality checks that traditional medicine is, such as antibiotics. This further adds to the variability of success in using supplements, as the quality from product-to-product can differ wildly.

If you’re considering taking a supplement to treat your UTI, first talk to your provider about any risks and your options. Supplements can certainly be worth a try, but be sure to listen to your body and your own common sense.