D-Mannose for UTI Prevention and Treatment

I am super stoked to be sharing this particular post with you!  Not only does it fall into our natural/home remedies series, but it provides information about an OTC treatment option for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

I cannot begin to tell you how many patients approach me with discomfort written all over their faces, looking for a way to rid their bodies of the classic symptoms of a UTI.  Upon conversation with a good friend of mine, I became introduced to a very decent natural remedy that helps prevent AND treat UTIs.

The natural supplement name: D-Mannose!

What is D-Mannose?

It’s simply a sugar that is similar to glucose (a component of table sugar) and a natural substance found in our bodies, particularly in the urine.

How does D-Mannose work to treat or prevent UTIs?

D-Mannose passes through our bodies mostly unchanged, with the rest being excreted into the urine.  When it reaches the walls of the urinary tract, the D-Mannose molecules attach to certain target spots that would normally be occupied by the bacteria causing the UTI.  In other words, the D-Mannose molecules remove the bacteria from their target spots, which helps clear up the bacterial infection.  The displaced bacteria is washed out of the body by our urine.  

D-Mannose also appears to prevent the bacteria from attaching to their targets, which in turn, helps to keep the infection from occurring in the first place.

The catch is that D-Mannose seems to only work for the E. coli bacteria; there are several types of bacteria that cause a UTI.  The good news is that E. coli causes a majority (about 80-85%) of the cases of urinary tract infections.  If D-Mannose does not seem to be working for you, then you can assume that your UTI may be caused by a non-E. coli bacteria and an alternative treatment option should be considered.

What is the recommended dosage for D-Mannose?

The simple sugar is available on the market as a capsule and powder.

A typcial dosing regimen to treat a UTI using the powder would be one teaspoon dissolved in a liquid and taken every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days.

To prevent a UTI, a common guideline is to dissolve one teaspoon of powder in a liquid and drink it up once a day!   

The capsule form may have directions like: take one to two capsules by mouth twice a day with water.

NOTE: These directions are going to vary from person to person and on the product that is purchased!

Is it okay to take D-Mannose if you have diabetes?

It sure is!  I know, sounds funny because it is a natural sugar, but because D-Mannose pretty much goes straight to your urinary tract (unlike glucose, which is metabolized), it will not affect your blood sugar levels.

Since D-Mannose is not regulated by the FDA, is it safe to take?

So far, it appears that D-Mannose is a safe alternative to your traditional antibiotics.  A couple of side effects include loose stools and bloating.

Please do remember that since it is a supplement and not regulated by the FDA, the product may contain significantly more or less of the active ingredient per dose than what is listed on the product label!

Where can I find D-Mannose?

Since D-Mannose is pretty much an unknown entity in the world of pharmacy or traditional medicine, it may be difficult to find.  If you’re lucky, you may find it at a health food store, but your best bet is to locate it online!

That just about wraps it up!  Just be cautious when trying to self-treat a UTI.  It may still be in your best interest to take a trip to your doctor’s office -keep that in mind anyway.

I would love to hear about your experience with D-Mannose.  Definitely leave a comment below to share your thoughts!  Yup, you can always e-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com too!

And just as a side note, we put together a video course that will guide you through the many ways you can save money on your prescription meds.  The best part is it’s absolutely free, and the second best part it’s instantly accessible!  Enjoy!

53 comments

  1. Thanks Catie!
    I love to find meds that do the job without the side effects of prescription meds. Jacqui

  2. Thanks for the info. After reading more about d-mannose it seems like a good treatment for the common uti bug. Previously I have used cranberry juice which has helped somewhat but had the side effect of being high in digestible sugar. I will definitely try it after consulting with my Doctor first on how best to approach use related preventation vs cure.

  3. The most important things are to void after sex, drink lots of water, and go when you need to to prevent UTIs. Treatment is tougher.

  4. I thank you, too, for making this kind of info available. I actually have used d-mannose before, & it worked amazingly well for me. I wish I’d known about it sooner! I tend to get a UTI after sex, even if I drink lots of water & take cranberry pills immediately afterwards. With health insurance, having to go to the doctor & get rounds of antibiotics got quite old. Not to mention the annoyance of having to take a urine test each time, when I’ve had more than enough to recognize the symptoms. When I recently didn’t have health insurance, D-mannose was a lifesaver for me. I got a bottle at my local Whole Foods & now I keep some in my medicine cabinet. I think it’s a much safer & gentler alternative to constant antibiotics. I’m so glad that it’s becoming more widely known.

  5. I just wanted to say that I suffered with UTI’s for most of my married life. I found D-Mannose and have been antibiotic free for several years now. It’s a great product. I have several friends who have suffered with this problem as well and encouraged them to give it a try. They are hooked! It works! It really does!

  6. I have been suffering for years with chronic UTIs & it has only gotten worse. Missing work, in bed for days, weeks. Just wondering why??? I felt ready to take out whatever insides are the problem & wear the bag on the outside. Yes. I AM serious.
    I was recommended d-mannose yesterday & it seems like a miracle!!! I am reading these great reviews hoping & praying that I have finally found a cure.
    I have migraines, spinal stenosis, arthritis, nerve pain & more. Uti or IC pain is much worse!!! Whoever discovered this stuff… Thank you!

  7. Hope this works have tried all sorts am at my wits end
    On it 3 days slight relief not as mauch as id hoped for

  8. hi i am a 66 year old female the last 5 years i have had lots of utis i have gone to dr. after dr. also went to urologist an was diagnosed with ic which is a terrible terrible bladder diease. i was haveing problems an my dr. was out for the week so i tried the d-manose i have used it now for 3 days an i am feeling great no pressure or burning it has to be the d-manose as i have tried everything else under the sun with no results. im am so excited about this product i shall tell my urologist about it . i found my d-manose at the mr. nutrition health food store it is 100% i was told to use the pure 100 per cent kind. the brand name is now an i am very happy with the results it was 25.00 for 3 oz bottle of powder i take one teasp morn an 1/2 teasp at noon then 1 teasp at night so far i have not had any stomach problems i will keep this on hand an use it all times . im so thankful i found this product. i can truthfully tell you until i found this product my quality of life was in a very sad state. i cried all time now i am up cooking laughing an takeing care of my sweet grand sons an my husband .

  9. Thank you for your advice on the D-Mannose for prevention and maintenance of UTI problems. It seemed too good to be true. However, the explanation of how the compound works appealed to my reasoning. I didn’t want to have to schedule an appointment to get into the VA to see a doctor and possible have to wait up to a week. I looked for an alternative treatment and found you. It was too late at nightnlast night when I found the information so in the meantime I had read that by taking a tsp. Of baking soda and 12oz. Of warm water and drinking it, that would take away the pressure and sharp razor blade sensations until treatment could be administered. I did exactly that. That was at 4 am this morning. By 4:30 am I must have been sound asleep. I went to the vitamin shop and purchased the D-Mannose capsules for $30 (160 capsules) and have taken a total of 9 today. The symptoms are gone. I really wish I had known about this much earlier. It would have prevented lots of time spent at the doctors, wait time in the docs office and unnecessary labs, etc. Thanks again.

  10. Hi Carolyn -Wow! We are so happy that this has worked for you and changed your life! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment -these kind of comments make it all worth while!! Take care and thank you! Nova

  11. Hi Elleisa, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I am so happy that it works for you and made life easier and less painful! After reading these comments on the D-Mannose article, I have been smiling all week!! Thank you again, Nova

  12. Hi!I am 57 and after a very bad episode of uti when i was young which went to my kidneys things were quiet,until last year when i started having uti each time after sex.Two weeks ago i did the dmannose treatment and it really helped me.Now i have a uti again,will it help me again?I really hope so since i am in excruciating pain
    Thank you for all the comments

  13. Hi Mariana,

    Yes, it is okay to use the D-mannose again to treat your future UTIs. You can also take it to prevent UTIs.

    I am glad to hear that it has helped treat your UTI.

    Take care,
    Nova

    Nova Simpson, Pharm.D.

  14. I suffer from cronic uti’s that turn to kidney infections, inhave been on anti-biotics since I was 1 daily! I’m only have one kidney in total as I have two halfs! I’m looking for something that works to get rid o these infections as they are slowly killing my kidneys! I am looking for a honest opinion about D mannose and if it really really works!

  15. I had yet another UTI, have been on Keflex 4x a day for 5 days until I researched a better relief method and found
    D-Mannose powder. I took the recommeded dosage last night at 5pm and by 8pm my trip to the bathroom was like normal, NO more pain, NO more trickle trickle – I was actually able to go to the bathroom with NO painful signs that I had a UTI. I wish I had found out about D-Mannose a longtime ago!! This stuff really WORKS!!!

  16. I’m a 26-year-old woman and I’ve been suffering from chronic UTIs for about eight years, though since I’ve gone off hormonal birth control I only get about 2-3 a year. About a month ago I got a UTI that two rounds of antibiotics (nitrofurantoin, then sulfemathox) would not get rid of. I was exasperated when I finally read on some obscure holistic treatments forum about D-Mannose. I loaded up on D-Mannose supplements and in one day my symptoms were mostly gone. In three days they were completely gone. I was floored. I am still in shock. My preventive measures before that included taking cranberry pills, peeing before and after sex, wiping front to back yada yada. I wish I’d known about D-Mannose years ago. I found this site because I wanted to see if there were any side effects associated with D-Mannose since I plan on taking it regularly now. Just wanted to share my story since UTIs have been a constant source of frustration for me and it’s so important that this information be shared with as many women as possible.

  17. I’ve been taking D-mannose with cranactin in capsule form for two days now to treat a UTI while my clinic is closed for a long weekend, in order to avoid emergency room costs. So far it is working great! I fell nearly 100% better! I expect that the infection will be completely cleared up in a day or so. I’m so glad to have found this product, I have suffered through 4 UTIs this year and am so tired of peeing into a cup and being on antibiotics! Thank you for sharing this information, it is not well known enough!

  18. Thank you so much for the information on D Mannose. This was really helpful to me, especially the dosing for UTIs and as a preventative for UTIs. I couldn’t find clear dosages anywhere else, so thank you so much for this.

    I am a 62-year-old woman and have suffered since I was preganant with my son (38 years ago) with recurring UTIs. I’ve been to urologists, subjected to ongoing antibiotic treatments, suffered with pain and burning and on top of it horrible yeast infections due to the antibiotics.

    Most recently, I had surgery for bladder fulgeration, removal of small cysts and urethral dilation. It’s been 3 weeks now since the surgery. A very painful recovery. The biopsies were all benign.

    My followup visit with the urologist today was very positive, although I still don’t feel he’s informing me enough. One thing he did recommend was taking D Mannose on a daily basis as a preventative. I have done a lot of reading and had a long talk with the Health Specialist at our local Health Food Community store today. Her advice was also very positive about D Mannose, so I will begin taking it this evening before bed. Whatever I can do to steer away as much as possible from antibiotics. i too have suffered for so long with UTIs and am so tired of peeing into cups and being on drugs.

    I’m looking forward to a change. I hope to coming back soon to fill you in on all the positives.

    Many thanks for your information. It really has made a difference to me.

    Cathy

  19. Felt a UTI starting and since I’m without insurance right now, I was going to have to pay about $300 for my Gyno visit. Went online and saw some reviews and ran to whole Foods to get d-mannose. I’m not one to believe in natural remedies but I am so glad I gave this a try. Within 2 hours I was discomfort free and not going to the bathroom every five seconds. I got the ” UT d-mannose with cranberry” about $34 for large bottle . Within 5 hours I had already forgotten anything was even wrong earlier. Give it a try.

  20. I’ve been using it for a few years with great success. I’ve had bladder and kidney infections for all my life, at one time up to ten times a year. I learned to void after sexual activity, wipe right, etc. Most helpful was d-mannose. I also use coloidal silver, uva ursi in tea and cider vinegar. One thing I learned way back is that not all the time was there bacteria present, sometimes it was inflammation alone with pain. At these times I had also inflammation in the bowel from irritable bowel syndrome which for me was always related to gluten intolerance. When I went gluten free my infections were reduced to once every two years, and now successfully treated at home.

  21. I found D-Mannose on the internet as I was getting infections one after the other. Been to specialist and had all other avenues checked. Nothing seemed to work except constant antibiotics.
    I have been on D-Mannose for 2 weeks now, and no infection. This is the longest I have gone in over 2 years. Very happy with this product.

  22. Hello,
    D-Mannose was just recommended by my nutritionist to assist with some of the “dye-off” symptoms I’m having with a detox. I tried some today and it made me VERY nauseous. I took the recommended 1 tsp with real cranberry juice. Has anyone else had this reaction? I really want to see if this will work for my Mom (she suffers from chronic UTIs and is on a low dose of anti-biotics everyday) after reading all the positive posts, but since we have very similar digestive systems I would hate to make her feel the way I did! Thanks!

  23. I take a half teaspoon morning and again at night mixed into pure cranberry juice. It’s worked miracles for me! Just wondering ….can I keep on doing this or is too much of d mannose a bad thing?

  24. Hey! I am 22 and have suffered from constant UTI’s at least once a month for two years now. I have no insurance, so I now have a ton of hospital bills! I started taking D-Mannose every two or three hours when I have a UTI! This stuff is a miracle! Thanks!

  25. I’ve been to er over 6x and spent 2days in the hospital never knowing or getting answers as to what the hell was wrong with me. Every test was normal in 2yrs time. The symptoms were sudden…confusion, weakness, liteheadedness, blurry vision, poor coordination etc.
    Just a lil over a wk ago i had a lot of blood in urine and went to ER only to find out had a UTI. They gave me meds and after i didn’t feel better. And another test showed no uti but my nose says otherwise. My urines still smelly yuck! And cloudy white. But i realized if I drink water it comes out like water.Clear in short time. This mite be why the tests come negative.I always drink water b4 hand wen tested.
    Now that i read about D-mannose I’m using it today and hoping for the best. I think i experienced delirium and all the sympotoms associated with the elderly cuz I mite of had uti for sooo long. Plus i never had the usual burning or urination every ten minutes. I’m only 28yrs old.
    When i ask doctors what they think about it they look at me like I’m nuts. Say that i shouldn’t think that its why I had such bad symptoms b4. WHATEVER!!!!! PROVE IT TO ME THEN AFTER SOOO MANY TESTS WERE DONE LEAVING ME IN DEBT!!!! EVERYTHING EXCEPT UTI!!! I need to vent…
    Anyway I pray this stuff works and I’ll be able to live life again. I had to quit my job last year and am able to work only 3days a week cuz of this at a store. My life fell apart. Crossing my fingers!!!!

  26. Felt a uti coming on. Have not had one for ages. I found my bottle of D-Mannose powder and have started taking it. It has a best before date of 03/12. Do you think it will still be good or should I get a fresh bottle as soon as the store opens up tomorrow?

    Thanks
    Shirley

  27. D-Mannose has been a life changer for me. I am 51 and have always suffered UTI’s & had to regretfully use antibiotics to clear up the infections. Since reading about D-mannose in the Suzanne Somers book & deciding to give it a try a couple years back, I have had wonderful results. Not once have I had to go back on a antibiotic & I make sure I never run out of D-Mannose! Please give it a try, you won’t be sorry.

  28. It is noon, and I have just taken a teaspoon of d-mannose in water for a uti that will not go away. I am on the third day of cipro, and anitbiotic (I hate them, but was afraid and the alternatives of water and cranberry were not working!) I have no insurance, so went to the Planned Parenthood clinic, where I found out there is only financial assistance for people of child bearing years, and I am post-menopausal, so 60 bucks and a bottle of pills later, here I am) I do not want to go back to the clinic for another round of anibiotics, which I still have one more to take. So, I will check in and let y’all know if this worked for me–I hope is does, it is freaking expensive!

  29. I have suffered from UTI’s for 8 years. I would get UTI’s due to sextual intercourse, which as you can imagine is horrible! I tried every prevenative option…pee before after sex, lot’s of water, etc and nothing worked. I spent many trips to the dr’s for antibiotics and even had to get a prescription prior to vacations just in case I developed one while out of town!!!! I started surfing the internet fornatural alternatives and came across D-Mannose. I must say I didn;t beleive that this could be the solution to my problem. I went to the Vitamin Shoppe and purchased D-Mannose with cranberry extract. This stuff is amazing….. I have not had a UTI for months!! It truly is a miracle in a bottle 🙂 No more antibiotics 🙂

  30. Hello, I am a 31 year old female, mother of two. I discovered d-mannose after many tiresome trips to the doctor and being handed prescriptions for antibiotics. I’m allergic to sulpha drugs so cipro was my drug. Over the last 3montgs I’ve taken 5 courses of the antibiotics with no actual cure. In fact, I think it’s made the bacteria strain stronger and more resistant. I tried cranberry, I’ve tried apple cider vinegar, baking soda, gallons of water, sea salt, and cantharis (homeopathic). All of these on different flare ups and none of them has worked. I found a D-mannose, cranberry and probiotic formula which has so far been doing the trick over the last 2 days. Seems the infection is asymptomatic right now. As the blend I have mentioned is very costly ($45 for three days treatment), I am going to go about taking the D-mannose and a separate probiotic. I’ve also researched that kiwi (with skin) is a amazing prebiotic and will compliment quite well. I’m hoping for desired results. I encourage people to ensure their infection is from E Coli prior to treating on your own. D-Mannose will help with this bacteria but not with infections from other bacteria, parasites, fungus or viruses. I hope this information helps those seeking relief from uti caused by E. coli.

  31. is this safe for children (she is 5), my youngest daughter suffers fom chronic UTI’s (s do I) and I hate making her take antibiotics every time

  32. I started taking D-Mannose 10 months ago after reading about it on the internet- I often research UTI and look for new information. I am a 56 year old female and have had UTI all of my life – multiple ureter reimplants, bladder surgeries and nothing helped. I have been on prevention antibiotics for the last 20 years because so many infections went to my kidneys and have caused damage and high blood pressure. I started getting yeast infections from all of the antibiotics and complicated infections as well. I told my doctor I would try getting off the antibiotics and she had no problem with that and said she would make it easy to get UA’s done so I could take antibiotics for each infection – usually 3-4 each year. I was just miserable when I started taking D Mannose but amazingly have had NO infections this year. I take 500mg of NOW brand 3X a day. Those times when I start to feel any sign of UTI, I start taking the capsules every few hours for several days. I have not gone an entire year without UTI for as long as I can remember. I wish that health professionals would catch on to using this rather than prescribing so many antibiotics. Antibiotics are expensive and can cause side effects of yeast overgrowth and resistance to infection (superinfection). I realize that I may well get an infection eventually that is not E-Coli but historically, msot of my infections were due to that strain. This product has been amazing for me and I feel so much better. I keep a couple bottles in my medicine cabinet and never want to be without it. I recently found an online shop that sells 1200mg capsules at the best price I have seen anywhere and it is called Vitamins Because You Are Worth It (Doctorvitaminstore.com)

  33. I was born with a double collecting system –right side. I have three ureters going into a small bladder.
    I was put on antibiotics before it was learned about the dangers of taking antibiotics evey day.
    I switched myself onto cranberry, but kept on having UTI.
    Lately, I have been on antibotics 4 times in the last month and a half with no signs of infection(from testing) The pain is so bad when I urinate it travels up my body to my shoulder and goes out the ends of my fingers.
    I just learned about D-Mannose from ” Nature’s Harvest” in North Bay, Ont. I have started taking the preventative dose this week, Nov. 16/12. I will keep you posted.

  34. I have a question…..i have bladder infection after bladder infection. I want to know which d mannose to get, the powder or the pills? Also how should it be taken? I have a bladder infection now.

  35. D mannose is great for utis. Is it true that it only works if the uti is caused by e coli? If I’m prescribed an antibiotic like Cipro, is it okay to cut the pills in half if they’re not time release?

    Thanks,
    Candice

  36. I bought D Mannose a few months back just in case I got a UTI. I just took about 3000mg and I feel great.

  37. Hi Candice,

    Yes, unfortunately D-mannose has only been seen to help with UTIs caused by E.coli. The good news is over 80% of UTIs are caused by E.coli!

    If the medication is not extended release, then often tablets are ok to cut in half. It is best to check with the pharmacist, so they can check for specific manufacturers.

    Take care,
    Nova

    Nova Simpson, Pharm.D.

  38. D-Mannose and Cranberry capsules are the best!! Antibiotics are horrible for your body, as they remove good and bad bacteria from your system.
    This is a natural, effective way to prevent AND treat UTIs. I tried it and was skeptical about its efficacy. Within 24 hours, I felt the relief from taking the supplement. I wish this info would be shared with our practitioners.
    Ladies, intercourse can be one of the culprits in recurrent UTIs. Be sure to urinate right after having intercourse. And, think about using D-mannose preventatively to lessen the chances of a UTI occuring. I love this stuff!!

  39. Does anyone know what the original instructions on the treatment of a urinary tract infection. I know it started with four tablets for a certain amount of time and then gradually going on down to three, then two in about five days. I know it used almost the whole bottle to cure the UTI but it was worth it. I can’t find the original instructions, which are different than the ones on the bottle now.

  40. My i3 month old granddaughter was hospitalized for a UTI and given big gun antibiotics-vancomycin, gentamycin, and zithromycin. I purchased some D-Mannose powder for her after she got home, but the pediatrician said it has not been approved for children. I know of some holistic clinicians as well as anecdotal reports of mothers giving it to children.

    Do you have any research you could share about the use in children? Thanks so much!

  41. Pls some tell me how to use now brand d mannose capsule to prevent uti after sex
    I shall be greatful to u

  42. HELP !!!
    Im sexual active but where ever i have sex i get uti
    Even thou i pee right after sex i have tried cranberry seems like nothing works for me
    Im so depressed it’s ruining my relation
    Today i order Now D mannose capsule 500 mg
    Kindly someone out there help
    Me to understand the proper way to prevent utis after sex
    Proper dose
    And how many times should i have to urinete after sex or i only have to pee right after sex and take these pills with half glass of water so i dont have to wake up in night with urgency
    Pls pls pls help me out with every little thing
    I will be very very thankful to u
    Kindly
    Regards

  43. I just want to know if it is safe to take D-mannose if you take blood pressure medicine. Thanks!

  44. I never get UTI’s but boy, did I know that I had one. I ran to Trader Joe’s and sucked down some 100% Cranberry juice, which worked for a day, but then the next day the symptoms returned with a vengence. So I went straight to the local health food store and bought a bottle of D-Mannose powder. It is quite expensive…39 dollars for a 2.5 sized bottle, which is about 25 dollars on line. but i had no choice, needed it ASAP !! i took 1 teaspoon every 3 hours while awake and within the first 3 hours I was already 80% better. I had actually been bleeding all day. By midnight, no more blood. This morning I am almost perfect, but still can feel a slight reminder that I am not ready to stop the powder. I will continue for another 2 days or so. I mix it right into the cranberry juice with ice and a drop of pinapple juice for sweetness. i am a 51 year old Registered Nurse..I can tell you with certainty that this remedy is legit !! let’s see if it continues to ward off the infection.

  45. Hi Susan,

    Yes -D-mannose is used widely in pediatric patients. D-mannose is a natural sugar. It is a supplement and therefore is not regulated by the FDA (for adults or children). Because of the antibiotics they chose to give her, it appears they started her on multiple broad spectrum antibiotics because they did not have culture & sensitivities resulted yet OR there were multiple different bacterias involved in the infection (D-mannose only works on E.Coli).

    If she has recurring UTIs, it would definitely be worth trying D-Mannose to help prevent.

    Thanks for leaving your question -please reach out to us if you need any more information or about your Gkids experience.

    Take care,
    Nova

  46. I have been on D-Mannose for about 8 yrs. Just stumbled on it on the web. My Dr. never heard of it and was afraid to say it out loud . This was because Dr.s go by the book and #’s . This is a wonderful treatment for UtI’s I recomended to all. Nova is right, it only works with e coli. If you are not better on D-mannose after 2 or 3 days go to a lab for a culture to see what bug it is . you may need an antibiotic. Deanna

  47. I savour, result in I found just what I used tto
    be taking a look for. You’ve ended my 4 day lengthy hunt!
    God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye

  48. I have the capsules. When I had positive on test strip of both nitrates and leukocytes, I took 3 Capsules immediately. I did see a Dr. And he perscribed microbid. I started on the antibiotics same day as D mannose. Next day all symptoms gone and test strip was neg. for nitrates, and slight leukocytes. I quit the macrobid, used d mannose, everything negative. The d mannose kicked it fast .
    Going to use it after sex from now on.
    I get d mannose from Amazon..

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