Hi all, I am new to the site and have a number of urinary health-related questions. Please excuse me fo launching straight in.
My first one concerns whether urine should be maintained in the alkaline or acid range in order to assist in the prevention of UTIs.
I find that bona fide medical information on the Net is contradictory on this subject. What are your lived experiences and knowledge and strategies on this?
I had a surgical menopause a number of years ago, then bladder uplift surgery. I have long-standing chronic constipation, and can also no longer push much, in order to protect the bladder surgery. Due to the latter, for the past 12 years, I have been taking magnesium powder most nights. It is an effective and also healthful treatment, but it alkalises my urine, which is observable in morning urine dipstick tests.
In the past 2 years, I have experienced 2-3 UTIs, and significantly high and persistent leucocytes in my urine. I believe this is probably due to low oestrogen and VA, and is something I am also trying to find a workaround and will address with another following question.
A urologist has advised that I stop the magnesium as he believes the alkalinity of my urine is facilitating these urinary problems. I have tried the widest range of constipation treatments and strategies, and magnesium is the only safe and effective treatment I have found, for daily and long-term use. I am also not convinced the urologist is correct regarding the urine alkalinity issue. WDYT regarding the latter?
I have concluded that there is possible online confusion and conflation because perhaps the vagina needs to have an acidic environment whilst the urinary system should be alkaline. WDYT?