There's never a good time for a urinary tract infection.

This is a bacterial infection that mainly affects women and its symptoms perfectly describe 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 (UTI).

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 incidence 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 are easily manifested in women. E. coli are common bacteria normally found in the intestine, but they are very unwelcome in the urinary tract where they can multiply rapidly and cause an infection. Worse still, the cell walls of E. coli have "sticky" projections that allow the cells to adhere to the mucous membranes of the bladder 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 is increasing. Risk factors for the incidence of UTIs increase with the frequency and intensity of sexual intercourse, diabetes, pregnancy, menopause, 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 for UTIs

Doctors usually resort to antibiotics to treat UTIs after diagnosis through laboratory tests. Antibiotics are effective and, depending on the treatment used, can eliminate the problem within one to ten days. Unfortunately, they may 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. Since a third of infections recur, many women are frustrated that they cannot find a solution to their UTIs.

Prevention of UTIs

Preventing UTIs is the best course of action. Several simple measures can be taken to reduce the risk of a UTI.

• Drink enough water to flush the urinary tract and dilute the urine.
• Do not hold back from urinating.
• Shower instead of bathing (reduced exposure to bacteria).
• Wipe from front to back after urinating 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.

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 mucous membranes of the bladder. Cranberry is considered more effective in preventing UTIs than in treating them.

D-Mannose

D-mannose is a simple sugar that many people find useful for UTIs. It works by coating the E. coli bacteria. Being stickier than E. coli, D-mannose prevents bacteria from adhering to the mucous membranes of the bladder, 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 traditionally been 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 further studied 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 ingested 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 truly 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 the urine and make it more difficult for bacteria to proliferate. The intake of ELLIROSE^MC was able to reduce the normal pH of urine (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 pose the risk associated with the overuse of antibiotics. Excessive use of antibiotics can, over time, lead to bacterial resistance, which leads to an increased risk of infection and limited treatment success.

Other improvements experienced by patients in the ELLIROSE^MC study were reduced pain during urination and reduced 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 — Original issue translation • Volume XXV – n° 2 – March-April 2010.