D-mannose is a natural simple sugar present in fruits such as apples, pears or oranges with a very efficient action against cystitis, an infection that is mainly due to the bacteria Escherichia coli and that tends to be recurring despite heavy treatments with antibiotics. This effect of mannose has been demonstrated by scientific studies, for example a research published in 2014 on the World Journal of urology by a Croatian team that has shown the validity of the use of this sugar in order to prevent recurring infections of the urinary tract while the study performed by University La Sapienza in Rome has shown the benefits of d-mannose in case of acute cystitis (Domenici et al, Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 2016). D-mannose doesn’t bring calories nor increases blood sugar levels, in fact it reaches the urinary tract without being metabolized and there it can act as a natural antibiotic by removing the bacteria from the walls of the bladder. How is it possible such behavior? D-mannose has a huge affinity with structures similar to filaments that the bacteria use to attach to the mucosa, this affinity is higher than that of bacteria with the walls of the bladder. For this reason d-mannose is able to remove the bacteria that are then eliminated through urination. In case of recurring cystitis or to prevent this disease you can take mannose. Consider that it acts at the bladder level and consequently it doesn’t have any effects on the body, it doesn’t weaken the body and doesn’t modify the bacterial flora. It can be used by everybody, even for those people who suffer from diabetes, children or during pregnancy but it is always better to ask your doctor in order to evaluate the personal situation. This remedy can rarely cause diarrhea or meteorism that will solve in a few days. D-mannose can be found in the form of powder or capsules, in herbalist’s or chemist’s shops extracted from the wood of birch or larch, it is taken without food in a glass of water and the indicative dose is 2 grams every day for prevention until 3 grams in case of acute cystitis.