D-MANNOSE AND BLADDER INFECTIONS

D-mannose is a simple sugar that can be used to treat or prevent 90% or more of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli bacteria. While D-mannose clears up urinary tract infections as quickly as traditional antibiotics, it is much safer because it does not kill E. coli or other beneficial bacteria. Instead, it prevents E. coli from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract, allowing the bacteria to be flushed out of the body during natural urination. Using this extremely safe, effective, inexpensive, natural treatment, women can usually treat their urinary tract infections themselves without having to see a doctor, take expensive medications, or have their insurance reimburse them.

What is a urinary tract infection?

A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection (90% of the time caused by E. coli bacteria) that affects the tissues lining the urinary tract (or urinary tract). The urinary tract consists of two kidneys, which produce urine from waste products, two narrow ureters, tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, a bladder that stores urine, and a urethra, which completes the path of urine from the bladder to the outside.

The urinary tract responds to a bacterial infection much like the upper respiratory tract responds to a cold. The tissues become inflamed, irritated, and swollen. Just as it can be difficult to breathe through a swollen and inflamed nasal passage, a swollen and inflamed urinary tract can partially block the normal flow of urine, making it painful and difficult to urinate.

Normally, the urinary system is an unfavorable environment for bacteria, viruses, or any other microorganisms. Microorganisms that enter a healthy urinary tract enter an unfavorable acidic environment (pH <5.5). They are also exposed to the body's immune system. Even if microorganisms overcome these significant obstacles, they will be excreted from the body with the natural flow of urine. Thus, it is this natural antibacterial protection that is effective. Despite all this natural protection, millions of people, the vast majority of whom are women, develop urinary tract infections every year. Most urinary tract infections begin when bacteria that live in the intestines enter the urethra and multiply there. Infections that do not go beyond the urethra are known as "urethritis" (inflammation of the urethra). When bacteria ascend to the bladder, the infection is called "cystitis" (inflammation of the bladder). Infections that affect the kidneys are called “nephritis” or “pyelonephritis.”

E. coli, the bacteria that cause most urinary tract infections, is the most common bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, where it helps digest food, produces several vitamins, and is generally harmless. However, if E. coli and other microorganisms are in the lower gastrointestinal tract, they enter the urinary tract through the urethra, infecting the inner surface of the bladder, multiplying and spreading there.

While up to 90% of urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli bacteria, the remaining 10% are caused by bacteria such as Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and others. Unlike E. coli, these microorganisms are sexually transmitted and rarely cause more serious bladder and kidney disease. Infections caused by Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and N. gonorrhoeae are not treated with D-mannose and usually require antibiotic treatment. In addition, some urinary tract infections are caused by other bacteria, such as Proteus or Staphylococcus. Still, all of these infections caused by bacteria other than E. coli together account for just over 10% of all urinary tract infections.

Who gets urinary tract infections?

Anatomy determines the occurrence of urinary tract infections. Women are much more prone to urinary tract infections than men. The reason lies in the differences in the anatomy of the two sexes. The normal female anatomy, in which the urethral opening, vagina, and anus are very close together, seems to be specially designed for urinary tract infections because it allows E. coli bacteria to enter the vagina or urethra relatively easily. In men, the urethra exits the body through the penis, and this distance prevents most E. coli bacteria from entering the urinary tract.

The urethra in women is also much shorter than in men. This means that the distance bacteria have to travel to reach a woman's bladder is much shorter, making it more likely that a urethral infection will quickly turn into a bladder infection, or cystitis.

How D-mannose can treat or prevent urinary tract infections.

In addition to the natural presence of the sugar D-mannose in the cells lining the epithelial tissues of the urinary tract, the sugar D-mannose is also present in relatively large amounts in fruits such as peaches, apples, oranges, and some berries such as cranberries and blueberries. Extracted in the form of D-mannose*, the white crystalline sugar, similar to glucose, dissolves easily in liquid and is swallowed. (Mannose can also be synthesized from other simple sugars.)

When a patient suffering from a urinary tract infection takes a dose of D-mannose, the sugar is absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, but much more slowly than most other sugars (for example, glucose is absorbed more than eight times faster). Furthermore, unlike sugars, D-mannose is not converted to glycogen (and stored) in the liver, but rather enters the bloodstream virtually unchanged. 18,19

As blood rich in D-mannose passes through the kidneys, a significant portion of the sugar is extracted and excreted in the urine. Urine containing D-mannose passes from the kidneys through the ureters to the bladder, from where it is excreted through the urethra, effectively coating the tissues with sugar and washing away the E. coli bacteria that can no longer adhere to the cells. It also “dislodges” most of the E. coli bacteria that have managed to adhere to the inner surface of the bladder and urinary tract, flushing them out.

What is the evidence that D-mannose is actually effective? First, the molecular mechanism of action of D-mannose on E. coli bacteria is scientifically proven. Researchers who have studied this phenomenon have no arguments against it. Second, literally tens of thousands of women who prefer natural remedies have used this remedy to treat their urinary tract infections.

A large body of circumstantial evidence, combined with common sense and more than 15 years of clinical research, leaves no doubt about the therapeutic value of D-mannose. Studies conducted on humans have shown that taking D-mannose significantly increases the level of mannose in the blood, which is a prerequisite for increasing the level of mannose in the urine.

It is not only patients at the Tacoma Clinic who have achieved such remarkable results with D-mannose. We often hear such stories from other specialists who recommend D-mannose to their patients, and therefore the following statement is typical:

“In my 38 years of practice, I have tried every possible method of treating kidney and bladder diseases, with mixed results, or at least not reproducible. To date, we have not had a single patient who has not been helped by D-mannose. Even in some cases where the disease was chronic, the patient's condition improved so much that taking D-mannose for one week completely eliminated the problem."

Try D-Mannose First!

We strongly recommend that people suffering from urinary tract infections try D-Mannose before resorting to antibiotics. In 90% of cases, urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli bacteria, and therefore, D-Mannose treatment works on them, significantly reducing the number of symptoms within 24 hours. (Even if symptoms disappear within 24 hours, it is necessary to continue taking D-Mannose for two to three days after the last symptom disappears; unlike traditional antibiotics, it will not harm your health.) Many doctors believe that before starting treatment with D-Mannose, a urine culture should be performed. There is a one in ten chance that the infection is caused by bacteria other than E. Coli and treatment with D-mannose will not bring the desired result, and a urinalysis will identify the bacteria that caused the infection and quickly select a traditional antibiotic.

Conclusion

D-mannose is a simple sugar that can be used to treat or prevent 90% or more of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli bacteria. Although D-mannose eliminates urinary tract infections as quickly as traditional antibiotics, it is much safer because it does not kill E. coli bacteria or other beneficial bacteria. Instead, it prevents E. coli bacteria from sticking to the inner surface of the urinary tract, as a result of which the bacteria are washed out of the body during natural urination. By using this extremely safe, effective, inexpensive, natural treatment method, women can usually treat their urinary tract infections themselves without the need to visit doctors, take expensive medications, and have their costs reimbursed by insurance companies.