We’ve all been there, or at least fifty percent of women have. The dreaded UTI creeps upon us, and our friends suggest cranberry juice as a cure-all. This at-home remedy is one of the most commonly believed myths about treating UTIs. The reality is chugging your weight in cranberry juice alone isn’t nearly as effective as people think!

What’s In Cranberries That Helps Battle UTIs?

“There is an active ingredient in cranberries that can prevent adherence of bacteria to the bladder wall, particularly E. coli,” explains urologist Courtenay Moore, MD. “But most of the studies suggest that juice and supplements don’t have enough of this active ingredient (A-type proanthocyanidins) to prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract.” This active ingredient is commonly referred to as PACs.

Most UTI supplements have a minimal amount of PACs, usually 0.5% to 1%. However, not all UTI supplements are the same. For example, Utiva UTI control supplements provide 36 mg of PACs at 15% concentration in each capsule, the clinically proven dose that provides anti-adhesion capabilities.

Will Antibiotics Help With my UTIs?

See what Dr Colleen McDermott, Urogynecologist at Mt Sinai Hospital, Toronto has to say. Watch Now

If you’ve had a stubborn UTI, then you’ve most likely been given antibiotics. While these are a life-saver, they come with drawbacks, especially if you get recurring urinary tract infections. It’s estimated that 85% of all urinary tract infections are caused by the E.coli bacteria living inside our bowels, finding their way into our urinary tract.

“Managing recurrent urinary tract infections can be complex. Antibiotics are the first-line treatment but there are clinically proven options that can help prevent recurrences,” explains Dr. Colleen Mcdermott, a Urogynecologist at Mount Sinai Hospital. “The evidence supports PACs as being the active molecule of the cranberry which prevents bacterial adherence to the bladder wall thus helping to reduce recurrent UTIs.”

While it is essential to use antibiotics to stop a urinary tract infection, they should be used sparingly. The only way to truly reduce antibiotic usage is to prevent infections from occurring as best possible.

What Are Some Easy Home Remedies for UTIs?

While home remedies for urinary tract infections shouldn’t replace treatment by a doctor, there are things you can do to help prevent UTIs and improve your symptoms!

• Proper hygiene – Practice good health and prevent bacteria from entering the urinary tract. Urinate often and completely empty your bladder so bacteria can exit.
• Stay hydrated – Drink the daily recommended amount of water, about 15.5 cups for men and 11.5 cups for women, to flush out the urinary tract system.
• Keep clean – It’s normal to frequently get hot and sweaty in humidity or bundling up to stay warm in the winter. Change out of wet underwear and into a clean, dry pair as needed to keep UTIs at bay.
• Cranberry supplements – Since cranberry juice is high in sugar, recent guidelines from the Journal of Urology recommend cranberry supplements. Compared with regular cranberry pills for UTIs, each Utiva Control Capsules contains 36 mg of PACs at 15% concentration – one of the highest in the market, and the clinically proven amount necessary to be effective at avoiding UTIs.

To break the UTI-antibiotics cycle and avoid antibiotic resistance, introduce a one-a-day Utiva UTI Control Supplement into your daily routine. This full source of PACs has strong positive effects on gut and bladder health and provides a higher number of antioxidants than other cranberry supplements on the market.

Utilizing test strips such as Utiva UTI Test Strips can also come in handy as they check for Leukocyte (white blood cells) and the presence of E.coli, which are both signs of a UTI. The process is easy and can give you results within two minutes, saving you a trip to the doctor!