Saraiva Ariana, Raheem Dele, Roy Poly Rani, BinMowyna Mona N, Romão Bernardo, Alarifi Sehad N, Albaridi Najla A, Alsharari Zayed D, Raposo António
Research in Veterinary Medicine (I-MVET), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lisbon University Centre, Lusófona University, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.
Global Change Research, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland.
Nutrients. 2025 Mar 11;17(6):986. doi: 10.3390/nu17060986.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a prevalent global health issue, often requiring antibiotic treatment, which contributes to antimicrobial resistance. This narrative review explores the potential of probiotics and plant-based foods as alternative or complementary preventive strategies against UTIs. Fermented foods, such as yogurt, kefir, and kombucha, contain probiotic strains that can modulate the gut and urogenital microbiota, enhancing resistance to uropathogens. Likewise, plant-based foods, including cranberry, garlic, bearberry, juniper, and nettle, possess bioactive compounds with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties. Laboratory and clinical studies suggest that these natural interventions may reduce the incidence of UTIs by inhibiting pathogen adhesion, modulating immune responses, and promoting urinary tract health. However, despite promising findings, inconsistencies in study methodologies, dosage standardization, and long-term efficacy warrant further investigation. Future research should focus on optimizing probiotic formulations, standardizing plant-based supplement dosages, and assessing potential food-drug interactions to establish evidence-based guidelines for UTI prevention.
尿路感染（UTIs）是一个普遍存在的全球健康问题，通常需要抗生素治疗，而这会导致抗菌药物耐药性。本叙述性综述探讨了益生菌和植物性食物作为预防UTIs的替代或补充策略的潜力。发酵食品，如酸奶、开菲尔和康普茶，含有益生菌菌株，可调节肠道和泌尿生殖系统微生物群，增强对尿路病原体的抵抗力。同样，植物性食物，包括蔓越莓、大蒜、熊果、杜松和荨麻，含有具有抗菌、抗炎和利尿特性的生物活性化合物。实验室和临床研究表明，这些自然干预措施可能通过抑制病原体粘附、调节免疫反应和促进尿路健康来降低UTIs的发病率。然而，尽管有令人鼓舞的发现，但研究方法、剂量标准化和长期疗效方面的不一致仍需要进一步研究。未来的研究应侧重于优化益生菌配方、标准化植物性补充剂剂量，并评估潜在的食物-药物相互作用，以建立基于证据的UTI预防指南。
