Drinking more water may cut bladder infections in women

Drinking an additional 1.5 litres of water daily can reduce recurring bladder infections in women by nearly half, a yearlong study has found.

In the trial, women who drank an additional 1.5 litres of water daily experienced 48 per cent fewer repeat bladder infections than those who drank their usual volume of fluids, said Yair Lotan, a professor at University of Texas in the US. The participants self-reported their usual volume as less than 1.5 litres of fluid daily, which is about six 8-ounce glasses.

“These findings are important because more than half of all women report having bladder infections, which are one of the most common infections in women,” said Lotan. More than a quarter of women experience a secondary infection within six months of an initial infection and 44 to 77 per cent will have a recurrence within a year, researchers said.

Physicians suspect more fluids help to reduce bacteria and limit the ability of bacteria to attach to the bladder.

Symptoms for acute uncomplicated cystitis, a type of urinary tract infection (UTI), include painful or difficulty in urination, a feeling of a full bladder, an urgency or frequency of urination, tenderness in the lower abdominal area, and possibly blood in the urine.

Since these infections are typically treated with antibiotics, the increased fluid could help reduce use of antibiotics and thereby help control antibiotic resistance, the researchers said.