Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect 50% of women at least once in their life, and occur annually for 12% of them. In addition, 3 percent of men contend with an annual UTI.

The fatigue, pain when urinating, and embarrassment that UTIs can cause aren't minor.

Wouldn't it be great to prevent UTIs or treat them effectively without having to go on antibiotics? Well, it just may be.

According to an online comment in JAMA Internal Medicine, there are multiple studies that support the use of cranberry juice (as well as concentrate and tablets) to prevent and treat UTIs. And there’s no downside when used by themselves to see if they are effective, or to take them in conjunction with medication.

Other supplements that help kill bacteria in the bladder (such as E. coli), or prevent them from adhering to the lining of the bladder and causing trouble include probiotics — especially Lactobacillus GG — vitamin C, berberine, and d-mannose, which is a simple sugar related to glucose.

A Veterans Affairs site suggests taking 100 mg of vitamin C daily for prevention. At the first sign of UTI symptoms, they suggest 1,000 mg every two hours for two days, then 1,000 mg three times a day for five to 10 days.

They also suggest berberine tea three times daily (add 0.5-1 grams of dried root to 150 mL of boiling water; simmer for five to 10 minutes, then strain). But this is not for anyone who is pregnant, or for infants.

Talk with your doctor about these approaches to managing UTIs.