D-mannose or Antibiotics: Which Is Better?

D mannose or antibiotics is dedicated to all those who suffer from cystitis and want to get rid of it once and for all. If your choice is to put yourself out there without making mistakes this is the perfect article for you.

Is the d-mannose better or the antibiotic? Let’s find out together in this great guide.

D-mannose or Antibiotics: Origins

It all began in the summer of 2011, with a study by Daniele Porru, a specialist in urology at the San Matteo Polyclinic. (If you’d like to read the study in full, you can find it here).

A few years ago, it was known that antibiotics do not change the long-term risk of recurrent cystitis.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of d-mannose in the treatment of recurrent urinary infections. In this study, women were eligible if they had at least three cases of urinary infections in the previous 12 months.

They randomly assigned eligible women to either antibiotic treatment or a d-mannose regimen for 24 weeks.

D-mannose or antibiotics: the results

When you want to get into the eternal “d-mannose vs antibiotic” clash, it is crucial to do so with an unbiased and objective point of view.

Today, many women would not be free of cystitis if not for d-mannose, but that won’t stop me from making an objective analysis based on a scientific study.

The results of the study were clear:

For women on d-mannose therapy, it was 200 days before they developed a new infection.

In contrast, for women who followed the antibiotic treatment, only 52 days passed before they developed the infection again.

Is d-mannose better or antibiotics? Pros and cons

Benefits of d-mannose

• It preventsinfection by binding to the harmful bacteria and preventing them from adhering to the bladder lining.
• Elimina i batteri che, intrappolati, verranno espulsi attraverso le urine;
• It does notpromote bacterial resistance because it does not kill bacteria.
• Itrespects the vaginal florawithout weakening our natural defenses.

Disadvantages of d-mannose

D-mannose can be taken by children, celiacs, diabetics, pregnant and lactating women because it has no side effects. Rarely, they may occur in a mild and transient form:

• At thegastrointestinal level, flatulence, diarrhea or meteorism. Not everyone has the enzymes to digest it, and d-mannose may ferment in the intestines, producing air and abdominal discomfort. These effects disappear within a few days because the intake of d-mannose stimulates the production of the enzymes needed to digest it.
• Urgent urination. Some women have reported a more frequent urge to pee, and this is a symptom that tends to go away within a short time.
• Interference with kidney disease. In women with kidney disease, d-mannose may overload the work of the kidneys.

The benefits of antibiotics

• They kill the bacteria, resolving the infection in a short time.

The disadvantages of antibiotics

Antibiotics have some contraindications that should not be taken lightly:

• They make subsequent treatments more difficult because there are chances that the bacteria will develop resistance, thus becoming immune to the antibiotic.
• They damage the vaginal and intestinal flora by killing the good bacteria. In addition to causing bloating, diarrhea, and cramps, they weaken our natural defenses, increasing the risk of candida and causing general weakness.

D-mannose vs antibiotics: who wins?

Neither!

You’re probably wondering if I’ve lost my mind, but the answer is no.

If I had to choose, I would opt for d-mannose, but we have seen that bacteria is only one of many factors that cause cystitis.

D-mannose is a great ally against cystitis, but it’s not enough!

The only way to get rid of cystitis is to fight all the risk factors with a long-term strategy.

(If you don’t know what they are, read what risk factors are)

A hug