Strategy for a Leaky Bladder. A leaky bladder may not be sexy, but if yours is leaking, it’s a big deal. My great-aunt was 85, and she wouldn’t take nutrients to increase her physical or mental health, but she specifically asked for supplements to support her bladder.

Let’s review a therapeutic roadmap to addressing a leaky bladder. Remember, the bladder collects and holds urine and the metabolic by-products it contains. These metabolic by-products include uric acid and nitrogen. Given the fact that the bladder is wet and warm and that most elderly patients are not consuming enough liquids, the bladder can be a breeding ground for infection.

Bladder problems can be stubborn, especially if there has been serious trauma or an injury during childbirth. So, before we go further, let’s acknowledge the value of manual manipulation to support, or in some cases, correct muscular injuries to the bladder. It’s beneficial to try Kegel exercises. Daily Kegel exercises will contract the pelvic floor muscles to help prevent urine loss. Strategy for a Leaky Bladder.

Here is a 3-part Strategy for a Leaky Bladder:

1. Be sure your healthcare provider looks for and manages any hidden infections

2. Increase muscle tonicity – Kegel exercises, Electro Muscle Stimulation like V-tone, and Electromagnetic stimulation like Emsella effective in the Strategy for a Leaky Bladder

3. Monitor pH to prevent infection and over oxidation of tissue membranes.

Hidden Infections

Over the years, I’ve learned that a urinary tract infection can be an underlying cause of unresponsive back pain, overall feelings of malaise, or strange mental, emotional symptoms. In fact, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are recognized as the second most common type of bodily infection. Recent findings suggest bladder problems in the elderly may trigger a host of symptoms even delirium.

Why are hidden infections the underlying cause of so many issues?

Remember, an infection will trigger cytokine release. As I’ve mentioned before, if we get the flu, we feel apathetic, experience brain fog, achy joints, etc. Those symptoms come from the release of cytokines during the infection process. Sadly, the highly refined standard American diet puts most
people, but especially the elderly, in a mild inflammatory state. Add infection and the accompanying cytokines and systemic inflammation escalates.

UT Synergy

Knowing hidden infections often exist with a leaky bladder, start with UT Synergy from Designs for Health. UT Synergy was designed for urinary tract infections of all kinds. However, keep in mind that the herbs in UT Synergy can be used for restoring healthy mucosal function, which also includes sinus, lungs, and intestinal surfaces. UT Synergy is a synergistic blend of nutrients and
botanicals specifically designed to help maintain optimal urinary tract health and function.* This comprehensive formula features D‑mannose, along with hibiscus, bearberry, nettle, horsetail, aloe vera, and parsley extracts standardized to meet targeted amounts of bioactive ingredients. UT Synergy™ provides an alternative for promoting a healthy inflammatory response in urinary tract tissues and supporting the body’s natural immune response in the urinary tract.*

D‑mannose is a simple sugar found in many fruits, vegetables, and plants; it is one of the active  components in cranberry, which has been used extensively to support urinary tract health.*  Extracts from Hibiscus sabdariffa contain high concentrations of organic acids and polyphenols, particularly flavonoids and proanthocyanidins that help promote antioxidant status and healthy microbial balance in the urinary tract.*

Bearberry (Uva ursi) extract and nettles have traditionally been used for their mild diuretic  properties and contain bioactive compounds that may help support a healthy microbial environment and inflammatory response in the urinary tract.* Horsetail extract and parsley are shown to support the body’s natural immune response and help promote a healthy inflammatory response in the lower urinary tract.* Widely known for its soothing properties, aloe vera may help soothe the lining of the urinary tract.*The recommended dose is 2 capsules per day with a meal or as directed by your health-care practitioner.

IAG – Larch Tree Arabinogalactans

As a side, when asking several doctors for their clinical pearls for really tough leaky bladder cases, they shared that they also add 2 tsp IAG from Biotics Research, 3x a day mixed with juice. IAG is a long chain polysaccharide derived from the larch tree that has powerful immune modulating effects to support the innate immune system. I consider IAG one of the best kept secrets of the nutrition industry. In simple terms, IAG improves cell to cell immunity by adding a coat on the surface of the cells and making cells supercharged and significantly more capable of recognizing and attacking the “enemy.” Clinicians use IAG for infections, including the common cold, flu, ear infections in children, and viruses. IAG is also used to provide dietary fiber, lower cholesterol, and boost the immune system.

Increased muscle tone supplemental help in the Strategy for a Leaky Bladder

The second part of our strategy is to increase muscle tone in the bladder and associated muscles. We do that using Gammanol Forte with FRAC by Biotics Research, 1 tablet, 3x a day. Dr. Brownstein found that 8 out of 10 women significantly increased growth hormone by taking Gammanol Forte with FRAC. Growth hormone will increase muscle tone throughout the body including the bladder. Other studies have shown that the combination of fat soluble gamma oryzanol and the water-soluble ferulic acid both found in Gammanol Forte with FRAC increase lean muscle mass in general.

Assess Your pH Strategy for a Leaky Bladder

I am often asked, “What are the main things we can do to promote health and increase wellness?” The foremost thing we can do is to keep the body in homeostasis and let it do what it does best: repair, rebuild, and replenish. The first key to homeostasis is correct pH. The more one  understands physiologic pH, the more you will be convinced about its absolute necessity. Without the correct pH, hormones and enzymes cannot function in their maximum capacity. The optimal pH in oxygenated arterial blood is 7.355 to 7.45. Optimal pH in carbon dioxide laden venous blood is 7.31 to 7.4.

Blood pH is extremely tightly regulated, so even a drop to 7.25 brings the body to a relative acidic state. For example: the drop from 7.3 to 7.2 will stimulate osteoclastic activity in the bone (bone degradation), inhibits osteoblastic activity (bone rebuilding), and induces a multifold bone mineral loss. Reduced intracellular pH causes swelling and impaired mitochondrial function. This means a reduction in the ability to make more energy and an increase in energy utilization. Reduced intracellular pH brings increased intracellular free water with less efficient metabolism, protein synthesis, and increased membrane free radical production. ¹

Another factor to consider in this picture is free radical generation. As the pH drops into the “relative acidity” range, there is increase in free radical generation.¹ One way to determine pH is with first morning urine. First morning pH reflect the body’s ability to buffer excess acidity or net acid excess. This means that a pH below 6.5 indicates that the buffering functional reserve of the body is deficient. The beauty of this test is that it is something that the patient can do for themselves to monitor their own diet.

The following are things which increase the buffering ability of the body and reduce the net acid excess or relative acidity.

1) The most important change is in your diet, so increase fruits and vegetables, particularly the ones which yield the highest alkaline ash. Consider a green drink like PaleoGreens® to supplement in winter, ½ to 1 scoop with beverage of choice, use 1 – 3 times a day.

2) Stop all processed meats and refined carbohydrates, i.e. bagels and pasta.

3) Use Celtic Salt. Celtic sea salt is loaded with approximately 22 bio-available minerals. With excessive doses of any type of unrefined salt, serum sodium and chloride levels should be assessed with hypertensive patients please consult with your healthcare provider first.

4) Increase purified water to at least 1 quart per 50 lbs of body weight.

5) Monitor first morning pH and consult your healthcare provider with regards to balancing your pH using Potassium-HP® (with Magnesium) by Biotics Research possibly use ½ tsp for 1 week. Increase to 1 tsp for 1 week and add a tsp per week up to 3 tsp. Monitor first morning pH and if it goes over 8.0 reduce Potassium-HP® (with Magnesium) until it goes back to 7.0 -7.5 only after consulting with your healthcare provider.

6) Use salt and soda baths every 3rd day, see below.

7) Achieve optimal blood levels of vitamin D. Use the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test and increase vitamin D until the therapeutic level is between 50-75 ng/ml. The usual dose to achieve this is between 2 and 5 drops of Hi-Po Emulsi D3 by Designs for Health. Each drop is 2,000 IU. Consult your healthcare provider for the proper dose based on your blood levels.

8) Make sure digestion is optimized, especially HCL, which assists with mineral absorption, which
helps buffer excess metabolic acids. If necessary you can supplement digestion with Betaine HCL from Designs for Health to help with digesiton.

9) Take magnesium to bowel tolerance. Often stubborn cases of metabolic acidosis can be reversed with the correct levels of magnesium. Start with 400 mg and increase every few days until bowel tolerance is reached. Take magnesium at night before bed.

Salt and Soda Bath

1 cup Epsom salts and 4 tbsps of baking soda in a hot bath – soak for 30-40 minutes. Drink as much water as you can. Make sure the water is as hot as you can stand it without hurting yourself. The magnesium in the Epsom salts will diffuse into the body and toxins exchanged. Use this bath 2-3 times per week.

Another systemic way to alkalize comes from George Goodheart, DC.

Take the juice of ½ lemon and 1 tsp of baking soda in 8 oz of water, two times per day. Take the other ½ of the lemon and rub all over your body. Get into a hot tub of water as hot as you can stand it without hurting yourself. Soak for 20 minutes drinking water while you are in the tub to stay hydrated.

Bladder problems can be stubborn, but by combining an anti-inflammatory diet and the nutrients mentioned here, we are building immune competence and muscle tone for the whole body. We might not fix all cases, but you will be surprised at how many patients you can help where medication has failed.

Thanks for taking time to be with me.

References

(1) Brown, Dr. Susan E., Russell Jaffe, MD, Ph.D., “Acid-Alkaline Balance and its Effect on Bone Health,”
International Journal of Integrative Medicine. Vol. 2 No. 6, November/December 2000.
(2) Tennant, MD, MD(H), MD(P), Jerry , Healing is Voltage: The handbook, 2nd ed., 2011