Effective natural treatment for bladder and UTI problems

Cystitis, urinary tract infections(UTIs) and general bladder problems are common complaints affecting all age groups and 90% of are caused by the bacteria E.Coli. Standard medical treatment usually invovles the prescription of stronger and stronger antibiotics if the infection does not clear, often with resultant negative side effects.

We were introduced recently to D-Mannose, a little known rare sugar, being sold by pure&Me (www.pureandme.com) which has an incredible effect on UTIs caused by E.Coli. See below a fuller description:

How it works

There are many who claim that D-Mannose eliminates or reduces their symptoms greatly.

Normally people start taking D-Mannose 3 times a day and symptoms should begin to subside.

Let’s take a closer look at this natural food supplement.

What is D-Mannose?

D-mannose is a naturally occurring simple sugar, closely related to glucose. It is found in cranberries, peaches, apples, other berries, and some plants.  It is produced from mannitol, which is produced from fructose, starch or sucrose from fruit.  It is not metabolised by humans and hence, on ingestion, passes through the digestive tract to the kidneys and urine for excretion.    D-Mannose has great capacity to bind to pathogens, particularly E.coli which commonly cause UTI’s.  The E Coli likes the D-Mannose and is prevented from adhesion to the walls of the bladder and UTI tract.

It can be purchased in a supplement form, either as a powder or in capsules.

How does D-Mannose work?

Over 90% of UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria, which are found in normal gut flora in the intestinal tract, but do not belong in the bladder or urinary tract.

This is not the same strain of E. coli that can end up on our dinner plate from unsanitary food processing.

A lingering or underlying E-coli infection is said to be one possible contributing factor in the development of cystitis and interstitial cystitis.

The standard UTI tests can miss these low-grade infections, which may help explain why some women and men feel as if they still have a bladder infection even after a round of standard antibiotics and subsequent negative UTI results from their doctor.

Unfortunately for us, bacteria are smart and efficient.

The cell walls of E. coli are covered with tiny, sticky fingerlike projections (consisting of an amino acid-sugar complex, also known as a “glycoprotein” or “lectin”), that allow them to take hold of the inside of the bladder wall and urinary tract. When this happens, the bacteria is difficult to flush out via the urine.

Enter D-Mannose.

D-mannose can stick to the E. coli lectins to a greater degree than the E. coli can stick to our human cells. Although D-mannose is a simple sugar, most of it is not metabolised and when a large quantity of D-mannose is ingested, almost all of it spills into the urine via our kidneys and coats the E. coli so it can no longer adhere to the inside walls of the bladder and urinary tract. At this point, they can be rinsed away through urination.

How to add to your diet

Whilst cranberry juice (naturally contains d-mannose),  the acidity and sugar make it counter-productive.

You can take d-mannose, either as a powder or in capsules.  You can take the powder with warm water, tea or milk.  It just has a mild, sweet taste.

Make sure that you purchase a product that is pure D-Mannose.

Who might benefit from supplementing with D-Mannose?

• If you have a vague feeling of discomfort or suspect you may be getting a bladder infection.

• If you suspect you have an underlying or lingering e-coli infection (not detected by standard UTI test), you might want to consider D-Mannose.

• If you are prone to bladder infections in addition to your IC, D-Mannose may be able to help you manage this and reduce the frequency of UTIs you experience, or eliminate the infection before it takes hold.

• If you are the type of person to get UTIs post-sex, D-Mannose may help you to flush out the bacteria before they take hold and cause a full blown infection.  Take D-Mannose before sex and always empty the bladder after sex if possible.