Does Vitamin C Help Prevent Utis?

Vitamin C has not been shown to reliably prevent UTIs and should not be used to treat an active infection. Anyone with UTI symptoms—especially fever, pain in the back or side, vomiting, pregnancy, or worsening symptoms—should seek medical care promptly. Vitamin C has been proposed to help by acidifying urine, but studies have not shown that supplements reliably lower urinary pH enough to prevent UTIs. E. coli causes most uncomplicated UTIs, although the proportion varies by population and type of infection. Studies of vitamin C for preventing recurrent UTIs are limited and have not established that taking 100–500 mg daily reduces recurrence. Some cranberry products may reduce recurrent UTIs in certain groups, but any benefit is generally attributed to cranberry components rather than the added vitamin C. While generally safe, high doses above 1000mg daily can cause digestive upset and may increase kidney stone risk in susceptible individuals.