Uti Prevention Tips You Might Try Instead
In summary, if you currently have a UTI, skip the cranberry altogether and schedule an appointment with your doctor instead. A mild UTI may resolve on its own, but antibiotics are sometimes needed to treat them.
And as mentioned, if you get UTIs frequently and are looking for ways to prevent your next one, unsweetened cranberry juice may help. But it might also not.
Here are five other ways to help reduce your risk of getting a UTI:
Healthy Juices To Cleanse Your Kidneys Naturally
Kidneys are simple bean-shaped organs that are meant for removing toxic substances from the body, maintain a mineral balance, and regulate blood pressure. So it is essential to keep them take a healthy diet that has Vitamin B12, B6, and magnesium, reduce sodium intake, drink sufficient amount of water along with certain dietary modifications to ensure that they function well. Let us see some of the juices which can cleanse your kidney naturally.
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Cranberry Juice No Benefit For Kidney Stones
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center decided to study the effects of cranberry juice on people susceptible to calcium oxalate kidney stones, after many reported that they consumed it in an effort to prevent a recurrence of the uncomfortable condition.
The symptoms of kidney stones include pain in the lower back and abdomen, painful urination and the urge to urinate frequently. They are formed when minerals that are dissolved in urine, such as calcium and oxalate, crystallize. While small stones may travel to the bladder and be passed with the urine flow, larger formations can become lodged in the tube between the kidneys and the bladder, where they cause an obstruction.
The study group consisted of 12 subjects without kidney stones and 12 subjects with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones. In the first seven-day phase the subjects consumed a liter of cranberry juice a day, and in the second a liter of deionized water. Throughout both phases they followed a controlled metabolic diet.
The researchers collected urine and blood samples from all the participants on the last two days of each phases. Their findings are published in the August issue of the Journal of Urology :590-4 quiz 801).
No differences were observed in the results between the two groups.
âCranberry juice reduces urinary pH likely by providing an acid load and decreases urinary uric acid perhaps by retarding urate synthesis,â wrote the researchers.
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Can Drinking Cranberry Juice Cure A Urinary Tract Infection
Drinking cranberry juice is good for your body. Cranberry juice is a great beverage, with important antioxidants that help reduce your risk of heart disease. Antioxidants also strengthen your immune system, allowing your body to fight off infections. However, according to the Urology Clinic at UAMS, cranberry juice cannot cure a urinary tract infection on its own.
The myth about cranberry juice may have started because the juice helps alleviate some of the discomfort and pain of a urinary tract infection. In addition, studies have shown drinking cranberry juice can help reduce your risk of getting a UTI. However, if you have an infection, your doctor will need to prescribe antibiotics to clear up the condition. Drinking cranberry juice, as well as other liquids, while you have an infection will help flush the bacteria from your system and speed healing.
To learn more about the personalized care provided by our doctors using state-of-the art diagnostic and treatment techniques, please visit our Medical Services section.
When Should I Talk To A Doctor About Uti Symptoms
If youre experiencing pelvic symptoms or feel achy, tired and feverish, its a good idea to talk to a doctor right away.
Did you know that you can get treatment for a urinary tract infection online 24/7 through Virtuwell? Our certified nurse practitioners will review your symptoms and send you a personalized treatment. Since most UTIs are treated with antibiotics, well send a prescription to the pharmacy of your choice, and youll be feeling better in no time.
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So How Do You Get Rid Of A Uti Fast
If you think you have a UTI, the standard of care is antibiotics. Schedule an appointment with your doctor, who can run lab tests to confirm that there’s an infection and figure out the best antibiotics to prescribe, says Dr. Dweck.
Other remedies”and they are remedies, not formalized treatment for UTIs,” emphasizes Dweckin keep UTIs at bay or help an existing one heal include:
- Hydrate! “Drinking a lot of water will frequently help to flush out your system,” notes Jordan Gitlin, MD, the chief of pediatric urology at NYU Langone Hospital on Long Island.
- Practice proper hygiene when going the bathroom .
- For people prone to UTIs, urinate after sex.
- Start using a daily probiotic to help with constipation and gut health. A probiotic helps change the bacterial environment of your gut, says Gitlin. Having a healthy, consistent flow can help prevent a buildup of bacteria.
The Claim: Fruit Juice Can Prevent Kidney Stones
THE FACTS
Kidney stones strike more than a million Americans every year, sometimes causing enough pain to bring them literally to their knees.
Along with medication to discourage the formation of kidney stones, sufferers are often encouraged to make dietary changes, among them drinking more citrus juices. Citrate in the fruit reduces the formation of calcium oxalate stones and lowers urine acidity, much like the kidney stone medication potassium citrate.
But not all juices have the same effect. Lemonade or diluted lemon juice is the usual recommendation for people with calcium stones. But a study financed by the National Institutes of Health in 2006 compared lemonade with orange juice in patients with calcium stones and found that three cups of orange juice a day along with other standard dietary changes for kidney stone patients did a better job of raising citrate levels and decreasing urine acidity than lemonade or distilled water.
Then there are cranberry and apple juices, which, according to studies. are good for some stones and bad for others. They raise the recurrence risk of calcium stones, but help prevent a far less common subset of kidney stones called brushite. Grapefruit juice, in contrast, raises the risk across the board. One large study in The Annals of Internal Medicine found that a daily cup of grapefruit juice raised the risk of stone formation as much as 44 percent.
THE BOTTOM LINE
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Importance Of Kidney Disease Screenings
Kidney disease screening from Life Line Screening uses a simple finger-stick test to assess how well your kidneys are functioning. It uses an FDA-approved device adopted by more than 250 hospitals across the country.
Common risk factors for kidney disease include increased age, family history, race and ethnicity , diabetes, high blood pressure, hereditary factors, and abnormally elevated creatinine levels or decreasing glomerular filtration rates .
If you have any of the above risk factors, or if youre over the age of 60, you should seriously consider a kidney disease screening. Learn more now or contact us with any questions you might have.
Life Line Screening 2021 update
Learn more or schedule a screening today at lifelinescreening.comâ or give us a call at . Wed love to help.
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Is Cran Grape Juice Good For Kidneys
Asked by: Alvena Streich MD
A: Cranberry juice is very low in potassium and has been shown in randomized trials to prevent urinary tract infections in ladies with recurrent infections. It can be safely used in patients with very low kidney function, even in Stage 4 chronic kidney disease with elevated creatinine levels.
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What Does The Research Tell Us
Some early studies suggested that drinking cranberry juice could reduce recurrent UTIs. However, more recent higher quality research from 2012 found that there is no benefit in preventing UTIs compared to placebo or no treatment. This study was a review of 24 studies with 4473 participants and was carried out by the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which is a gold-standard level of research.1 Other findings were that:
- many people in the studies stopped drinking the juice, suggesting that it may be unacceptable to consume in the long term for many people
- cranberry-derived products were also ineffective.
There have been two further randomised trials in 2016. One found no benefit in nursing home residents.2 Another study found a meaningless benefit of preventing one UTI per 3.2 years of daily drinking of cranberry juice, and the study had significant biases like being funded by a cranberry product manufacturer.3
Other Risks Associated With Cranberries
Besides the potential for causing kidney stones, cranberry juice tends to thin blood, so you should use it cautiously if youre taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin. Cranberries contain salicylic acid, which is the active ingredient in aspirin. Like warfarin, aspirin thins the blood, so if you take aspirin regularly, talk to your doctor before adding cranberry to your diet. If youre allergic to aspirin, you may also be allergic to cranberries. Most cranberry juice has a lot of added sugar, so you need to consume it moderately to avoid weight gain.
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Can I Drink Cranberry Juice & Diet Cranberry Juice With Kidney Disease Dont Be Fooled By Labels
Youre likely to be restricted from certain foods if youre someone dealing with kidney disease. Following a correct renal diet is important for kidney health. People with kidney disease need to monitor intakes of potassium, sodium, and phosphorus especially. You may also need to control several important nutrients. The following information will give you a better knowledge of drinks that you should include in your renal diet.
Carbonated & energy drinks have been associated to form kidney stones. Each year in the U.S., kidney stones causes more than 300,000 people to seek diagnosis and relief in an emergency room. Dark soda is your worst enemy when it comes to the drinks you should avoid.
Eating cranberries can also protect your kidneys. Cranberries prevent the development and growth of ulcers and bacteria in your urinary tract and can help monitor current bacteria/ulcers because they make the urine more acidic and help keep bacteria from attaching to the inside of the bladder.
However, when shopping for cranberry juice, you may have to be more careful since the potassium content varies depending on which product or brand you choose. There are some with 50mg potassium content and some tend to have around 200mg. And for people dealing with kidney disease, you really want to stay away from high levels of potassium.
Diet juices may have less sugar and lower potassium levels. However, they add artificial sweeteners to it, which is not the best for your body.
Infections Along The Urinary Tract
While most of these infections are simply referred to as a UTI, the location of the infection makes a difference. Lower urinary tract infections are very common and easy to treat, but as the infection travels upwards, it gets more difficult and more dangerous.
- Lower Urinary Tract Infection
A lower urinary tract infection is what we commonly refer to as a UTI. It occurs when bacteria enters the urethra and causes a frequent urge to use the bathroom, burning sensations, dark urine, bladder discomfort, and kidney pain.2
- Bladder Infection
Bladder infections occur when the lower UTI works its way into the bladder. Youll experience similar symptoms, oftentimes persisting for longer periods of time and with an increase in frequency or intensity.
- Kidney Infection
A kidney infection, also known as pyelonephritis, occurs when excess bacteria has built up in the urinary tract and reached the kidneys.1 It is considered an upper urinary tract infection and is much more serious than lower urinary tract infections.
Once the infection spreads to your kidneys, its more dangerous. Kidney infections can be very serious and may require hospitalization. If you think you have a kidney infection, dont hesitate to schedule an appointment with your urologists for a proper diagnosis. In addition to a urine culture, your doctor will need to order imaging tests, blood tests, or a combination of both to confirm the location of the infection.
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Are Cranberries Good For Kidneys
The American National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse officially endorses drinking cranberry juice to flush out the bacteria responsible for creating Urinary Tract Infections from your system. Thats because, according to research, Cranberry juice can act as a cleanser of our kidneys by helping to remove excess water and break down the fatty tissue.
Urinary tract infections are the second most common type of infection in the body, accounting for about 8.1 million visits to health care providers each year. Women are especially prone to UTIs for anatomical reasons. This type of infection that can happen anywhere along the urinary tract such as:
- The bladder an infection in the bladder is also called cystitis or a bladder infection.
- The kidneys an infection of one or both kidneys is called pyelonephritis or a kidney infection.
- The ureters the tubes that take urine from each kidney to the bladder are only rarely the site of infection.
- The urethra an infection of the tube that empties urine from the bladder to the outside is called urethritis.
Reduces Risk And Severity Of Diabetes
The fruit and vegetable intake of people with type 2 diabetes is typically low. This is probably because of its perceived adverse effect on glycemic control. Low-calorie cranberry juice can be a healthy way of increasing fruit intake in such cases .
In a study conducted on 58 males with type 2 diabetes, half of them were given a cup of cranberry juice per day, while the rest were served placebo. After 12 weeks, there was a significant decrease in serum glucose in the experiment group .
Elevated levels of LDL are commonly seen in people with diabetes. The oxidation of LDL worsens diabetes. Thus, ultimately, cranberry juice can bring down the severity of diabetes. While at it, this drink can also reduce the risk of metabolic disorders
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Does Cranberry Juice Help Kidney Stones
Cranberry is the bog plant native to the region of North America. Its fruit is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Citrate and magnesium are two compounds that inhibit the formation of renal stones. Both of these are present in urine. To effectively prevent kidney stones, a natural beverage should increase the levels of inhibitors and simultaneously decrease the levels of compounds which form stones.
Consuming cranberry juice raises the amount of citrate, magnesium, calcium and oxalate in urine. This implies that while increasing two inhibitory compounds, it also raises the amount of two compounds that form calcium oxalate stones.
Hence, consumption of cranberry products actually raises the risk of renal stones, which form from oxalate and calcium. Additionally, cranberry juice may also decrease urine acidity, which raises the risk of formation of uric acid renal stones.
However, cranberry juice prevents infection of the urinary tract hence, it prevents formation of struvite kidney stones. This kind of stone is formed of ammonium, phosphate and magnesium and it is formed only when there is an infection of the urinary tract is present. Does cranberry juice help kidney stones? This implies that though the struvite stone components may be increased by consuming cranberry juice, their formation is actually prevented as it prevents UTIs. This occurs as it prevents the sticking of bacteria to the bladder wall.
How to Prepare?
How Does The Detox Drink Taste
There are a number of different detox drinks recipes out there on the internet, but this is the winner for me because I actually really enjoy drinking it. I find it tasty and refreshing! It reminds me of a La Croix or other flavored sparkling water. Its way more fun to sip on this all morning instead of just plain ol water.
You could even add a drop of stevia extract if you wanted to sweeten it a little. However, unless youre used to only consuming sweet drinks that probably wont be necessary. Personally I enjoy it as its written below, and I find it yummy and refreshing.
Plus its intentionally gentle enough that it can be a daily thing, as opposed to some of those crazy intense short-term programs out there.
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Cranberry Juice Liver Cleanse
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Probably Not A Great Treatment For Active Utis
While cranberry products help protect against UTI recurrence in some people, evidence supporting the use of cranberry juice and cranberry juice products for improving symptoms in people who have active UTIs is weak.
One review that included three high quality studies concluded that, overall, there wasnt enough evidence to show that cranberry extract helps treat active UTIs .
Another study that included 46 women found that taking cranberry capsules both alone and when combined with antibiotics may help reduce the need for antibiotic use and improve certain UTI-related symptoms in women with active UTIs .
Its important to note that this was a feasibility study with 46 participants, designed to assess whether a larger scale study would be feasible. Thus, its results may not be as robust as the results of a larger, high quality study.
Some women in the study noted that taking the cranberry supplements helped reduce antibiotic use and helped clear the infection more quickly than antibiotics alone, while others reported no improvement when they took the cranberry supplements.
Its important to note that most available research focuses on using cranberry products to prevent UTIs, not treat active infections.
Currently, theres not enough evidence to suggest that cranberry products are effective at reducing UTI symptoms or speeding recovery from active UTIs.
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