An animal study from Baylor College of Medicine demonstrated how supplementation with the natural sugar D-mannose may improve cellular function in the urinary tract of older adults and lower the rate of urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Researchers compared the cellular function of naturally aging mouse bladder cells against younger animals and found increased cellular senescence, oxidative stress and increased susceptibility to recurring UTIs, with an increased inefficiency in combating stress
The prevalence of UTIs is rising, having grown by 60.4% from 1990 to 2019. Up to 60% of all women have at least one UTI during their lifetime according to some experts. The annual cost of treatment in the Medicare population for those with a UTI was approximately $12,000 per person in 2019
In 2018, 79.8% of sampled pork, chicken and turkey in Flagstaff, Arizona, was contaminated with E. coli; blood and urine samples from a nearby medical center revealed 72.4% of those with a UTI had E. coli of the same strain, known as ST131
You can take precautions at home to prevent and start early treatment. Women can take several specific hygienic steps that may help prevent the development of a UTI; you may consider using D-mannose, the active component in cranberries — proanthocyanidins (PAC) — and a saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) as early treatment
More tips to prevent UTI
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