Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): Study Says Water Can Reduce Recurrence of Infections

Women suffering from Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) have a big reason to increase their water intake as a new study claims drinking more water can help to reduce the recurrence of the painful infections.

According to the study conducted by researchers from the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine, drinking more water each day can cut the risk of getting UTI to almost half.

For the purpose of the study, the researchers studied 140 premenopausal women in Europe, all of whom suffered from recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). Almost all the participants were in a habit of drinking less than 1.5 liters of fluid (about six 8-ounce glasses) a day.

For 12 months, the researchers asked half of the study participants to continue their usual fluid intake and asked the others to consume an additional 1.5 liters of water daily. After 12 months, it was found that women who drank more water were far less likely to get UTIs.

The less-hydrated women suffered from twice as many bladder infections during the year. They had an average infection frequency of about 3.2, but those who drank six or more glasses of water a day had a lower average infection frequency of 1.7. There was also a significant reduction in antibiotic use among the women who drank more water.

“This study provides convincing evidence that increased daily intake of water can reduce frequent UTIs,” said lead study author Dr. Thomas M. Hooton, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

But, according to the researchers, one limitation of the study is that it was done at a single location, so it might be that the results could be different for patients elsewhere in the world. Furthermore, the study also did not determine the ideal amount of daily water intake to reduce the risk of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI).

The research result was published online in JAMA Internal Medicine.