Controlling Urinary Tract Infections without antibiotics.
Posted 05-09-2011 at 02:56 AM by Ted_Hutchinson
Tags curcumin, melatonin, resveratrol, uti, vitamin d
I though it may be an idea to copy a series of posts from another forum to this site as it may be relevant to readers here.
Controlling Urinary Tract Infections.
I mentioned on another thread how I no longer get UTI infections although I have to self catheterise every time I need to pee.
I don't have to explain to people how tiring, stressful and debilitating having repeat UTI's can be. For those who aren't aware if you continually insert a foreign body into a part of your body that is supposed to be sterile you introduce bacteria and the more you rely on anti biotics to reduce the infections they cause the sooner you find you have become resistant to most antibiotics and it ends up with regular testing (buy 10 parameter strips off EBAY @ �10 if your doc won't give you a pot) and sending samples to the lab whenever there's a sign of things getting out of control.
But having used the long term low dose, and high dose long term routes I was faced with having to go into hospital to deal with the resistant e coli that only ONE antibiotic was known to help.
Not a comfortable thought that if I became resistant to that one I'd have no way left.
I therefore put my mind to how to beat the problem as source.
I think the first move was the change of catheter to Hollister advance
You can see the protective tip that bypasses the first 15mm of the distal urethra, where the majority of bacteria are present. Hollister offer the same home delivery service (in the UK) but I like to support my local doctors pharmacy so I get a bulk prescription every 3 months delivered from my surgery/dispensary.
However that didn't totally solve the problem and as I was increasing my vitamin D status anyway because of this
Antimicrobial Peptides, Innate Immunity, and the Normally Sterile Urinary Tract I found that also reduced UTI incidence. Knowing what I know now I should have started with 10,000iu daily D3 for up to 3yrs to get 25(OH)D above 60ng/ml 150nmol/l but back then I didn't really believe how safe vitamin D really is so it took longer than it should have done to get a vitamin D status that allowed vitamin D to be stored in cells rather than just circulating in plasma.
But I was still getting UTI's from time to time.
Cloudy smelly pee and feeling run down all the time is no fun so I had to do more.
Curcumin, green Tea and resveratrol supplements daily in conjunction with eating home made full fat yoghurt daily have now solved the problem and touch wood I've now managed to keep UTI free for well over a year.
I've got to go out now but I'll add in links to the science showing Curcumin, Resvertatrol, Green Tea inhibit pathogenic bacteria later.
I drink green tea as my main beverage and as a major weapon against e coli.
Bonnie Bassler on how bacteria "talk"
decreased transcriptional level in many quorum sensing-regulated virulence genes at 25 microg/ml. Our results suggest that EGCG at concentrations below itsMIC has significant antipathogenic effects against E. coli
What green tea is doing is knocking out the ability of E coli to communicate with other E coli to organise an infection.
It works in other ways as well as it's anti inflammatory also.
About Green Tea This site explains how to make GREEN TEA. There are some differences that make a better (lower caffiene) pot of green tea. Remember although it is more expensive you can, because you are brewing for less time, reuse those same tea leaves and so you get more cups per teaspoon of leaves. I brew my first cup in bed, and refresh those leaves 2 or 3 times through the day. I sometimes add a herbal teabag for the last brew of the day (Hibiscus is quite good)
Curcumin works in a different way to Green tea and Vitamin D. It has been found that curcumin, the main bioactive component of Curcuma longa, inhibits Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli growth by inhibiting FtsZ assembly. So adding this to the other strategies helps attack the E Coli bacteria through a different approach. I take a 500mg capsule night and morning as I think it has other benefits, (cancer, iron chelation, anti oxidant etc) as well is it's action on E Coli.
Although Resveratrol (from red wine and supplement) works in conjunction with curcumin it also works in other ways as well.
So in combination curcumin and resveratrol work better than when used separately. If people are worried about the risk of Alzheimer's then it's good to understand how it works in conjunction with melatonin.
Melatonin itself is a useful supplement for people with UTI because UTI's often increase frequency and this may mean they are getting disrupted sleep having to pee in the night. Melatonin use and improved sleep hygiene/circadian rhythm does help lower excess nocturnal urine production and increases bladder capacity.
Don't forget that Bright light exposure during the day and Subdued light in the evening and dark bedrooms at night help increase natural secretion of melatonin though as we age that declines so increasing supplemental melatonin to enhance immune function as you get older isn't a bad idea.
Mild dehydration: a risk factor of urinary tract infection? makes the point that Nevertheless, adequate hydration is important and may improve the results of antimicrobial therapy in UTI .....The combination of the behaviourally determined aspects of host defence and not simply increasing fluid intake is important in therapy and prophylaxis of UTI.
This supports my suggestions that we must also try to understand how we can improve natural anti microbial action and improve our host defences. Drinking GREEN TEA as part of your water rehydration program reduces inflammation, attacks pathogenic bacteria and although an acquired taste is very pleasant to drink. One of the reasons it's an acquired taste (something that takes more than a week or so to get used to, is the very fact it causes bacteria die off so your body initially has to get rid of (detoxify) itself from those dead bacteria cells this may make some people nauseous during drinking their first fews days of drinking Green Tea.
One way of making hydration more enjoyable and with the added bonus of improving your immune status by correcting magnesium deficiency is the use of this home made [PDF] Recipe for Magnesium/Bicarbonate Water It just requires a SODA STREAM to produce fizzy water to change the magnesium hydroxide into magnesium bicarbonate, this is a more easily absorbed form of magnesium as magnesium oxide and hydroxide stay in the digestive system, absorb water/nutrients from the digestive system, turn solid stools into loose runny stools and work as effective laxatives. Drinking magnesium bicarbonate fizzy water doesn't have a laxative effect. I drink a couple of litres daily along with my green tea consumption.
Treatment with Potassium Bicarbonate Lowers Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption in Older Men and Women
This paper explains how improving the acid/alkaline balance of urine reduces the excretion of calcium.
Our body needs to keep calcium locked in our bones and not circulating in our blood (where it causes stroke) Magnesium counterbalances the actions of calcium and when you increase your Vitamin D status, this enables a higher calcium absorption from the diet. Most people don't need to take calcium supplements as there are plenty of good food sources of calcium. At most 600mg/daily supplemental calcium should be used but even then it's not ideal as the body uses food derived calcium much better than supplement derived calcium.
Because magnesium is used to counterbalance the actions of calcium but is not so readily available in the diet it's important to try to increase your magnesium intake using the readily absorbed forms afibbers magnesium guide
Krispin's magnesium information
Influence of the consumption pattern of magnesium from magnesium-rich mineral water on magnesium bioavailability
If you do acquire some test strips you may find as I did that the urine is a bit too acid.
That was when I investigated the magnesium bicarbonate water idea. I found it nicely brought my acid/alkaline levels to ideal as previously it was always as acid as the test strips could measure.
Mercola suggest D-Mannose works to help your body eliminate e coli in the urinary tract I've tried it and am sure it helps. Though I didn't get mine from Mercola but IHERB. Code WAB666 for intitial $5 discount.
Controlling Urinary Tract Infections.
I mentioned on another thread how I no longer get UTI infections although I have to self catheterise every time I need to pee.
I don't have to explain to people how tiring, stressful and debilitating having repeat UTI's can be. For those who aren't aware if you continually insert a foreign body into a part of your body that is supposed to be sterile you introduce bacteria and the more you rely on anti biotics to reduce the infections they cause the sooner you find you have become resistant to most antibiotics and it ends up with regular testing (buy 10 parameter strips off EBAY @ �10 if your doc won't give you a pot) and sending samples to the lab whenever there's a sign of things getting out of control.
But having used the long term low dose, and high dose long term routes I was faced with having to go into hospital to deal with the resistant e coli that only ONE antibiotic was known to help.
Not a comfortable thought that if I became resistant to that one I'd have no way left.
I therefore put my mind to how to beat the problem as source.
I think the first move was the change of catheter to Hollister advance
You can see the protective tip that bypasses the first 15mm of the distal urethra, where the majority of bacteria are present. Hollister offer the same home delivery service (in the UK) but I like to support my local doctors pharmacy so I get a bulk prescription every 3 months delivered from my surgery/dispensary.
However that didn't totally solve the problem and as I was increasing my vitamin D status anyway because of this
Antimicrobial Peptides, Innate Immunity, and the Normally Sterile Urinary Tract I found that also reduced UTI incidence. Knowing what I know now I should have started with 10,000iu daily D3 for up to 3yrs to get 25(OH)D above 60ng/ml 150nmol/l but back then I didn't really believe how safe vitamin D really is so it took longer than it should have done to get a vitamin D status that allowed vitamin D to be stored in cells rather than just circulating in plasma.
But I was still getting UTI's from time to time.
Cloudy smelly pee and feeling run down all the time is no fun so I had to do more.
Curcumin, green Tea and resveratrol supplements daily in conjunction with eating home made full fat yoghurt daily have now solved the problem and touch wood I've now managed to keep UTI free for well over a year.
I've got to go out now but I'll add in links to the science showing Curcumin, Resvertatrol, Green Tea inhibit pathogenic bacteria later.
I drink green tea as my main beverage and as a major weapon against e coli.
Bonnie Bassler on how bacteria "talk"decreased transcriptional level in many quorum sensing-regulated virulence genes at 25 microg/ml. Our results suggest that EGCG at concentrations below itsMIC has significant antipathogenic effects against E. coli
What green tea is doing is knocking out the ability of E coli to communicate with other E coli to organise an infection.
It works in other ways as well as it's anti inflammatory also.
About Green Tea This site explains how to make GREEN TEA. There are some differences that make a better (lower caffiene) pot of green tea. Remember although it is more expensive you can, because you are brewing for less time, reuse those same tea leaves and so you get more cups per teaspoon of leaves. I brew my first cup in bed, and refresh those leaves 2 or 3 times through the day. I sometimes add a herbal teabag for the last brew of the day (Hibiscus is quite good)
Curcumin works in a different way to Green tea and Vitamin D. It has been found that curcumin, the main bioactive component of Curcuma longa, inhibits Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli growth by inhibiting FtsZ assembly. So adding this to the other strategies helps attack the E Coli bacteria through a different approach. I take a 500mg capsule night and morning as I think it has other benefits, (cancer, iron chelation, anti oxidant etc) as well is it's action on E Coli.
Although Resveratrol (from red wine and supplement) works in conjunction with curcumin it also works in other ways as well.
So in combination curcumin and resveratrol work better than when used separately. If people are worried about the risk of Alzheimer's then it's good to understand how it works in conjunction with melatonin.
Melatonin itself is a useful supplement for people with UTI because UTI's often increase frequency and this may mean they are getting disrupted sleep having to pee in the night. Melatonin use and improved sleep hygiene/circadian rhythm does help lower excess nocturnal urine production and increases bladder capacity.
Don't forget that Bright light exposure during the day and Subdued light in the evening and dark bedrooms at night help increase natural secretion of melatonin though as we age that declines so increasing supplemental melatonin to enhance immune function as you get older isn't a bad idea.
Mild dehydration: a risk factor of urinary tract infection? makes the point that Nevertheless, adequate hydration is important and may improve the results of antimicrobial therapy in UTI .....The combination of the behaviourally determined aspects of host defence and not simply increasing fluid intake is important in therapy and prophylaxis of UTI.
This supports my suggestions that we must also try to understand how we can improve natural anti microbial action and improve our host defences. Drinking GREEN TEA as part of your water rehydration program reduces inflammation, attacks pathogenic bacteria and although an acquired taste is very pleasant to drink. One of the reasons it's an acquired taste (something that takes more than a week or so to get used to, is the very fact it causes bacteria die off so your body initially has to get rid of (detoxify) itself from those dead bacteria cells this may make some people nauseous during drinking their first fews days of drinking Green Tea.
One way of making hydration more enjoyable and with the added bonus of improving your immune status by correcting magnesium deficiency is the use of this home made [PDF] Recipe for Magnesium/Bicarbonate Water It just requires a SODA STREAM to produce fizzy water to change the magnesium hydroxide into magnesium bicarbonate, this is a more easily absorbed form of magnesium as magnesium oxide and hydroxide stay in the digestive system, absorb water/nutrients from the digestive system, turn solid stools into loose runny stools and work as effective laxatives. Drinking magnesium bicarbonate fizzy water doesn't have a laxative effect. I drink a couple of litres daily along with my green tea consumption.
Treatment with Potassium Bicarbonate Lowers Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption in Older Men and Women
This paper explains how improving the acid/alkaline balance of urine reduces the excretion of calcium.
Our body needs to keep calcium locked in our bones and not circulating in our blood (where it causes stroke) Magnesium counterbalances the actions of calcium and when you increase your Vitamin D status, this enables a higher calcium absorption from the diet. Most people don't need to take calcium supplements as there are plenty of good food sources of calcium. At most 600mg/daily supplemental calcium should be used but even then it's not ideal as the body uses food derived calcium much better than supplement derived calcium.
Because magnesium is used to counterbalance the actions of calcium but is not so readily available in the diet it's important to try to increase your magnesium intake using the readily absorbed forms afibbers magnesium guide
Krispin's magnesium information
Influence of the consumption pattern of magnesium from magnesium-rich mineral water on magnesium bioavailability
Quote:
It is generally considered that the absorption of Mg is inversely related to the ingested dose.
The objective of the present study was to determine if the mode of administration (bolus v. consumption throughout the day) could influence Mg bioavailability from Mg-rich natural mineral water comparing the same nutritional Mg amount (126 mg).
Using a 2 d cross-over design, twelve healthy men were asked to drink 1�5 litres Mg-rich mineral water either as 2 � 750 ml or 7 � 212 ml throughout the day. Two stable isotopes (25Mg and 26Mg) were used to label the water in order to distinguish both regimens.
Fractional apparent Mg absorption was determined by faecal monitoring and Mg retention was determined by measuring urinary excretion of Mg isotopes.
Higher Mg absorption (50�7 (sd 12�7) v. 32�4 (sd 8�1) %; P = 0�0007) and retention (47�5 (sd 12�9) v. 29�0 (sd 7�5) %; P = 0�0008) from Mg-rich mineral water were observed when it was consumed in seven servings compared with larger servings.
Thus, regular water consumption throughout the day is an effective way to increase Mg bioavailability from Mg-rich mineral water.
The objective of the present study was to determine if the mode of administration (bolus v. consumption throughout the day) could influence Mg bioavailability from Mg-rich natural mineral water comparing the same nutritional Mg amount (126 mg).
Using a 2 d cross-over design, twelve healthy men were asked to drink 1�5 litres Mg-rich mineral water either as 2 � 750 ml or 7 � 212 ml throughout the day. Two stable isotopes (25Mg and 26Mg) were used to label the water in order to distinguish both regimens.
Fractional apparent Mg absorption was determined by faecal monitoring and Mg retention was determined by measuring urinary excretion of Mg isotopes.
Higher Mg absorption (50�7 (sd 12�7) v. 32�4 (sd 8�1) %; P = 0�0007) and retention (47�5 (sd 12�9) v. 29�0 (sd 7�5) %; P = 0�0008) from Mg-rich mineral water were observed when it was consumed in seven servings compared with larger servings.
Thus, regular water consumption throughout the day is an effective way to increase Mg bioavailability from Mg-rich mineral water.
That was when I investigated the magnesium bicarbonate water idea. I found it nicely brought my acid/alkaline levels to ideal as previously it was always as acid as the test strips could measure.
Mercola suggest D-Mannose works to help your body eliminate e coli in the urinary tract I've tried it and am sure it helps. Though I didn't get mine from Mercola but IHERB. Code WAB666 for intitial $5 discount.
Total Comments 1
Comments
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I forgot in to comment on the importance of the sentence in conjunction with eating home made full fat yoghurt daily
I've explained some of the ways how Green Tea, curcumin and resveratrol inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and cause them to die off. It's important that while we reduce the presence of e coli etc in the system we also provide a daily supply of healthy bacteria that will occupy the space the dying pathogenic bacteria vacate. We are constantly surrounded by pathogenic bacteria and much of our meat comes with MRSA infective bacteria So we need to keep the digestive system replete with friendly bacteria occupying all available niches so it's harder for pathogenic bacteria to re-establish their territory.
This paper explains how
LACTOBACILLUS BY-PRODUCTS INHIBIT THE GROWTH AND VIRULENCE OF UROPATHOGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI
and this Study shows how using a probiotic can reduce the symptoms (particularly pain) associated with UTI.
Here's another study on the same idea. There are more if anyone wants.
I should point out I make my own home made full fat yoghurt and this is a continuous process as I use the last yoghurt left to start the next batch and generally we can keep a starter culture going for many months. It's only when we go on holiday or are away for a time we have to restart with a fresh culture which we usually just use a supermarket own brand live Greek 10% fat Probiotic yoghurt but I may (if I've any probiotic capsules around add one of those to the culture or if I've found some cheap Yakult or similar probiotic drink add one of those for a change and to increase the variety of friendly bacteria.
For those who can't stand the taste of green tea or yoghurt there is evidence washing genital area either with a green tea (once it's at a suitable temperature) or even applying yoghurt directly will have a direct effect on reducing pathogenic bacteria.
Again those who don't like drinking Green Tea could just use capsules. These work much better if you take them FIRST THING in the morning BEFORE eating ideally your capsules should contain a total of 800 mg epigallocatechin gallate.
You may feel a bit nauseous but don't worry this is transient.Posted 05-09-2011 at 12:05 PM by Ted_Hutchinson 
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