UTIs: Is Your Gut to Blame?

UTIs: Is Your Gut to Blame?

Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) can feel like a never-ending battle. You diligently drink cranberry juice, wipe front to back, and even avoid that extra cup of coffee, yet those pesky bladder infections keep coming back.

But what if the answer to preventing UTIs lies not just in the bathroom, but deep within your digestive system?

A healthy gut microbiome, teeming with beneficial bacteria, plays a crucial role in overall health, including preventing UTIs.

Let’s find out more!

 

What is the Cause of UTIs?

50-60% of adult females will experience a UTI and for some they may experience recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

More than 80% of UTIs are caused by Escherichia coli. These pathogens may reside in the gut microbiome and when they colonise the urethra and spread upward to the bladder they are pathogenic.

Increased abundance of Escherichia coli in the gut microbiome has been found in females with recurrent UTIs. The presence of this bacteria in urine is strongly related to UTI where E. coli enters and can adhere and invade the epithelial bladder cells.

 

Gut Microbiome Link to UTIs

A new research article confirms that females experiencing recurrent UTIs have increased gut dysbiosis, compared to women that had not had a UTI in the past year, or ever experienced more than 1 UTI in a 12-month period.

In another study where they followed females for one year they showed the gut microbiome of individuals with a history of recurrent UTI was significantly depleted in microbiome diversity and butyrate-producing bacteria.

While a round of antibiotics may provide short term relief, antibiotic therapy for UTIs dramatically increases the risk of reducing beneficial bacteria living in the gut. This then contributes to the growth of more dangerous pathogenic strains (including E. coli), which supports future recurrences of a UTI.

 

Boost Your Gut to Banish UTIs

Restoring balance to the gut microbiome and lowering pathogen abundance provides a foundation for the prevention and treatment of recurrences of urinary infections, reducing antibiotic use.


Our Daily Microbiome Essentials increases butyrate production to support a healthy microbiome, and deliver benefits to every system of the body, including reduced systemic inflammation and improved metabolism.


While UTIs can be frustrating, understanding the gut-bladder connection empowers you to take a proactive approach to your health!

 

 

References

Robino et al (2024) Presence of intracellular bacterial communities in uroepithelial cells, a potential reservoir in symptomatic and non-symptomatic people. BMC Infect Dis.

Ruta et al (2024) Associations between Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Other Risk Factors in Women with a History of Urinary Tract Infections. Nutrients.

Worby et al (2022) Longitudinal multi-omics analyses link gut microbiome dysbiosis with recurrent urinary tract infections in women. Nature Microbiology.

About the Author

Hi, I'm Dr Cecilia Kitic founder of Fertile Gut. We can't wait to help support you on your journey to improving your gut health! Having spent over 20 years researching in the areas of immunonutrition, physiology, biochemistry and gut health we now get to translate science into practice, sooner. Our gut microbiome provides a foundation for our immune system, metabolism, brain and heart health, and hormone balance. With our scientifically crafted natural formulations you will be creating a Fertile Gut!

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