Biomed Radio - Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

The amount of acid in a person’s urine, and small molecules related to diet, may help predict how likely it is that an individual will develop a urinary tract infection. Conventional wisdom in medicine has favored the idea that acidic urine should be better at restricting bacterial growth than less acidic urine. But Washington University School of Medicine researchers found that when a person’s urine was closer to the neutral pH value of pure water, it was better at restricting bacterial growth than more acidic samples were, meaning people with less acidic urine may be less likely to develop infections. RESEARCHERS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ST. LOUIS HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO IDENTIFY WHAT PUTS INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS AT THE GREATEST RISK FOR RECURRENT URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS, OR UTIs. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ACIDITY OF URINE, ALONG WITH THE PRESENCE OF SMALL MOLECULES RELATED TO DIET MAY INFLUENCE HOW WELL BACTERIA CAN GROW IN THE URINARY TRACT. JIM DRYDEN REPORTS… URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS, OR UT