Can Drinking More Water Prevent Repeat UTIs?What a Yearlong Trial Found
Bladder & Pelvic FloorArticleIn a trial of women with frequent bladder infections who drank little, adding about 1.5 liters of water a day nearly halved infections over a year and cut antibiotic courses. The women were younger, before menopause, so ask how it fits you, especially if you have leaks, night-time peeing or a fluid limit.
“Drink more water” is common advice for women who keep getting bladder infections, but until recently there was little hard data behind it.1
The trial
140 women who’d had at least 3 bladder infections in the past year and drank less than 1.5 liters of fluid a day were randomly assigned to:1
- Add 1.5 liters of water a day (about six 8-ounce glasses) on top of their usual drinks, or
- Change nothing
They were followed for 12 months.1
What it found
| Extra water | No change | |
|---|---|---|
| Bladder infections in a year (average) | 1.7 | 3.2 |
| Antibiotic courses (average) | 1.9 | 3.6 |
| Days between infections (average) | 143 | 84 |
Women in the water group also peed about 2 to 3 more times a day.1 The researchers called it an effective way to prevent repeat infections while using fewer antibiotics.1
Before you apply it
- The women averaged 36 years old and were before menopause, and they started out drinking little.1 It isn’t known how well this works after menopause or if you already drink plenty.
- More trips to the bathroom. If you have urge leaks or wake at night to pee, talk about timing your fluids earlier in the day. Our guide to fluid restriction and leaks explains the trade-offs.
- Fluid limits. Some heart and kidney conditions require them; check first.
Other prevention options
For women past menopause, vaginal estrogen has trial support. Our guides to cranberry, D-mannose, methenamine and UTIs after sex cover more.
Try: “I’ve had three UTIs this year and I don’t drink much water. Would adding water help me, and how do I do it without being up all night?”
Laugh, Sneeze, Jump includes an appointment prep sheet. Use it to log your daily fluids, bathroom trips and infection dates.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. If you have heart failure, kidney disease, low sodium or a prescribed fluid limit, don't increase fluids without talking to your clinician. Burning with urination plus fever, chills, back or side pain, vomiting, or blood in the urine needs prompt care. If you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. This article discusses published research. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- JAMA Internal Medicine (full text via PubMed Central), 2018Effect of Increased Daily Water Intake in Premenopausal Women With Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: A Randomized Clinical Trial (opens in a new tab)abcdefg
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll check it.
