Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) In Men

UTIs are just a problem for young women.  Although UTIs are more common in young women, men, too, are not immune to infections of the urinary tract.  One of the most common infections in middle age and older men are urinary tract infections.

Older men (such as, men 70 years and older) are at somewhat higher risk for UTIs because of problems going to the bathroom and/or emptying the bladder. Older post-menopausal women are also at a greater risk for UTIs due to lower amounts of vaginal estrogen, which can change the vaginal climate. The normal flora, ‘good bacteria,’ are looked at as ‘good’ because they kill off other types of bacteria that can cause UTIs. Good bacteria can only grow in slightly acidic vaginal climates and this needs some estrogen. Systemic estrogen replacement options like pills and skin patches do not help with this problem, but vaginal estrogen therapy can be helpful for certain individuals. Talk to your doctor to see if this is a choice for you.

Often, older adults can help stop UTIs by staying hydrated, using the bathroom and getting routine health exams to screen for health problems like high blood sugar that puts you at higher risk for getting a UTI. If you or a loved one wears adult diapers, it’s very important to keep the genital area clean and to change them often.

Other Groups at High-Risk for UTIs

People with high blood sugar and vesicoureteral reflux are at higher risk of getting a UTI. Vesicoureteral reflux is when urine goes backwards from the bladder toward the kidney. Over time, this reflux of infected urine may raise a person’s risk for kidney damage. Vesicoureteral reflux is usually seen in children with UTIs compared to adults. Additionally, some patients with kidney stones and indwelling catheters may also be a higher risk for getting a UTI. An indwelling catheter is a hollow tube that is placed into the bladder through the urethra and left inside your body. The catheter drains urine from your bladder into a bag outside of your body. A catheter-associated UTI happens when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the catheter and cause an infection.

How UTIs are Diagnosed

In most cases, if you think you have a UTI, you should visit a health care provider and give a urine sample for testing. A urinalysis is a test that looks for white blood cells, red blood cells, bacteria, and or other chemicals such as nitrites in your urine. A proper urinalysis can pinpoint an infection and a urine culture can help your health care provider choose the best antibiotic for treatment. It is vital to get a urinalysis and culture performed to make sure you have an infection and require care. Use of antibiotics when not needed, can be tricky, and can lead to greater rates of bacterial antibiotic resistance.

It should be noted that some individuals get a urinalysis result that shows bacteria, but the individuals are not having any symptoms of a UTI. This event is common in older adults. If the individual has bacteria in their urine, but has no symptoms, treatment is not right. Treatment should be given to individuals who have bacteria and associated UTI symptoms.

In closing, it should be noted that studies on cranberry juice and linked supplements are mixed. Some studies show that cranberry supplements can be helpful and other studies show that they don’t help stop UTIs before they happen. Be sure to read about the pros and cons of cranberry products, and decide if they’re right for you. For now, practice these tips to lower your risk of getting a UTI.

Tips for Preventing UTIs

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Urinate often.
3. Don’t hold it.
4. Keep your genital area clean.
5. Empty your bladder before and after sex

 

Bottom Line:  UTIs are common in men and women.  Men after age 70 are at a risk for UTIs.  The symptoms are burning on urination, frequency of urination, passing cloudy urine, and even blood in the urine.  The diagnosis is easily made with a physical examination, a urine exam, and occasionally other imaging studies.  Treatment with antibiotics is usually effective.

UTIs-Natural Solutions For Prevention

UTIs affect millions of men and women impacting their quality of life and may even affect their kidneys. Fortunately, most of these infections are uncomfortable with symptoms of burning on urination, frequency of urination, and back and pelvic pain. This article will discuss the usefulness of cranberry juice which may serve as an effective treatment to prevent recurrent UTIs.

A recent study reported in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aug. 2015 showed that cranberry pills (two capsules twice daily, equivalent to two 8-ounce servings of cranberry juice daily) cut the rate of UTIs in half.

Also there is supplement, D-mannose, can also help to reduce recurrent UTIs. Another study found good results from a combination of cranberry and d-mannose.

D-mannose is filtered through your kidneys and concentrated in your bladder and coats the bacteria causing the infections and renders them unable to stay in your urinary tract.

More than 90 percent of all UTIs are caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli), which is normally found in your intestinal tract. Problems only arise when this ordinary bacterium is present in high numbers in places where it shouldn’t be—like your urinary system.

Although antibiotics are an effective means of eradicating bacteria within the urinary tract, antibiotics need to be used with caution. Antibiotics are not selective and they kill the pathogenic bacteria in the urinary tract but also kill the good bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and with the removal of bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract there is a risk of other infections such as vaginal infections, fungal infections and side effects like diarrhea.

Bottom Line: UTIs are so very common and affect millions of American men and women. Cranberry juice and D-mannose may be a solution to preventing recurrent infections. If you have any questions about recurrent UTIs, speak to your physician.

Cranberry Juice for Bladder Infections: not just folklore

Cranberry-containing products may be more than just a folk remedy for urinary tract infections (UTIs). A recent article from Archives of Internal Medicine concludes that cranberry-containing products offer women protection against UTIs, particularly those prone to recurrent infections.

Researchers studies over 1,600 men, women, and children of different populations including the elderly; the hospitalized; those with neuropathic bladder, spinal cord injuries, or multiple sclerosis; and pregnant women. Most of the trials (10) were conducted in North America; the remainder were conducted in Finland, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Cranberry-containing products used in the studies took on different forms and dosages.  Cranberry juice contains P a substance that has the ability to inhibit Escherichia coli from adhering to the lining of the bladder and the urethra, the tube that transports urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. The studies looked at cranberry juice as well as capsules or tablets.

The authors of the review concluded that cranberry-containing products are most protective against UTIs in women with recurrent infections. They also may offer protection to women in general, including those who are pregnant, and to children and other populations, but heterogeneity across the trials made interpretation difficult.

Interestingly, the studies showed that the cranberry juice was more effective than capsules or tablets, but the investigators noted that could be because women who drink cranberry juice are better hydrated. They also found that dosing at least twice daily seems necessary to achieve benefit.

Bottom Line: If you have recurrent urinary tract infections, daily cranberry juice may just be the tonic you need to decrease these infections. 

Cranberry Juice Does Not Prevent Urinary Tract Infections-Another Medical Myth Bites The Dust

According to a report in Clinical Infection Diseases (2011;52:23-30), a placebo beverage fared better than cranberry juice in protecting against repeat urinary tract infections (UTIs) in 319 female college students presenting with acute UTI. The women were assigned to drink either eight ounces of cranberry juice or a placebo juice twice a day for six months or until another UTI developed. Although the investigators expected to see a 30% recurrence rate in the placebo group, the actual overall recurrence rate was 17%, with the cranberry-juice group experiencing a slightly higher recurrence rate than the those girls taking the placebo drink. according to a report in Clinical Infection Diseases (2011;52:23-30).

 

Stop Those Urinary Tract Infections – Cranberry Juice to the Rescue

Recurrent urinary tract infections are common in many women and in some men. Their symptoms of frequency, burning on urination, and urgency of urination are bothersome and can impact the quality oflife of those who are affected. The treatment for an acute urinary tract infection (UTI) consists of drinking addition water and antibiotics. Also effective is the use of cranberry juice. This article will review the benefits of using cranberry juice to prevent UTIs.

Most urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria from the colon and rectal area. The most common of these bacteria, E. Coli. is responsible for over 90% of all UTI. He. Coli and other bacteria usually enter the urinary tract through the urethra, a tube that carries urine out of the body. Once inside the body, E. Coli uses special hairnlike structures called P.-fimbria to stick to the wall of the bladder. Once attached to the bladder wall, the bacteria can multiply, causing a UTI.

Risk factors for UTIs

Women are more prone to UTIs then men because the female urethra is shorter, and therefore provides less of a barrier to the entry of bacteria. Sexual activity it is a risk factor for UTIs because intercourse can increase the chance that bacteria trom the rectal and vaginal area will enter the urethra. Menopause is also a risk factor, since the reduced level of estrogen permits the overgrowth of bacteria in the area of the urinary opemng.

Cranberry juice to the rescue

Some individuals develop recurrent UTIs, sometimes several per year, and a growing body of evidence now confirnls that cranberry products can reduce the risk of future UTIs. No known treatment can prevent UTIs hundred percent of the time, but clinical trials show that it leads the majority of people benefit from taking cranberry products. These products, when taken in appropriate dosages, are safe and effective. So, although cranberries can treat a UTI you currently have, he can help reduce the risk of having a future infection.

Most urinary tract infections occur when bacteria enter through the urethra and then stick to the wall of the bladder. Recent research has revealed a cranberry contain a class of compounds called proanthocyanidins, which bind to the bacteria and prevent it from sticking to the bladder wall. This makes it easier for the bacteria to be tlushed out in the urine before a UTI can start.

Approximately 8-10 ounces of 27% cranberry juice cocktail has been shown to reduce UTI risk. This amount of juice contains an average of 30-35 mg proanthocyanidins. For those trying to manage their weight, the extra calories from drinking cranberry juice cocktail contains approximately 175 calories, which, if consumed daily, can result in significant weight gain if the excess calories aren’t burned through exercise or physical activity. A cranberry supplement can provide a low-calorie alternative to the high calorie liquid drink.

All cranberry products contain some proanthocyanidins, but the amount varies dramatically between products. Therefore it is important to choose a product that has been independently tested and certified for proanthocyanidin content. If the actual content of proanthocyanidins in a cranberry supplement has not been measured and independently certified, the efficacy of that product is uncertain. Most health food stores can provide this nutritional supplement.

Bottom line: Recurrent urinary tract infections are a common affliction and can easily be treated with antibiotics. IIowever. cranberry juice can be an effective prophylaxis against these uncomfortable and occasionally incapacitating infections.