Skip to content
Fullscript leaf logo Sign in
Fullscript logo
Fullscript leaf logo
  • Our platform
    • Practitioner software
    • Pricing
    • Integrations
    • Patients on Fullscript
    • Book a demo
  • Learn
    • Spotlight
    • Protocols
    • Wellness blog
    • Practice resources
    • Webinars
    • Ingredient library
    • Practicing virtually
  • Support
    • Practitioner support
    • Patient help
    • Contact us
    • Or chat with us
Sign in Create account
Conditions
—

How to Prevent UTIs: Natural Strategies

January 17, 2022
Fact checked
Written by Karolyn Gazella
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Natacha Montpellier, ND, B.Sc.
  1. Wellness blog
  2. How to Prevent UTIs: Natural Strategies

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common outpatient infection in women, with 50 to 60% experiencing a UTI in their lifetime, many of which are recurrent. (8) While these infections are extremely common in female adults, male adults and children are not immune. It’s estimated that 2.5% of children and 3 in 25 men will develop a UTI in their lifetime, a number that increases with age. (14)

Symptoms of a UTI include some or all of these:

  • An urge to urinate frequently with not much coming out
  • Bad smelling and/or cloudy urine
  • Blood in the urine (more common in younger females)
  • Burning or pain during urination
  • Confusion, shakiness, fatigue, or weakness (more common in older females)
  • Fever, which may indicate the infection has reached the kidneys
  • Pressure in the lower abdomen (12)

The painful, rapid onset of recurrent UTIs is also associated with increased anxiety and depression in some patients. (8) Continue reading to learn more about how to prevent UTIs naturally.

how to prevent utis

Burning or pain during urination is a common UTI symptom.

UTI causes

A variety of bacterial species can cause a UTI; however, it is estimated that about 80% of community-acquired UTIs are caused by E. coli. (11)

Several factors can increase the risk of recurrent UTIs including:

  • Age of first UTI, especially if the first UTI occurred at the age of 15 or younger
  • Diabetes
  • Frequency of sexual intercourse, especially in younger women
  • Immunosuppressant medications
  • Maternal history of UTIs
  • Mechanical and physiologic factors that influence bladder emptying such as incontinence, especially in postmenopausal individuals
  • Polycystic kidney disease
  • Spermicide use (6)

Because conventional medicine uses antibiotics to treat UTIs, antibiotic resistance is also a key cause of recurrent UTIs. (11)

How to prevent UTIs naturally

Diet, lifestyle, and dietary supplements can play an important role in helping to reduce the risk of developing a UTI.

1. UTI prevention diet

From a dietary standpoint, what we eat and drink can either increase or decrease the risk of UTIs. Research suggests that a vegetarian diet can help prevent UTIs because it reduces exposure to E. coli, which is often found in poultry and pork and is the primary bacteria that cause UTIs. In addition, a diet rich in plant foods increases overall consumption of beneficial nutrients such as phytochemicals which have been shown to exhibit antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. (3)

Another reason a vegetarian diet may help prevent UTIs is that the diet is less acidic, which creates small molecules in the urine that can reduce bacterial growth in the urinary tract. (13)

Drinking more water to stay hydrated (7) and eliminating irritating beverages such as artificially sweetened carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee, and tea can help alleviate UTI symptoms. (9)

2. UTI prevention supplements

The two key supplements that can help prevent UTIs are cranberry extracts and probiotics. The research regarding cranberry is so compelling that in 2020, the FDA authorized a health claim stating that cranberry products in the form of juice and dietary supplements can help reduce the risk of developing a UTI in healthy females. (15) According to a 2017 meta-analysis of seven different randomized controlled trials, cranberry reduced the risk of recurrent UTIs by 26%. (4) A larger 2021 systematic review that included 23 different trials found that cranberry supplementation in particular significantly reduced the risk of UTIs in high-risk populations. In that analysis, the relative risk of recurrent UTIs was reduced by 32 to 51%. (16)

While the research regarding probiotics and UTIs is not as robust as it is with cranberry, research does indicate that probiotics may help reduce the risk of recurrent UTIs by influencing and regulating the urinary microbiota. (1) A variety of clinical trials have shown that Lactobacillus in particular can help with the long-term prevention of recurrent UTIs. (5)

In addition to cranberry and probiotics, other natural substances that may help reduce the risk of UTI including berberine, blueberry, and uva-ursi. (2)

how to prevent utis cranberry juice

Cranberry juice and dietary supplements may help reduce the risk of developing a UTI.

3. UTI prevention lifestyle

In addition diet and dietary supplements certain lifestyle behaviors may help reduce the risk of developing a UTI including:

  • Avoiding spermicides and douches
  • Not holding urine whenever possible
  • Using proper genital hygiene practices
  • Staying hydrated
  • Voiding before and after sexual intercourse (10)

The bottom line

UTIs are a prevalent and painful condition. Fortunately, through a combination of diet, dietary supplements, and lifestyle behaviors, UTIs can be potentially avoided and the risk of recurrent UTIs can be reduced.

If you are interested in using an integrative approach that includes diet, dietary supplements, and lifestyle factors to reduce UTIs, consider consulting with an integrative healthcare practitioner for further guidance on how to prevent UTIs.

Fullscript simplifies supplement dispensing

Create your dispensary today I'm a patient
References
  1. Akgul, T. & Karakan, T. (2018). The role of probiotics in women with recurrent urinary tract infections. Turkish Journal of Urology, 44(5), 377-383.
  2. Bazzaz, B., Fork, S., Ahmadi, R., & Khameneh, B. (2021). Deep insights into urinary tract infections and effective natural remedies. African Journal of Urology, 27, 6.
  3. Chen, Y., Chang, C., Chiu, T., Lin, M., & Lin, C. (2020). The risk of urinary tract infection in vegetarians and non-vegetarians: a prospective study. Scientific Reports, 10, 906.
  4. Fu, Z., Liska, D., Talan, D., & Chung, M. (2017). Cranberry reduces the risk of urinary tract infection recurrence in otherwise healthy women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nutr, 147(12), 2282-2288.
  5. Gupta, V., Nag, D., & Garg, P. (2017). Recurrent urinary tract infections in women: how promising is the use of probiotics? Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 35(3), 347-354.
  6. Kodner, C. M., & Gupton, E. K. (2010). Recurrent urinary tract infections in women: diagnosis and management. American Family Physician, 82(6), 638-643.
  7. Lean, K., Nawaz, R., Jawad, S., & Vincent, C. (2019). Reducing urinary tract infections in care homes by improving hydration. BMJ Open Quality, 8(3).
  8. Medina, M., & Castillo-Pino, E. (2019). An introduction to the epidemiology and burden of urinary tract infections. Ther Adv Urol, 11, 3-7.
  9. Miller, J. M., Garcia, C. E., Hortsch, S. B., Guo, Y., & Schimpf, M. O. (2017). Does instruction to eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated, and artificially sweetened beverages improve lower urinary tract symptoms: a prospective trial. J Would Ostomy Continence Nurs, 43(1), 69-79.
  10. Mohiuddin, A. (2019). Lifestyle issues and prevention of recurrent UTIs. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res, 21(3).
  11. Murray, B. O., Flores, C., Williams, C., Flusberg, D. A., Marr, E. E., Kwiatkowska, K. M., Charest, J. L., Isenberg, B. C., & Rohn, J. L. (2021). Recurrent urinary tract infection: a mystery in search of better model systems. Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 11.
  12. Office on Women’s Health. (2019). Urinary tract infections. US Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/urinary-tract-infections
  13. Shields-Cutler, R. R., Crowley, J. R., Hung, C. S., Stapleton, A. E., Aldrich, C. C., Marschall, J., & Henderson, J. P. (2015). Human urinary composition controls antibacterial activity of siderocalin. J Biol Chem, 290(26), 15949-15960.
  14. Urology Care Foundation. (2016). Understanding UTIs across the lifespan. UrologyHealth Extra. https://www.urologyhealth.org/healthy-living/urologyhealth-extra/magazine-archives/summer-2016/understanding-utis-across-the-lifespan
  15. US Food and Drug Administration. (202)). FDA announces qualified health claim for certain cranberry products and urinary tract infections. https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-announces-qualified-health-claim-certain-cranberry-products-and-urinary-tract-infections
  16. Xia, J., Yang, C., Xu, D., Xia, H., Yang, L., & Sun, G. (2021). Consumption of cranberry as adjuvant therapy for urinary tract infections in susceptible populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis. PLoS ONE, 16(9).

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Disclaimer

The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Prev Next
Back to main wellness blog page

Get more resources for your practice

Protocols
Practice resources
Ingredient library
Webinars

Share

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Fullscript content philosophy

At Fullscript, we are committed to curating accurate, and reliable educational content for practitioners and patients alike. Our educational offerings cover a broad range of topics related to integrative medicine, such as supplement ingredients, diet, lifestyle, and health conditions.

Medically reviewed by expert practitioners and our internal Integrative Medical Advisory team, all Fullscript content adheres to the following guidelines:

  1. In order to provide unbiased and transparent education, information is based on a research review and obtained from trustworthy sources, such as peer-reviewed articles and government websites. All medical statements are linked to the original reference and all sources of information are disclosed within the article.
  2. Information about supplements is always based on ingredients. No specific products are mentioned or promoted within educational content.
  3. A strict policy against plagiarism is maintained; all our content is unique, curated by our team of writers and editors at Fullscript. Attribution to individual writers and editors is clearly stated in each article.
  4. Resources for patients are intended to be educational and do not replace the relationship between health practitioners and patients. In all content, we clearly recommend that readers refer back to their healthcare practitioners for all health-related questions.
  5. All content is updated on a regular basis to account for new research and industry trends, and the last update date is listed at the top of every article.
  6. Potential conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed.
Read more

The healthiest cookies you’ll choose today

Our website uses cookies to collect useful information that lets us and our partners support basic functionality, analyze visitor traffic, deliver a better user experience, and provide ads tailored to your interests. Agreeing to the use of cookies is your choice. Learn more

Fullscript logo

We're certified carbon-neutral. It's part of our commitment to helping people get better.

American flag - toggles to show american specific contentUnited States
Canadian flag - toggles to show canada specific contentCanada
Product
  • Practitioner software
  • Integrations
  • Pricing
  • Patients
  • Supplement quality
  • Treatment adherence
  • Catalog
  • Wholesale
Company
  • Spotlight
  • About Fullscript
  • Collective
  • Leadership
  • Culture guide
  • Careers
  • Engineering
  • News
Support
  • Practitioner support
  • Patient help
  • Testimonials
  • General FAQ
  • Patient shipping
  • Wholesale shipping

© Fullscript 2023. All rights reserved.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Customer Support Policy
  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • California Privacy Notice