Terri Ramsey Beavers When you have a UTI, your doctor may suggest that you increase your intake of liquids. All liquids are not created equal, however. Alcohol is not an appropriate UTI drink. In fact, it does many things to your body that are the exact opposite of what you want to happen when you are fighting an infection.
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Irritates the Bladder
Alcohol is not gentle on any of your internal organs. It increases the workload for your liver and kidneys. It also irritates your bladder. When you are already having problems with your bladder from a UTI, it doesn’t make sense to ingest something else that will exacerbate the issue. Instead, you need to drink things that fight off bacteria instead of creating a breeding ground for them.
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Dehydrates the Body
You might think that the alcohol in your cocktail will kill germs, but that’s not how it works when it enters your body. Rather than working as a cleansing agent, it dries out your body, making it harder for your immune system to fight infection.
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Turns to Sugar
Drinking alcohol when you have a UTI works against any efforts you make to get better because it turns to sugar in your body. This sugar then encourages the growth of bad bacteria that cause the infection, potentially making it worse instead of better. A UTI prevention drink with ingredients that attach to sugars and remove them from the body can keep you from getting an infection in the first place, but even if you are already afflicted, it is still a better choice than alcohol.
If you have a UTI, you shouldn’t drink alcohol while you are trying to get rid of the infection. Stick to zero-calorie drinks to combat dehydration and keep sugar levels balanced and normal. Treat your bladder well so that it has time to heal.