These supplements could help prevent UTIs, according to a doctor

• Urinary tract infections can be painful and inconvenient.
• The first line of treatment for UTIs is antibiotics, but supplements may help prevent future infections.

As anyone who has experienced a urinary tract infection knows, the pain can be excruciating.

UTIs are caused when bacteria, typically E. Coli, enters the urinary tract. They are most common among women and people who have shorter urethras, which makes it easier for bacteria to travel into the urinary tract.

Researchers estimate that more than 50% of women will have a UTI at some point in their lives, and about a quarter of those women will go on to have another UTI within 6 months.

There are a lot of hypotheses around why some women are more prone to UTIs, Dr. Megan Bradley, a urogynecologist at the University of Pittsburgh, told Insider.

Some of it may have to do with genetics. But most of the time, Bradley said, it has nothing to do with choices a person makes.

"Some women unfortunately have a predisposition that we don't fully understand yet," she said.

Antibiotics are usually the first-line treatment for an active infection. A daily low dose of antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent future UTIs if they are a common occurrence.

But regularly taking antibiotics can create antibiotic resistance, making it more difficult to treat an infection.

Fortunately, some supplements seem to also work to prevent infections, Bradley said.

Here is what Bradley thinks about popular UTI supplements, and which ones she recommends to her patients.

D-mannose

A study published in the journal Antibiotics last year showed that d-mannose may work just as well as antibiotics for preventing, and maybe even treating, uncomplicated UTIs.

D-mannose is a type of sugar that may prevent UTIs by making it difficult for bacteria like E. Coli to stick to the lining of the bladder. Instead, any rogue E. Coli is washed out when you pee.

One thing that's great about d-mannose, Bradley said, is that "it's pretty easy to get." You can purchase it online in powder or pill form.

Bradley usually recommends taking 2 mg every day as a preventative measure for those who have had UTIs before.

Since d-mannose is a type of sugar, Bradley said it may not be safe for people who have uncontrolled diabetes, but otherwise the supplement is safe for most people.

Proanthocyanidins

Cranberry juice or cranberry supplements are the most reached-for supplements for UTI prevention. But the research on cranberry's effectiveness "has always been a little bit mixed," Bradley said.

Researchers think that proanthocyanidins, the chemical compounds that give cranberries their distinctive red hue, are what may make cranberries effective for UTI prevention.

Taking pure proanthocyanidins supplements could be a more effective way to get UTI-busting benefits, Bradley said.

Herbal tea

Green tea, parsley tea, chamomile, and mint are all folk remedies to treat UTIs.

While Bradley doesn't think that anything about these teas themselves prevents UTIs, she does think that staying hydrated can be helpful at reducing UTI symptoms. "I do think there's a lot to be said about hydrating, because if something is irritated, washed out, hydrated urine is going to hurt less."

Vitamin C

Vitamin C for UTI prevention also has limited research, and the data on its effectiveness has been mixed. But Bradley thinks vitamin C supplements might help because it's thought to acidify the urine, killing bacteria that cause UTIs. Vitamin C is sometimes recommended by doctors alongside methenamine, also known by the brand name Hiprex, a prescription medication that also acidifies urine, helping to prevent future UTIs.

If you're struggling, see a doctor

Although the supplements are generally safe for most healthy people, Bradley recommends seeing a physician if you get recurring UTIs. Frequent UTIs may need to be treated with daily antibiotics. People also sometimes experience UTI-like symptoms, but the cause is something different, like interstitial cystitis also known bladder pain syndrome, overactive bladder, or pelvic floor muscle spasm.