Juice and milk products prevent urinary infection

Since urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by the bacteria present in stool, dietary factors affect the risk of contracting UTI by altering the bacteria flora in the faeces. Women who have frequent episodes of painful urinary tract infections may get relief from simple changes in their diet, according to new research. Investigators discovered that women who regularly drink fresh juices and eat yoghurt and cheese might be less likely than others to develop urinary tract infections.Researchers from Finland studied dietary and other risk factors for UTI in fertile women. One hundred and thirty-nine women from a health centre with a diagnosis of an acute UTI were compared with 185 age-matched women with no episodes of UTIs during the past 5 years. Data on the women's dietary and other lifestyle habits were collected by a questionnaire. Frequent consumption of fresh juices, especially berry juices, and fermented milk products containing helpful microbes known as probiotic bacteria was associated with a decreased risk of recurrence of UTI. Probiotics are foods that contain living cultures of "good" bacteria. The authors found that women who drank at least one daily glass of fresh juice - either freshly squeezed or from concentrate, with no additional sweeteners were 34% less likely to have experienced a recent UTI. Women appeared especially protected from UTIs if they drank juices made from berries, the report notes. Women who reported eating milk products such as yoghurt and cheese, at least three times each week, were almost 80% less likely to have recently developed a UTI than women who ate similar foods less than once per week. The authors found that women who had not suffered a recent UTI reported higher consumption of fresh fruit juices and milk products.

In terms of why certain food and drink may ward off UTIs, the researchers note that bacteria that migrate from the stool can cause UTIs. Foods that modify the stool's bacterial flora may therefore influence the risk of UTIs. Dietary habits seem to be an important factor for UTI recurrence in fertile women, and dietary guidance could be a step towards prevention.

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