The 3 Most Powerful Natural Antibiotics for a UTI

Do natural antibiotics for a UTI work?

According to science, some of them actually do. In my experience, the ones you’ll find below – definitely do.

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It usually starts with a sudden and frequent need to visit the potty. When you get there, you only can squeeze a little bit of urine, followed by a painful burning sensation in your bladder and/or urethra.

In more extreme cases you may end up with fever, chills, back pain, and even bloodnoo in your urine.

In a hurry? Jump to the BEST natural antibiotic for a UTI

And so it goes on for days until you give up and run to the doctor to get your antibiotics.

What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You about UTIs

Your doctor happily gives you the prescription, but he/she does not tell you that taking them actually raises your chance of getting another UTI, sooner or later.

Fortunately, you don’t need pharmaceutical antibiotics to clear your bladder infection.

Here you’ll find the top 3 most effective (science-based) natural antibiotics for UTIs.

Using them may not only heal your UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) but prevent your next one and boost your overall health – without any side effects.

Why Women Suffer (more than men) From UTIs 

Did you know? UTIs are the second most common reason people visit their doctor every year.

And by “people” I mean usually women.

More than 8 million women head to their doctor for UTI treatment annually (see statistics). And, 20 percent of them will get a second UTI (and a third and a fourth…).

Why?

1. Women have shorter urethras.

2. Men have a magic weapon against UTIs. Their prostate gland “shoots” a bacterial growth inhibitor directly into their urinary system.

What Causes Urinary Tract Infections?

The Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria causes 90% of UTIs.

But here’s a surprise:

E. coli is normally found in your intestinal tract.

Problems only arise when it is present in high numbers in places where it shouldn’t be — like your urinary system.

Sometimes E. coli is accidentally transferred to the bladder through “lapses” in optimal hygiene.

When normal E. coli gets into your urinary tract and multiplies, you experience the usual signs and symptoms of a UTI.

But if it’s in your urine, why doesn’t the body just flush it out when you pee?

Because the cell walls of each E. coli are covered with tiny fingerlike projections called fimbria3 allowing them to “stick” to the inner walls of your bladder and even work their way upward to your urethra and kidneys. 

That’s why the ultimate way to clear a bladder infection is to prevent the little buggers from sticking to your bladder walls.

The 3 Most Effective Natural Antibiotics for UTI

Most urinary tract infections can be cured when symptoms first arise or are prevented by using these science-backed natural antibiotics and antimicrobial herbs for UTIs.

Use them, and you may prevent recurrent urinary tract infections:

1. Cranberries / Blueberries

I’m sure you’ve heard about the benefits of Cranberry Juice for urinary tract health.

But:

Up until recently, no one knew how exactly it works.

Now a group of researchers believes they found the answer:

Specific compounds in cranberries inhibit the adherence of E. coli bacteria to the uroepithelial cells.

These compounds won’t let the E.coli stick to your bladder walls (and start the pain party).

But before you run and buy Cranberry Juice, WAIT.

What many studies fail to mention is:

Most cranberry juice is loaded with fructose, a monosaccharide (simple sugar) that can potentially lead to health problems.

So, in effect, you are trading good urinary health for blood sugar instability, stress on your liver, and increased uric acid levels that can raise your blood pressure.

The good news is that the most beneficial component for fighting a UTI in Cranberries has been identified and isolated – and that is “D-Mannose“.

D-mannose can be derived from berries, peaches, apples, and some other plants.

Pure D-mannose is amazingly 10-50 times stronger than cranberry, non-toxic, and completely safe, with NO adverse effects.

Instead of drinking plenty of sugary Cranberry juice, you can get the active ingredient, without the damaging metabolic consequences.

D-Mannose is not a drug. It’s a naturally occurring sugar, closely related to glucose and you even produce it in your body.

Only very small amounts of D-mannose are metabolized, so it doesn’t interfere with blood sugar regulation (it won’t raise your blood sugar levels!).

Most of D-mannose is filtered through your kidneys and routed to your bladder, then quickly excreted in your urine.

It doesn’t kill any good or bad bacteria.

It simply prevents E.coli from sticking to your bladder and causing trouble.

I can highly recommend to you the Source Naturals D-Mannose, which is flavorless and easy to take.

D-Mannose Dosage

If you suffer from chronic UTIs, you can take a daily dose of one teaspoon of D-Mannose for prevention.

If you feel a UTI coming on, it’s fine to increase the dosage to one teaspoon every few hours – for natural and speedy relief.

2. Goldenseal / Oregon Grape

Goldenseal is one of the 5 best-selling herbal products in the United States.

Goldenseal is a potent natural antibiotic, which like Cranberries contains the active ingredient (berberine) that prevents bacteria from adhering to your cell walls.

Goldenseal tastes awful, so I would recommend you take it in capsule form or extract form so you can mix it with water.

Important: Goldenseal, like its good “friend” Echinacea, cannot be taken for more than 2 weeks.

This means that Goldenseal is best for acute UTIs, but not for prevention since you can’t take it for more than 2 weeks.

Warning:

If you take any medication, consult with your doctor about possible counter-interactions. Avoid if you are pregnant or nursing.

Recommended –  Herb Pharm Goldenseal Extract

On the other hand, using Oregon Grape (which also contains berberine) is not limited to 2 weeks.

Oregon Grape can be taken via capsules, tablets, and liquid tinctures or you can just make tea from it.

3. Horseradish

Horseradish is such a powerful natural antibiotic for bladder infections, that the German Commission E (The German equivalent of the FDA) has approved it as an adjunct natural treatment to prescription drugs for UTIs.

In Japan, it’s called “wasabi” and if you’re like me, you can’t imagine sushi without it.

The active ingredients in Horseradish concentrate in the urine and therefore deliver antibiotic effects to the bladder.

These ingredients can also activate specific enzymes that help to keep toxins from accumulating in the bladder.

Horseradish is also a diuretic, which means it helps the body eliminate urine, so bacteria or inflammatory agents get flushed out sooner and better.

For example:

This study has found that combining horseradish and nasturtium (Watercress) extracts has cleared the subjects’ UTIs just as effectively as pharmaceutical antibiotics.

And, it was done without side effects or killing good bacteria.

Since I couldn’t find a supplement that combines the two, I suggest you try taking a pure Horseradish extract (if you can’t just eat it).

Again, check with your doctor first if you are taking any medication, and avoid it if you are pregnant or nursing.

The BEST Natural Antibiotic for a UTI

Natural antibiotics for UTIs work in a different, better, and safer way to eliminate UTIs.

And, more importantly, prevent a recurrence.

The key to treating a UTI naturally is to NOT try to kill the E.coli but to prevent it from sticking to your bladder cell walls and flush it out when you go through (painful) urination.

It’s a naturally occurring sugar, it doesn’t spike blood sugar levels like Cranberry juice, you can take it regularly (and safely) for prevention and it works amazingly well.

Best Probiotics for Recurrent UTIs 

Using a special strand of probiotics was proven to restore the urogenital flora of healthy premenopausal women.

The Lactobacilli probiotic dominates most healthy women’s urogenital flora, and many clinical studies show that it’s the most effective probiotic you can take to prevent recurring UTIs.

However:

Some strains are better than others. Here are the findings:

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 (previously called L. fermentum RC-14) seemed to be the most effective among the studied lactobacilli for the prevention of UTIs. L. casei shirota and L. crispatus CTV-05 have also shown efficacy in some studies”

Where Can You Find This Exact Probiotic?

I recommend the Jarrow Formulas Fem-Dophilus, which supports vaginal and Urinary Tract health – you can purchase it at iHerb.

What’s Wrong with Conventional Antibiotics?

As I mentioned above, the E.coli bacteria that cause your UTI is a normal part of healthy gut flora.

Antibiotics will kill them altogether, along with more types of good bacteria you need to have in your gut, setting you up for fungal infections, diarrhea, and other digestive problems.

And, as I mentioned in my previous post – the Complete List of Natural Antibiotics – there are more reasons to avoid pharmaceutical antibiotics:

1. Many antibiotics have terrible side effects and can cause dangerous allergic reactions.

2. Antibiotics weaken (at least temporarily) your immune system.

This means you will be prone to a second, third, and fourth UTI in the near and unpleasant future.

And I guess you already know about the other dangers of weak immunity.

3. Antibiotics are highly overused in humans and pets, as well as in livestock, and this careless overuse has created antibiotic-resistant superbugs like MRSA and antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis.

4. Using unnecessary antibiotics with children prevents them from developing their natural defenses as their immune systems develop.

Warning:

Sometimes, despite preventative measures, a kidney infection can develop.

If you suspect you have a kidney infection – especially if you have a fever – see your doctor immediately – to prevent kidney problems.

To your health and happiness,

Meital