Decode UTIs: understanding and preventing them

This bacterial infection primarily affects women, and its symptoms are exactly what you'd call discomfort:

• painful and burning urination;
• frequent and often urgent need to urinate;
• blood in the urine;
• lower abdominal pain or cramps;
• chills;
• foul-smelling or cloudy urine;
• pain during sexual intercourse.

This infection is called a urinary tract infection.

Women are usually more than ten times more affected by UTIs than men. Half of all women experience at least one UTI in their lifetime, and 10% of them experience at least one such infection in any given year. More than 30% of UTIs recur within six months of an incident and can be difficult to treat¹.

What is a UTI and what causes it?

Bacterial in nature, UTIs can affect various parts of the urinary system. They usually infiltrate through the urethra (urethritis) and can travel to the bladder (cystitis) and even to the kidneys (pyelonephritis), where they can become a serious health problem.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the bacterial strain involved in 85% of UTIs². Due to a shorter urethra and the immediate proximity of the anus, E. coli infections in the urinary tract easily manifest in women. E. coli are common bacteria normally found in the intestine, but they are very undesirable in the urinary tract where they can multiply rapidly and cause infection. Worse still, the cell walls of E. coli have "sticky" projections that allow the cells to adhere to the bladder mucosa and multiply, making them very difficult to eliminate.

Bacterial strains such as Staphylococcus saprophyticus cause most other UTIs. The presence of yeasts such as Candida albicans is rare in UTIs, but it is increasing. Risk factors for UTI incidence increase with the frequency and intensity of sexual intercourse, diabetes, pregnancy, menopause, a weakened immune system, blockages in the urinary tract, and with the use of strong skin cleansers, birth control pills, contraceptives, and spermicides. Recent information indicates that UTIs can also be contracted by consuming contaminated chicken³.

Medical treatment of UTIs

Doctors usually resort to antibiotics to treat UTIs after a diagnosis through laboratory tests. Antibiotics are effective and, depending on the treatment used, can eliminate the problem within one to ten days. Unfortunately, they can be less effective if the infection recurs, as UTIs can be caused by a variety of bacteria. In addition, the overuse of antibiotics can lead to bacterial resistance, which reduces their future effectiveness. Given that a third of infections recur, many women are frustrated by not finding a solution to their UTIs.

Prevention of UTIs

Preventing UTIs is the best course of action. A person can take several simple steps to reduce the risk of UTI.

• Drink enough water to flush the urinary tract and dilute urine.
• Do not hold back urination.
• Take a shower instead of a bath (reduced exposure to bacteria).
• Wipe from front to back after urination or a bowel movement.
• Wash before and after sexual intercourse and empty the bladder as soon as possible.
• Avoid irritating feminine products such as vaginal douches and powders that can irritate the urethra.

Natural remedies for UTIs

Another way to prevent and treat UTIs is to use a natural ingredient or a combination of several that have proven effective, such as UTI Supreme from Health First.

Cranberry — Cranberry is not only a popular fruit and juice, it is also the most popular natural ingredient for dealing with UTIs. Cranberry has two essential effects: 1) it acidifies the urine to reduce bacterial growth; 2) it prevents bacteria from adhering to the bladder mucosa. Cranberry is considered more effective in preventing UTIs than in treating them.

D-mannose — D-mannose is a simple sugar that many people recognize as useful for UTIs. It works by coating E. coli bacteria. Being stickier than E. coli, D-mannose prevents bacteria from adhering to the bladder mucosa, allowing them to be eliminated. D-mannose is highly recommended by naturopaths, but it must always be validated by clinical studies.

Hibiscus extract — Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) from West Africa has been used for centuries in herbal teas. It has been traditionally used to treat UTIs, menstrual cramps, and hypertension, as well as to soothe the respiratory tract and improve skin and hair health (external use).

Hibiscus is rich in natural compounds, such as anthocyanins, proanthocyanins, polysaccharides, and organic acids, which is why the plant has been studied more for its ability to prevent and treat UTIs. In France, a particular patented hibiscus extract, called ELLIROSE^MC, has been subjected to double-blind clinical trials in humans to evaluate its potential.

In the study on ELLIROSE^MC hibiscus extract, 90 women aged 18 to 55 with a history of recurrent UTIs (8 or more infections per year) were evaluated. Over a 24-week period, women who took 200 mg of ELLIROSE^MC daily reduced the incidence of UTIs by 77% (compared to 20% for women who took a placebo)⁴. These were very promising and more positive results than any other plant extract previously studied.

Analysis showed that ELLIROSE^MC achieved these results through several modes of action:

1. Inhibition of bacterial flora –

   Unlike cranberries and D-mannose, ELLIROSE^MC has actually demonstrated its ability to decontaminate E. coli and Candida albicans involved in UTIs. Studies have shown that ELLIROSE^MC can decontaminate E. coli from a medium in a single day due to its phenolic compounds.

2. Anti-adhesion of E. coli –

   Like cranberries, ELLIROSE^MC contains anthocyanins, proanthocyanins, and flavonoids that help prevent E. coli bacteria from adhering to the bladder walls and allow them to be eliminated.

3. Acidification of urine –

   Hibiscus acted like cranberries to acidify urine and make it more difficult for bacteria to proliferate. ELLIROSE^MC intake was able to reduce the normal urine pH (7.5 to 8.0) to 5.6.

4. Avoidance of germ resistance –

   Although ELLIROSE^MC is capable of decontaminating bacteria such as E. coli, it does not carry the risk associated with antibiotic overuse. Excessive use of antibiotics can, over time, lead to bacterial resistance, which increases the risk of infection and limits treatment success.

Other improvements experienced by patients in the ELLIROSE^MC study included a reduction in pain during urination and urine odor.

References:
1. University of Maryland Medical Center http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/urinary-tract-000169.htm.
2. Balch, Phyllis A., Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Avery, 2006, p. 245.
3. www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/17/uti-chicken-urinarytract-infection-contaminated-e-coli_n_1285519.html
4. Allaert, F. A., "Prevention of recurrent cystitis in women: double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract", La Lettre de l’Infectiologue — Translation of the original issue • Volume XXV – n° 2 – March-April 2010.