Those who suffer from cystitis will have heard of it: mannose is a very effective natural remedy for keeping both acute and chronic manifestations of this annoying pathology under control. To understand how mannose works, we must first understand how the bacteria that cause cystitis act: this is in fact an inflammation of the bladder caused by bacteria that attach themselves to the bladder walls through lectins (which we can think of as legs). This is where the problem originates, or at least its symptomatic manifestation. D-mannose acts precisely on this mechanism, preventing bacteria from clinging to the organ.
What is mannose and why is it useful against cystitis?
D-mannose is absorbed by the intestine, but it is not used like other sugars, nor does it accumulate in the liver or other organs of the body: it simply passes into the bloodstream and is eliminated directly by the kidneys. This is why after its intake we will find a high concentration in the urine: and this is a good thing, because it is precisely thanks to this mechanism that it is able to perform its function at its best. In fact, D-mannose has an important property: it has a real predilection for the legs of various bacteria, to which it attaches itself, preventing them from attacking the walls of the bladder. This does not mean that we will not have the presence of bacteria, since they will remain present in our body, but by preventing them from attaching we will avoid the onset of inflammation: in other words, no cystitis with all its burden of discomfort and pain. The simple presence of bacteria in the urine, called bacteriuria, is in fact harmless and does not need to be treated unless there are particular conditions such as pregnancy or kidney disease.
D-Mannose binds to the legs of bacteria, preventing them from clinging to the walls of the bladder: in this way it naturally fights the onset of cystitis.
Can anyone take mannose?
There are some side effects of D-mannose, but they are very few and often mild: for this reason there are usually no problems with its intake even by people with pathologies such as diabetes, as well as it can be administered to children and newborns, but also to pregnant or breastfeeding women.
At the beginning of the intake of D-mannose, in case of urine analysis, we may verify a significant presence of bacteria, perhaps even more than those found before starting the administration. However, this should not scare us: it means that mannose is fighting cystitis effectively. The bacteria, whose legs as we have seen are deactivated by the action of D-mannose, are in fact eliminated through urine instead of attaching themselves to the walls of the bladder. What's more: not only does D-mannose prevent bacteria from attaching to it, but it also detaches those that have already attached themselves to the mucosa: the bond between D-mannose and bacteria is in fact very strong, just like the one that is established between the two parts of a strip of Velcro. This is why we should not be scared if we find a strong bacterial load, sometimes even greater than what we recorded previously.
