Cranberry juice is one of the most well-known dietary remedies associated with UTI, or urinary tract infections, but other potential nutritional therapies exist. Urinary tract infections are the second most common bacterial infection in the United States, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Diet is believed to be connected with urinary tract infection risk because of diet's effect on bacterial flora.
Definition
A urinary tract infection can involve any part of your urinary system including the bladder, urethra, kidneys and ureters. According to the Mayo Clinic's website, the most common infections are those involving the lower urinary tract, the bladder and the urethra. You may have symptoms such as pain when urinating, frequent urination, cloudy urine and rectal or pelvic pain, or no symptoms at all. Urinary tract infections are often cleared up by antibiotics. Lifestyle and diet changes may also help treat and prevent urinary tract infections.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice and other cranberry products have long been the recommended nutritional treatment for preventing urinary tract infections. Cranberries have demonstrated antiadhesive effects, helping to prevent the bacteria Escherichia coli from adhering to cells of the urinary tract. A 2004 review by Raul Raz and team at the Haemek Medical Center in Israel explored the association between cranberry products and incidence of urinary tract infections. Adult women with recurrent urinary tract infections were found to have the greatest benefit from cranberry products, approximately 50 percent reduction in incidence of disease. The authors concluded that the lack of studies means that cranberry products have not proven to be efficient in treating urinary tract infections.
Fluids
An important nutritional aspect of urinary tract infections is fluid intake. Consuming plenty of fluids, especially water, dilutes urine, resulting in more frequent urination. Frequent urination helps to flush bacteria from the body. MayoClinic.com recommends drinking adequate fluid to help treat urinary tract infections and to prevent them from occurring.
Probiotics in Milk Products
In 2003, Tero Kontiokari and colleagues at the University of Oulu in Finland published a study that investigated dietary habits in women diagnosed with urinary tract infections compared with control subjects, women who did not have urinary tract infections. Researchers found that more women in the control group consumed milk products with probiotics compared with women who had urinary tract infections. These products included yogurt, cheese and sour cream. Milk did not have the same effect as fermented milk products. The authors summarized that probiotics such as Lactobacillus acidophilus may restore urinary tract flora.
Implications
Cranberry products, fluids and milk products containing probiotics are all nutritional aspects of the treatment or prevention of urinary tract infections. Cranberry juice and other nutritional interventions are generally low-risk and help contribute essential nutritional support such as vitamins, adequate hydration and calcium. Be sure to account for these foods in your daily caloric budget, as items like cranberry juice are calorically dense. Always speak with your health care provider before taking nutritional supplements.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Urinary Tract Infection
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Factors Protecting Women From Urinary Tract Infection; Tero Kontiokari et al.; March 2003
- "Clinical Infectious Diease"; Review Article: Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infection; Raul Raz et al.; January 2004
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: UTI
