Urinary tract infection: Symptoms, Causes and Preventive Supplements

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UTI or urinary tract infection is an infection that affects any or all parts of your urinary tract system, which includes the urethra, urinary bladder, ureters, and kidneys. The most common infection affects the bladder and the urethra, which is the duct that connects the bladder to the outside. Though, these can be prevented with proper precautions and uti supplements.

Symptoms of a UTI

Symptoms are not always present, but these signs may indicate that you have a UTI.

  • Burning sensation during urination
  • Continuous urge to urinate
  • Cloudy urine
  • Pink, red or brown colored urine which is a sign of blood being present in it
  • Strong and vile-smelling urine
  • Pelvic pain, particularly in womenuti supplements

What causes urinary tract infections?

UTIs are caused when bacteria enter through the urethra and travels upwards further into the urinary system. Often some barriers prevent this from happening, but sometimes they fail, and the bacteria can multiply and form full-blown colonies inside the tract, causing discomfort.

UTIs are more typical in women because of their anatomy. The urethra is shorter, and thus, bacteria have to travel a shorter distance to reach the bladder and form its colonies. These are some of the most common risk factors:

  • Urinating in unhygienic places
  • Sexual activity and multiple partners
  • Certain birth control methods
  • Menopause

Preventions 

UTIs can be prevented by changing certain habits and taking UTI supplements. Some supplements that may be beneficial include:

  • Cranberries: These help by preventing the bacteria from sticking to the tract’s lining. Natural forms such as extracts, raw fruit, and even natural juices work well. However, liquids that have added sugar may not give you any benefits.
  • Blueberries: These work similarly to cranberries and can be very effective against UTIs.
  • Vitamin C: Vitamin C makes the urine acidic. This causes any bacteria that may have entered your system to be killed without causing any harm to you. Hence, it is even used as a treatment for UTIs.
  • Probiotics: These are good bacteria that live in your body. They prevent terrible and infectious bacteria from developing in the body and are beneficial against urinary tract infections.
  • D-Mannose: This is a type of sugar similar to glucose. It prevents the bacteria from sticking to the lining of your urethra. This is the sugar found in cranberries and blueberries, but if you need a higher dose, taking D-mannose supplements may be better.