Cause: Usually bacteriological.

Useful Supplements: Bromelain, Cranberry, Vitamin A, Vitamin C.

Useful Herbs: Goldenseal, Horseradish

Further information: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are generally caused by a bacterial infection of the lower urinary tract, most often the bladder and/or urethra. They are extremely common, and occur more often in females than in males. Symptoms include painful or frequent urination, cloudy urine, nausea, and fever. In elderly patients, mental changes or confusion may also occur, and are often the only noticeable sign of a UTI.
Treatment usually consists of antibiotics.
Several preventive measures can be taken to avoid UTIs. Adequate fluid intake (64 oz or more daily) and frequent urination can clear out any bacteria that may collect in the bladder. Sugar,¹ alcohol,² and high amounts of fatty foods³ should be avoided, as all of these can suppress immune function and make it easier for bacteria to take hold. Recurrent UTIs may be related to allergies.⁴

The following supplements and herbs may be helpful in the avoidance and treatment of UTIs:

Elderly patients who take a Multivitamin regularly have fewer UTIs than those who do not.⁵

The enzyme Bromelain may help alleviate the symptoms of a UTI.⁶

Cranberry is highly effective in the treatment and prevention of UTIs.⁷ Cranberry helps prevent E. coli and other bacteria from attaching to the walls of the bladder.⁸ Cranberry can be taken either as unsweetened juice or a concentrated capsule.

Vitamin C helps the immune system to fight viruses.⁹ In addition, it increases the acidity of urine, making it an inhospitable host for bacteria.¹⁰

Vitamin A deficiency often results in infection. Supplemental Vitamin A may help the body to fight off UTIs.¹¹

Goldenseal also is effective in preventing bacteria from adhering to the wall of the bladder.¹² It should not be taken by pregnant or lactating women.

The essential oil from horseradish has been shown to kill the bacteria that cause UTIs.¹³

Uva ursi contains as its active constituent arbutin, which, in contact with urine, converts into hydroquinone, a chemical that kills bacteria. Uva ursi is widely used in Europe as a UTI treatment.¹⁴

References:

¹Sanchez A, Reeser JL, Lau HS, et al. Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis. Am J Clin Nutr 1973;26:i180–4.
²MacGregor RR. Alcohol and immune defense. JAMA 1986;256(11):1474.
³Barone J et al. Dietary fat and natural-killer-cell activity. Am J Clin Nutr 1989;50:861–7.
⁴Berman BA. Pseudomononucleosis of allergic origin: a new clinical entity. Ann Allerg 1964;22:403.
⁵Chandra RK. Effect of vitamin and trace-element supplementation on immune responses and infection in elderly subjects. Lancet 1992;340:1124–7.
⁶Mori S, Ojima Y, Hirose T, et al. The clinical effect of proteolytic enzyme containing bromelain and trypsin on urinary tract infection evaluated by double blind method. Acta Obstet Gynaec Jap 1972;19:147–53.
⁷Avorn J, Monane M, Gurwitz JH, et al. Reduction of bacteriuria and pyuria after ingestion of cranberry juice. JAMA 1994; 271:751–4.
⁸Sobota AE. Inhibition of bacterial adherence by cranberry juice: Potential use for the treatment of urinary tract infections. J Urol 1984; 131:1013–6.
⁹Anderson R. Effects of ascorbate on normal and abnormal leucocyte functions. Intl J Vit Nutr Res Supplement #23:23.
¹⁰Axelrod DR. Ascorbic acid and urinary pH. JAMA 1985;254(10): 1310.
¹¹Hussey GD, Klein M. A randomized, controlled trial of vitamin A in children with severe measles. N Engl J Med 1990;323:160–4.
¹²Sun DX, Abraham SN, Beachey EH. Influence of berberine sulfate on synthesis and expression of pap fimbrial adhesin in uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Antimicr Agents Chemother 1988; 32:1274–7.
¹³Schindler VE, Zipp H, Marth I. Comparative clinical investigations of an enzyme glycoside mixture obtained from horse radish roots (Cochlearia armoracia L). Arzneim Forsch 1961;10:919–21 [in German].
¹⁴European Scientific Cooperative for Phytotherapy. Proposal for European Monographs, Vol. 3. Bevrijdingslaan, Netherlands: ESCOP Secretariat, 1992.