Lemon water's role in UTIs is mixed: its hydration and Vitamin C can support urinary health and immunity, potentially preventing infections, but the acidity might irritate an existing infection, so it's best to drink plenty of plain water and consult a doctor, as antibiotics are needed for treatment, not lemon water.
The best things to drink when you have a UTI are water, low-sugar electrolyte drinks, and unsweetened cranberry juice. You should avoid drinks that can irritate your bladder when you have a UTI like caffeinated beverages, acidic drinks, and alcohol.
A healthcare provider can prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection, and your symptoms should go away in a few days.
Urinary tract infections can be painful, but there are some things you can try that may ease discomfort until the antibiotics take effect. For example: Drink plenty of water. Water helps to dilute urine and flush out bacteria.
Avoid consuming foods and beverages that can irritate your bladder or worsen your symptoms, such as:
DON'T eat a lot of acidic fruit, such as oranges, lemons or limes during the infection. They can irritate your bladder. However, once your infection is gone, eating acidic fruit with vitamin C can help prevent future infections. Add grapefruit and strawberries to your diet, along with spinach and green peppers.
Many fizzy drinks are high in sugar, which can encourage bacteria to grow. Therefore, if you have regular UTIs, try to reduce the amount of fizzy drinks you drink. You may also find it helps to reduce the amount of overall sugar in your diet.
Cranberries. Cranberries have natural compounds that stop bacteria from attaching to the lining of the urinary tract, which helps lower the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Choose unsweetened cranberry products for the best results.
While some urinary tract infections, especially very mild ones, may resolve without taking antibiotics, many infections require medication to fully clear the bacteria from the urinary tract. Your healthcare provider can help determine whether treatment is needed.
Bananas. This tropical fruit is high in beneficial fiber and the essential mineral potassium. Both are essential in flushing the urinary tract and safeguarding the bladder from infection and disease.
Spicy foods can aggravate the bladder. Citrus. Highly acidic fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit can irritate your bladder and aggravate your UTI symptoms. *After your UTI resolves, eating fruit with vitamin C can help prevent future infections.
If a woman already has a UTI, taking a bath or sitting in a hot tub can increase irritation. Harsh soaps for baths and abrasive chemicals used to keep hot tubs clean can also lead to irritation. Taking baths or sitting in hot tubs won't cause UTIs, but it can irritate the skin in the groin and disrupt the pH balance.
Citrus and Other Acidic Fruits
Citrus and other acidic food can contribute to urge incontinence. It is because of the high acidic levels that can irritate your bladder.
The results of the meta-analysis showed that there was an effect of using red ginger on Escherichia Coli bacteria at p-value < 0.001. Red ginger can be useful in the management of urinary tract infections but it is necessary to explain further about how to process ginger properly.
Additional benefits to drinking hot water and lemon: . Gives your immune system a boost – Lemons are packed with nutrients including vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. The vitamin C in lemons can help alleviate stress and fight viral infections and sore throats.
“Lemon water can increase urinary citrate and urine pH, thereby potentially reducing one's risk for formation of the most common type of kidney stone, calcium oxalate,” Dr. Wilson says. Dr. Houman agrees, and adds this there may be slight immune- and digestion-boosting benefits to drinking lemon water as well.
Drinking more fluids like water with lemon flush out bacteria in your urinary tract and can help you prevent urinary tract infections. It's estimated that around half of urinary tract infections can be resolved by drinking lots of fluids. More acidic liquids like lemon water may be more effective at treating UTIs.
Stomach irritation: Consuming lemon water on an empty stomach may irritate the lining, causing bloating, cramps or digestive discomfort. Individuals with ulcers or sensitive stomachs should avoid drinking too much lemon water.
Your body already detoxes without the added “help” of lemon water. It breaks down toxins or excess nutrients in the liver and eliminates those molecules via the kidneys and out into the toilet in your urine. There is no evidence vitamin C helps this. So any claims lemon water detoxes you are untrue.
Sex can make a UTI worse
You don't have to be sexually active to get a UTI – anything that brings bacteria in contact with your urethra can cause infection. However, sexual activity increases your risk of complications and potentially puts your partner at risk as well.
Triggers include sex, menstruation, and poor hygiene habits. To prevent future infections, stay hydrated, urinate after intercourse, and talk to your doctor about tailored treatment options or testing for underlying conditions. UTIs are a frustratingly common issue, especially when they keep coming back.
Pain can occur at the start of urination or after urination. Pain at the start of your urination is often a symptom of a urinary tract infection. Pain after your urination can be a sign of a problem with the bladder or prostate.
The most common bacteria found to cause UTIs is Escherichia coli (E. coli). Other bacteria can cause UTI, but E. coli is the culprit about 90 percent of the time.
In this case-control study, we could conclude from the results, that urinary tract infections in women at reproductive age can be linked to the deficiency of vitamin D. In some studies, they even found credible evidence between vitamin D deficiencies with recurrent urinary tract infection (Nseir et al., 2013).
The results of this study have shown that green tea can have an antimicrobial effect on E. coli bacteria that cause UTIs. This is the first time that green tea has been reported to have this kind of effect.