Do UTI Drinks Work?
By Simona Byler
August 2, 2024
If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection (UTI), you know how frustrating, inconvenient, and painful they can be. What’s even more frustrating is when you have an infection that just keeps coming back. 😤 Recurrent UTIs are defined as having two or more infections within six months, or three or more infections in a year. And if that sounds like you, you might be feeling desperate for a way to get rid of UTIs for good!
UTI cleanse drinks, sometimes called UTI flush drinks, offer a glimmer of hope for folks dealing with recurring infections. But, do they actually work? Well, let’s get into it!
We’re here to talk all things UTI prevention—from how a UTI cleanse works, to when you should drink one, to when you should seek out UTI treatment online. So, do your bladder a favor and read on!
How does a UTI cleanse work?
UTI cleanses are helpful little pouches of powder that you mix with water to help fight against infection-causing bacteria. They’re packed with ingredients that help alleviate early UTI symptoms and support overall urinary tract health.
A UTI flush is usually made up of natural ingredients, vitamins, and minerals—making them a great natural UTI prevention method! But, don’t get these cleanse drinks confused with your typical home remedy. While drinking a cocktail of minced garlic and cranberry juice technically won’t hurt, we’re happy to say an official UTI cleanse contains ingredients that are proven to work better (1).
So, how does a UTI flush work? We’ll let the ingredients do the talking.
D-mannose powder: D-mannose is a type of sugar—similar to glucose—that works wonders when it comes to UTI prevention! D-mannose powder prevents UTI-causing bacteria from attaching to your urinary tract lining. It sugar-coats the bad bacteria and then both D-mannose and bacteria are flushed out when you pee. And if you’re dealing with UTIs that keep coming back, know that D-mannose powder can reduce UTI recurrence by 15 percent (2)!
Cranberry fruit powder: Alright, no surprise here! Cranberries contain a compound called proanthocyanidin, which helps keep bacteria from sticking to your bladder cells. UTI cleanse drinks with cranberry fruit powder have a higher, more effective dose of proanthocyanidin than plain cranberry juice—making them a powerful ingredient in fighting recurrent UTIs (3).
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a great addition to the UTI-prevention team because it boosts immunity and helps defend your system from infection. Besides that, studies show that vitamin C can increase antibiotic effectiveness, optimizing UTI treatment (4).
Vitamin B6: Interesting fact: when you eat a lot of protein, it can make your urine more acidic—which makes you more susceptible to UTIs. Vitamin B6 helps to counteract that acidity and is safe for your kidney health (5).
Magnesium: Magnesium is an amazing all-rounder for your body, so it’s no wonder that it can also help with UTI prevention! If you don’t fully empty your bladder when you pee, you’re more likely to develop a UTI. A UTI flush with magnesium can help your bladder muscles relax so you can empty your bladder more completely (6).
Potassium: Having low levels of potassium can increase your risk of developing a UTI, making potassium a perfect addition to any UTI flush drink. Plus, potassium helps lower blood pressure and benefits kidney function (7).
Urinary Tract Cleansing Mix
This pink lemonade flushes your bladder to help prevent UTIs and protect your urinary health.
Starting at $60.00
Get StartedDaily Urinary Tract Support Capsules
Defend against recurrent UTIs and painful symptoms with daily urinary support.
Starting at $51.00
Get StartedUrinary Tract Duo
Our Urinary Tract Duo contains our Daily Urinary Tract Support Capsules and Urinary Tract Cleansing Mix, a powerful combination designed to help prevent UTIs.
Starting at $90.00
Get StartedUTI Antibiotics
Prescription antibiotics used to prevent & treat Urinary Tract Infections.
Starting at $65.00
Get StartedWhen should I drink a UTI cleanse?
Alright, now that you know how a UTI flush works, it’s time to talk about when you should drink one! Let’s look at some scenarios where drinking a UTI flush can be beneficial.
For recurrent UTI prevention
It’s common to have recurrent UTIs, either because the first infection didn’t 100 percent go away, or because a new infection came in and took advantage of your weakened system. One study has shown that 27 percent of women with a UTI had another infection within six months and three percent had two or more infections (8). So, if you’re prone to recurrent UTIs, drinking a UTI cleanse regularly can help keep your infections from coming back!
After a UTI-causing event
When you’re dealing with a UTI, it’s hard to think of anything else! And with all your thoughts focused on the UTI, you might have a pretty good idea of what exactly caused the infection in the first place. And if you know what caused your infection? You can drink a UTI flush after it happens the next time!
Certain things can increase your risk of developing a UTI, so drinking a UTI flush after them is a proactive step to prevent infection. UTI risk factors include:
- Frequent vaginal or oral sex
- New or multiple sex partners
- Using spermicide
- Using spermicide-coated condoms (9)
Other things that might contribute to getting a UTI? Sitting in wet swimwear, holding in your pee for too long, using scented feminine hygiene products, douching, and having a disrupted vaginal microbiome.
So! Drinking a UTI cleanse after any of these potential infection-causing events can help prevent a UTI from taking hold.
At the first sign of symptoms
If you’re familiar with the signs of a UTI, then drinking a UTI cleanse as soon as you start feeling symptoms can help flush bacteria out of your system. But, it’s important to note that a UTI flush isn’t a magic solution and isn’t meant to treat an existing infection! If your symptoms continue, order some prescription UTI antibiotics online to kill the infection fast.
Common UTI symptoms include:
- Burning feeling with urination
- Urinating more often but passing less urine
- Frequent urgency to urinate
- Cloudy or bloody urine
- Abdominal pain
Alongside UTI treatment
If you know you have an infection and are already taking antibiotics, drinking a UTI flush alongside your UTI treatment can help provide some additional relief! To help make sure your infection is gone for good: 1) Definitely finish your prescribed UTI antibiotic regimen, and 2) Drink a UTI cleanse to boost your urinary tract health and keep bacteria out.
When do I need UTI treatment?
While we love UTI flush drinks for preventing uncomfy infections, they aren’t a cure-all. UTIs can become serious bladder and kidney infections if left untreated, which is why it’s so important to know when to seek out prescription UTI treatment online or in person!
If your UTI symptoms persist for a few days or start getting worse, it’s time to get UTI treatment. Wisp offers prescription antibiotics for UTI treatment online—so you can get rid of your infection quickly, easily, and without a trip to the waiting room.
If you start experiencing severe symptoms, like fever, chills, nausea, or severe pain in your back or sides—seek out medical attention, as you might have a kidney infection. You should also head straight to a medical professional if you have underlying kidney problems or if you’re pregnant.
Should I drink a UTI cleanse?
If you’re tired of getting infection after infection, adding a UTI flush to your routine can help you take back some control from those pesky, persistent bacteria. UTI cleanse drinks are great for anyone looking to improve their bladder health but especially for folks dealing with recurring UTIs. And if you combine a UTI cleanse with proper hydration, good hygiene, and peeing after sex—know that your bladder and future UTI-free self will thank you.