Frequently asked questions

We meticulously formulated URIEXO® based on what’s been proven to work, and not old wives’ tales, by leveraging the best clinical research available to create the URIEXO® special formula. The research demonstrates how each ingredient is important in reaching and binding to bacteria in the urinary tract to help flush them out, keeping you healthy and off antibiotics.

URIEXO® provides a clinically-backed, double-pronged approach to fight new bacteria causing Urinary Tract Health Issues.

No. URIEXO® is not a treatment and should not be mistaken as a pain relief medication. URIEXO® can help promote a Healthy Urinary Tract by cleansing and protecting the urinary tract*.   If you are experiencing symptoms of a urinary tract infection, we highly recommend that you schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Infections can be serious if left untreated.  URIEXO® may help to naturally flush out bacteria from the urinary tract.

Anyone suffering from recurrent or chronic Urinary Tract Issues should consider URIEXO® daily for UTI prevention.  You may also want to consider taking URIEXO® if you are prone to Urinary Tract Health Issues as a result of sex, certain birth control, menopause, various medical conditions like diabetes or conditions that limit your mobility, or if you use a catheter to urinate.

Yes! URIEXO® works for men the same way it does for women. UTIs are relatively uncommon in younger men, but as men age UTIs become much more common. There are certain risk factors that are unique to aging men, such as kidney/bladder stones, an enlarged prostate or bacterial prostatitis.  These conditions all place older men at increased risk for urinary tract infections.

No, you don’t.  URIEXO® can be found on Amazon.com

As a Natural Health Product, our packaging, labeling, ingredients and manufacturing quality are regulated by Health Canada pursuant to the Canadian Food and Drug Act.   All the ingredients in URIEXO® are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by Health Canada. Furthermore, unlike many of the other products available without a prescription, URIEXO® has been thoroughly assessed for quality, safety and efficacy by Health Canada and has been assigned a Natural Product Number (NPN).  There are no known serious side effects for any of the ingredients at any of the suggested dose. Some people may report minor side effects like bloating and loose stool, according to published literature. Relative to the list of side effects associated with the other effective prevention option (prophylactic antibiotics), these side effects are minimal.

Unlikely but not impossible. URIEXO® does not contain any known food allergens or gluten. In addition, URIEXO® is caffeine free, sugar-free, hypoallergenic and soy free. If you have an allergic reaction, please discontinue use and consult your healthcare practitioner if necessary.

Most definitely! One option is to open the capsule and mix the powder in yogurt, cereal, juice or any other food you like.  As long as the capsule ingredients are ingested, their scientifically proven benefits will be realized.

Yes. URIEXO® is safe for older adults.  Because the elderly may have difficulty swallowing the capsules whole, one option is to open the capsule and mix the powder in yogurt, cereal or juice so it is easy for the elderly to take. As long as the capsule ingredients are ingested, their scientifically proven benefits will be realized.

Yes. URIEXO® is very safe, with no known side effects at any of the suggested dosages, and no known medical interactions.

Yes, it is. URIEXO® has no added glucose, so its glycemic index is quite low, and it won’t raise your blood sugar.  D-Mannose is a naturally occurring sugar similar in structure to but metabolized differently from glucose so that it does not negatively impact glycemic (blood sugar) control of diabetic patients and does not pose a health risk. The capsule itself contains only a trace amount of sugar.

Yes. URIEXO® is safe to take while on antibiotics and has no known interactions with other medications.

Daily antibiotics are prescribed by your doctor to get rid of an infection but taking antibiotics every day to prevent UTIs may not be the best plan. If you healthcare practitioner has prescribed you some antibiotics to treat an actual infection, you should take URIEXO® with your antibiotic until the infection clears and then continue taking URIEXO® daily to keep your urinary tract in check and to constantly flush out harmful bacteria that could lead to another UTI.   While antibiotics are helpful to cure an acute infection, using them on a preventative basis may not be wise.  Harmful bacteria become resistant to antibiotics and these medications have many unwanted side effects – like upset stomach, allergic reactions or yeast infections – so you may be giving your body something it doesn’t need.

Consult a health care practitioner before using if you are taking blood thinners.  If you have specific questions about any of your other medications, we recommend speaking with your doctor.

Specially formulated with two clinically active ingredients, 2000 mg/day D-Mannose and 36 mg/day Proanthocyanidins (PACs), sourced from cranberry, URIEXO® provides you with a two-pronged and scientifically proven defence, against recurring UTIs.   These two active ingredients, bind with UTI-causing bacteria in your urinary tract in two separate ways, preventing bacteria from sticking to your bladder wall and urinary tract, so that you can safely flush bacteria out of your system.  This double mode of action helps prevent the pain associated with urinary tract infections, and more importantly, protects your kidneys from potential damage from bacteria.

The non-medicinal ingredients in URIEXO® are:

• Hypromellose
• Magnesium stearate

Yes, Yes, and Yes!  URIEXO® capsules are vegicaps and all ingredients have been approved to meet these standards.

URIEXO is proudly made in an FDA and Health Canada approved, cGMP certified (current Good Manufacturing Practices) facility.

You can take URIEXO® if you are worried that you’re developing a UTI, but if you do develop active symptoms, we highly recommend you schedule an appointment with your doctor since URIEXO® is not a treatment.

Dosing instructions:

To maintain a clean urinary tract: Take 4 capsules daily with water about the same time each day.
For additional support when needed, take 8 capsules daily for 2 consecutive days, then return to 4 capsules daily.
With sexual intercourse: Take 8 capsules with water before or immediately after intercourse. Then take 8 capsules the following day.

For best results, URIEXO® should be taken once daily with or without food.  Ideally, it is best to take at the same time every day, with plenty of water, as it works on a 24-hour cycle.

Precautions and warnings:

Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have ever had kidney stones, are currently pregnant or breast feeding, or if you are currently taking blood thinners.  Consult a health care practitioner if you have fever, painful urination, spasms, blood in the urine, or if symptoms worsen or persist. Keep out of reach of children.

Contraindications:

Individual hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients.

Yes, it is.  If you frequently suffer from UTIs, it is best to continue to take URIEXO® daily to ensure there is constant protection of the urinary tract wall and any bacteria are flushed out.  As a preventative supplement, it only works if you are taking it daily. The long-term benefits are directly correlated with compliance on taking this preventative medication daily.

URIEXO® offers the following advantage vs. other products that may be available without a prescription.

ADVANTAGE #1: Two-Clinically Active Ingredients

Unlike many of the other products available without a prescription, URIEXO®®® has been specially formulated with not one but TWO clinically active ingredients (D-Mannose and Proanthocyanidins), providing you with a two-pronged and scientifically proven defence, against recurring Urinary Tract & Bladder health issues. These two active ingredients bind with UTI-causing bacteria in your urinary tract in two separate ways, to maximize your protection against recurrent health issues by preventing bacteria from sticking to your bladder wall and urinary tract, so that you can safely flush bacteria out of your system. All the other products available on the market have only one of the active ingredients and many of these are at sub-therapeutic doses that do not confer a benefit.
ADVANTAGE #2: Clinically Effective Dose with Each Daily Dose

URIEXO combines D-Mannose and Proanthocyanidins (PACs), sourced from cranberry, at their clinically therapeutic doses, for maximum defense against recurring urinary tract & bladder health issues. While some other non-prescription products may contain similar ingredients, the quantity of the ingredients is frequently at a sub-therapeutic dose and may not be clinically effective at this dose. URIEXO® contains a clinically effective dose of both active ingredients that has been clinically proven to help cleanse and protect the urinary tract*
URIEXO combines D-Mannose and Proanthocyanidins (PACs), at clinically effective doses to provide you with a one-two punch against bacteria.

 ADVANTAGE #3: Clinical Evidence Published in Scientific Journals

Our scientists and physicians carefully crafted URIEXO®®® based on what’s been proven to work, and not old wives’ tales. We leveraged the best clinical research available to create the URIEXO®®® special formula. The research demonstrates how each ingredient is important in reaching bacteria in the urinary tract to help flush them out, keeping you healthy and off antibiotics.

URIEXO has no added glucose, so its glycemic index is quite low and it should not raise your blood sugar. While D-Mannose is a naturally occurring sugar that is similar in structure to glucose, it cannot be metabolized by the body so it should not negatively impact blood sugar levels of diabetic patients and should not pose a health risk. The capsule itself contains only a trace amount of sugar.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a very common infection that affects any part of the urinary system, such as the kidneys, bladder and urethra.  Most UTIs are caused by bacteria like E. coli, which are responsible for around 90% of UTI causes, but some are caused by fungi and in rare cases by viruses.  When these bacteria attach to the wall of your urethra or bladder, they can quickly multiply into an infection. Although some bacteria are flushed away when you urinate, once attached, they can grow and spread. Left untreated, infection can move from the bladder to the kidneys and do even more harm.

The symptoms of URI vary depending on the location of the infections.

Infections of the bladder (cystitis) or urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body) are known as Lower UTIs. These can cause:

• A burning or painful sensation when passing urine.
• Sudden needs to urinate urgently.
• Passing urine more frequently than usual.
• Feeling the urge to urinate but being unable to or only passing a few drops.
• Dull pain in the pelvis.
• Unpleasant smelling urine.
• Urine that is cloudy, bloody, pink or dark or foul-smelling.
• Back pain.
• Generally feeling unwell, achy and tired.
• Fever
• Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone

Infections of the kidneys or ureters (tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder) are known as Upper UTIs. These can cause the above symptoms and also:

• Fever and rigors (shivering).
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Diarrhea
• Pain in your sides or back
• Confusion
• Agitation or restlessness

 IMPORTANT:

If these classic upper urinary tract infection symptoms are present, it is important to get to a health care professional quickly. A kidney infection is nothing to ignore. If you think you have one, see your healthcare provider immediately.

Urine is typically sterile. An infection occurs when bacteria get into the urine and begin to grow. The infection usually starts at the opening of the urethra where the urine leaves the body and moves upward into the urinary tract. Anyone can develop a UTI, but the following can increase the likelihood of developing one:

• Being in a nursing home or hospital
• Menopause
• Blockages in the urinary tract
• Difficulty emptying your bladder fully
• Urinary tract abnormalities
• Weakened or suppressed immune system
• A recent medical procedure on the urinary tract
• Catheter use
• Pregnancy
• Genetics

Please make sure to visit the CAUSES OF UTIs tab for more details.

FACT: Men can also get UTIs, but it is far less common. While about 50% of women will experience a UTI in their lifetime, the same is true for only about 12% of men. This is because of the natural differences between the female and male urinary systems.

UTIs are relatively uncommon in younger men, but as men age, UTIs become much more common. There are certain risk factors that are unique to aging men, such as kidney/bladder stones, an enlarged prostate or bacterial prostatitis.  These conditions all place older men at increased risk for urinary tract infections.

While males do experience UTIs, women are much more susceptible to them because their urethras are shorter, creating a quicker pathway for bacteria to reach the bladder. Additionally, a woman’s urethral opening is directly near more sources of bacteria, such as the anus and vagina, creating the perfect environment for infections.

Sex is a common cause of UTIs in women because sexual intercourse introduces bacteria into a woman’s urinary tract. During sex, the urethra comes into contact with the bacteria from the genital area and anus, allowing them to enter the urethra, the bladder, and possibly eventually the kidneys, and result in an infection. In fact, almost 80 percent of premenopausal women with a UTI have had sex within the previous 24 hours. To help prevent this, you should always urinate before and after having sex.

No, a urinary tract infection is neither contagious or a sexually transmitted disease. Sexual activity can lead to a UTI, but generally sexual partners do not need to be treated.

If you have frequent UTIs (3 or more UTIs per year), your doctor may make certain treatment recommendations, such as:

• Prescribing low dose antibiotics, initially for six months but sometimes longer
• Self-diagnosis and treatment, if you stay in touch with your doctor
• Taking a single dose of antibiotic after sexual intercourse if your infections are related to sexual activity
• Taking antibiotics for 1 or 2 days every time symptoms appear
• Prescribing vaginal estrogen therapy if you’re postmenopausal
• Using an at-home urine test kit when symptoms start

The problem with many of the above options is that there is overreliance on the use of antibiotics.  Antibiotic resistance puts those with recurrent UTIs at serious risk. The more frequently an individual takes antibiotics for an infection, the more likely it is bacteria will develop resistance to those antibiotics, which makes it less likely that treatment will be effective the next time around.

The good news is that you now have a non-antibiotic approach to manage recurrent UTIs before they start….. After treating your UTI, consider adding URIEXO® to your daily routine to improve your urinary health and prevent that next infection.

Here’s what to avoid when you have a UTI:

• Avoid sexual intercourse. Sex during a UTI will probably be uncomfortable, but you could also make the infection worse by adding new bacteria to your system. You may want to wait up to two weeks after the infection is cleared up before sexual activity.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners. Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners make your symptoms worse.
• Avoid alcohol. Alcohol irritates the bladder, intensifying the infection.
• Avoid caffeine. Caffeine also irritates the bladder.

Getting a UTI does not mean that you have poor hygiene, but poor hygiene can be a risk factor. Pregnancy, certain medical conditions, sex, some birth control and just not emptying the bladder frequently enough, are other ways people get UTIs.

Decreasing estrogen levels associated with symptoms of the menopausal transition can affect the urinary system. Like the vaginal wall, the urethra (the tube that drains the bladder and is used for urination) undergoes changes as estrogen levels drop. These changes in the urethra may lead to different kinds of urinary symptoms, including an increased susceptibility to urinary tract infections.

Use of certain types of barrier contraception can also increase the risk of a UTI. Women who frequently develop urinary tract infections (UTIs) after sexual intercourse reported using condoms, diaphragms or spermicides while engaging in sexual activity. It is believed that these barrier contraceptive methods irritate the sensitive tissue in the vaginal and genital areas in women who may be allergic. This irritated tissue then helps create an environment where bacteria can thrive.

While milder UTIs will often go away on their own without treatment, you shouldn’t avoid seeing a doctor if the symptoms persist for more than a couple of days.

If you are being treated for a UTI and are not getting better, or you have symptoms of a UTI along with upset stomach, diarrhea, pain in your sides or back, fever, chills or nausea, then you should call your health care provider. If you ever see blood in your urine, you should call your health care provider right away.

If you are pregnant, you should never take a chance with UTIs, especially if you have diabetes, HIV, or have had previous infections. Even mild symptoms should be looked at, treated, and monitored to ensure that the infection is fully cleared. Without exception, any symptoms of sepsis should be treated as a medical emergency. This is especially true in babies or the elderly.

If the UTI is treated early, then there will likely be no lasting effect on your urinary tract. UTIs can cause harm if not diagnosed and treated quickly.

UTIs are more common in pregnant women because hormones can cause changes in the urinary tract, which predispose women to infections. In addition, a growing uterus presses on the bladder, preventing the complete emptying of urine. This stagnant urine is a likely source of infection.  If you are pregnant and have symptoms of a UTI, then you should call your health care provider right away. UTIs during pregnancy can put both mother and baby at risk if not dealt with quickly and properly.

Unfortunately, a UTI is not 100% preventable. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your chance of getting a UTI:

• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of liquids, especially water (recommended 6-8 glasses of water daily).  Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you’ll urinate more frequently — allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin.
• Urinate immediately and fully — don’t hold it in: Go to the bathroom regularly and flush bad bacteria out of your urinary tract.
• Wipe from front to back: Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps keep bacteria around the anus from getting into the vagina or urethra
• Take showers instead of baths.
• Choose breathable garments: Wear underpants with a cotton crotch. Don’t wear tight-fitting pants, which can trap in moisture.
• Cleanse your genital area before sex.
• Urinate before and promptly after sex: This may lower the risk of UTIs by flushing out bacteria that may have gotten into the urinary tract during intercourse.
• Avoid potentially irritating feminine products:  Using deodorant sprays or other feminine products, such as douches and powders, in the genital area can irritate the urethra.
• Revaluate your birth control methods: Diaphragms or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth.
• If you are post-menopausal consider hormone therapy: Speak with your physician about how your hormonal changes could be impacting your risk of UTIs. Some physicians recommend estrogen supplements to help.
• Use tampons for your period: Tampons are advised during the menstrual period rather than sanitary napkins or pads because they keep the bladder opening area drier than a sanitary pad, thereby limiting bacterial overgrowth.
• Use URIEXO® daily: Taken daily, URIEXO® will help flush out bacterial and provide a bacterial defence before UTIs can start.

A Urinary Tract Infection can get better on its own, but most of the time it doesn’t and if left untreated, it can be dangerous. That’s why anyone who develops any of the symptoms of a urinary tract infection needs to be evaluated by a medical professional, preferably within 24 hours.  Untreated UTIs lead the bacteria to spread from the bladder to the kidneys, eventually causing kidney infections. Kidney infections are more serious and require antibiotics, and oftentimes, hospitalization. In some rare circumstances, untreated UTIs can spread beyond the kidneys

The difference between a bladder infection and a UTI is that a UTI is a general term for when any of the organs that make up your urinary tract are infected e.g. your kidneys, urethra, or bladder. A bladder infection (cystitis) falls under the category of urinary tract infection, but not all urinary tract infections are bladder infections. Pyelonephritis (kidney infection) and urethritis (inflammation of the urethra) are also urinary tract infections.

The only UTI treatment is antibiotics. A urinalysis or urine culture test performed by your doctor will determine if you have a UTI. They will then prescribe you a 3 to 14 day course of antibiotics to complete. It is important to take the antibiotics exactly as your physician has directed, even if you are no longer experiencing symptoms. Cranberry juice and cranberry supplements are not backed by enough scientific data to prove they can heal or prevent UTIs.

While an existing UTI must be treated with antibiotics, there are preventive measures you can take to keep them from coming back.

Break the Vicious Cycle of Recurrent UTIs with Double-Action URIEXO®®…

… an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Specially formulated with two clinically active ingredients, D-Mannose and Proanthocyanidins (PACs), URIEXO® provides you with a two-pronged, non-antibiotic and scientifically proven defence, against recurring UTIs. These two active ingredients, bind with UTI-causing bacteria in your urinary tract in two separate ways, preventing bacteria from sticking to your bladder wall and urinary tract, so that you can safely flush bacteria out of your system. This double mode of action helps prevent the pain associated with urinary tract infections, and more importantly, protects your kidneys from potential damage of recurring UTIs.

Recurrent UTIs or chronic UTIs are infections that come back even after they have been treated with antibiotics.   They are more common in women due to the fact that a woman’s urethra is within close proximity to the vagina and anus, where UTI-causing bacteria live. Women’s urethras are shorter than men’s, so bacteria have a shorter “ladder” to climb when it comes to colonizing the bladder.  Recurrent UTIs happen for a number of reasons: age, menopause, diabetes, genetics, and the fact that women have shorter urethras than men.

Antibiotics are sometimes recommended when you have recurrent UTIs. Overusing antibiotics isn’t a good idea as bacteria can become drug-resistant. Antibiotics can also upset the good bacteria in your body that prevents yeast infections. Furthermore, overusing antibiotics has side effects that should be considered before undergoing a regular treatment regimen.  Fortunately, there are other options to keep your entire body healthy and free of recurrent UTIs.

Specially formulated with two clinically active ingredients, D-Mannose and Proanthocyanidins (PACs), sourced from cranberry, URIEXO® provides you with a two-pronged, non-antibiotic and scientifically proven defence, against recurring UTIs.   These two active ingredients, bind with UTI-causing bacteria in your urinary tract in two separate ways, preventing bacteria from sticking to your bladder wall and urinary tract, so that you can safely flush bacteria out of your system.  This double mode of action helps prevent the pain associated with urinary tract infections, and more importantly, protects your kidneys from potential damage of recurring UTIs.

 URIEXO® has two scientifically-proven ingredients to rid the body of infection-causing bacteria and prevent UTIs before they start.

For a UTI, basic questions to ask your doctor include:

• What’s the most likely cause of my signs and symptoms?
• Are there any other possible causes?
• Do I need any tests to confirm the diagnosis?
• What factors do you think may have contributed to my UTI?
• What treatment approach do you recommend?
• If the first treatment doesn’t work, what will you recommend next?
• Am I at risk of complications from this condition?
• What are the chances that this problem will recur?
• What steps can I take to reduce my risk of a recurrence?
• Should I see a specialist?

In young, sexually active women, about 80 percent of UTIs are caused by E. coli. Conventional thinking holds that recurrence occurs when E. coli is reintroduced into the urinary tract, however, new research suggests another way for a subsequent UTI to develop: The vaginal bacterium Gardnerella vaginalis triggers E. coli already hiding in the bladder, usually under a protective biofilm, to cause another UTI. These findings help explain why sexual activity is associated with UTIs. When Gardnerella vaginalis gets into the bladder, this vaginal bacterium causes dormant E. coli from a previous infection to start multiplying again, causing another UTI. G. vaginalis also may be a contributor to more serious – and potentially deadly – kidney infections.