Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are never a pleasant experience and they’re extremely common.
UTIs occur when bacteria are pushed inside your urethra, causing an infection. The cause is often unknown, but common reasons include:
- diet
- hormones
- gut imbalance
- hygiene
- travel
- working out
About
Enter Uqora, a natural supplements brand that works to prevent UTIs before they begin by focusing on keeping your urinary health intact.
What is Uqora?
Uqora is a natural supplements company that focuses on developing supplements for UTI prevention.
The brand was co-founded by Jenna Ryan and her partner, Spencer Gordon. Gordon has a background in biochemistry, so the two, alongside a team of urologists, began to research natural ways to prevent UTIs.
The company launched in 2018 with Uqora Target, a preventive drink mix that helps flush the urinary tract. It has since been renamed Flush.
Uqora focuses on UTI prevention rather than treatment, which is helpful, as constant trips to the doctor are often expensive and time-consuming. Not to mention, UTIs are painful and can lead to other concerns, like yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.
The line is accessible to all sexes and is only sold on the company’s e-commerce website. You can purchase products:
- individually
- in a bundle
- through a subscription plan
Pros and cons of Uqora
Pros
- Free shipping is available on all orders.
- The online chat system offers quick responses to inquiries.
- All products come with a no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee.
- If you choose to purchase a subscription, you can save up to 35%.
- If you choose a bundle, you can save up to 20%.
Cons
- Uqora hasn’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat or prevent any disease.
- It can be cheaper to purchase D-mannose and multivitamins separately.
- Uqora products don’t target hormonal imbalances that could make you prone to UTIs.
- If the source of your infection isn’t E. coli, you may need to try another method of preventing UTIs.
How does Uqora work?
Uqora products target infections caused by E. coli bacteria — the bacteria responsible for
The main ingredient in Uqora products is D-mannose, a sugar that works by binding with the bacteria that can cause UTIs and helping them get swept out with urine.
If the source of your UTI is caused by bacterial biofilm that is already lodged in the bladder, D-mannose won’t work. It only targets free-floating bacteria.
You can purchase D-mannose supplements from other sources, but Uqora products also contain ingredients that can help flush everything out quicker, like:
- vitamins
- antioxidants
- electrolytes
- natural diuretics
Who is Uqora good for?
If you’re someone who regularly gets UTIs, it’s important to see a doctor so they can help you figure out the root cause of your infections.
If the source is E. coli, Uqora could be helpful. If it’s not, you may need to try another method, such as focusing on your gut microbiome and vaginal health.
None of Uqora’s products are guaranteed to prevent all UTIs, nor do they target bacterial or hormonal imbalances that can make you prone to UTIs.
The ingredients in Uqora products are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, so they should be safe for most adults. However, it’s best to talk with a doctor before trying any supplement, especially if you take other supplements or medications.
Uqora products
| Flush | Defend | Promote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it’s for | flushing urinary tract | maintaining a clear urinary tract each day | vaginal health through an antibiotic alternative |
| Price | $30 | $30 | $30 |
| How to take it | mix packet in water, drink every 3 days and after sex | take 2 capsules daily with water | take 1 capsule daily with water |
| Considerations | • may work better for younger people • results may vary, but many buyers had positive experiences | • may cause mild stomach discomfort • consistent usage won’t necessarily stop all UTIs | may be more effective when taken with Defend |
Flush
- Price: $30
- What it’s best for: flushing your urinary tract
Flush, formerly known as Target, is Uqora’s first and most popular product. It’s a powdered drink mix meant to be consumed after having sex, working out, traveling, or anything that may put you at risk of a UTI. Just mix Flush into an 8- to 12-ounce glass of water and drink every few days. The company recommends consuming it every 3 days to flush your urinary tract, and also after sex and other times you may need support.
The main active ingredient in this powder is D-mannose. Research from 2016 based on 43 women with a UTI found that after taking D-mannose, most had improved symptoms. However, this product is intended to be taken for UTI prevention, so it’s important to still see a doctor if you experience symptoms.
Flush also contains vitamin C, which helps support the immune system, and vitamin B6, a natural diuretic that helps increase urinary flow.
Pros
- helps prevent UTIs
- tastes great, according to reviewers
Cons
- may work better for younger people
- results vary, but many users notice a difference
Defend
- Price: $30
- What it’s best for: maintaining a clear urinary tract each day
While Flush clears the urinary tract when you need support, like after intercourse, Defend (formerly known as Control) is designed to keep the urinary tract clear on a daily basis.
Defend is a set of vegan capsules that are meant to continually cleanse biofilm and strengthen the bladder wall. Biofilm is a tool bacteria use to protect themselves and stay hidden. Microbial biofilms make it hard to treat UTIs, so Defend works to break down existing biofilm and prevent it from recurring.
If you’re unsure what’s causing your UTIs, Defend may be a good choice for you, as it “helps keep your bladder clean in the face of hard-to-pinpoint things like stress, hormonal changes, and holding your bladder,” according to the company.
The active ingredients in this product are black pepper powder, D-mannose, green tea extract, vitamin D3, and curcumin, which has been found to help reduce bladder infections in rats. Each bottle comes with a 30-day supply.
Pros
- helps clean your bladder
- helps maintain good hygiene and hydration
Cons
- may cause mild stomach discomfort
- won’t necessarily stop all UTIs
Promote
- Price: $30
- What it’s best for: vaginal health through an antibiotic alternative
Typically, when you get a UTI, you’re prescribed an antibiotic, as it’s currently the most effective treatment. Unfortunately, antibiotics tend to kill helpful bacteria in the process, which then allows bacteria like E. coli to flourish.
Probiotics allow good bacteria — and sometimes bad bacteria — to return. One such probiotic is Promote, a daily vegan probiotic for vaginal and urinary health. It’s not a digestive probiotic. Rather, it focuses on restoring and maintaining the good bacteria that balance the vaginal microbiome and protect you from future UTIs. You can take it along with your digestive probiotic.
Promote consists of three strains of good bacteria to maintain a healthy vagina:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Lactobacillus reuteri
Each bottle comes with a 30-day supply, and you’re instructed to take 1 capsule with water daily.
Pros
- helps promote overall vaginal health to reduce or eliminate UTIs
- easy to take orally
Cons
- may be more effective when taken with Defend
- pricey
Bundles
- Price: from $40
Uqora offers up to 20% off when you purchase more than one product within the same order. Or, by bundling all three products together, you can save about 32% of the cost of purchasing all three items separately.
If you decide that you want all three of Uqora’s products, it may make the most financial sense to purchase the Complete System, which contains Flush, Defend, and Promote for $80.
You can take all three of these products in the same day for maximum urinary support: Flush flushes the urinary tract, Defend cleanses biofilm from the urinary tract and cleanses the bladder wall, and Promote balances the vaginal microbiome.
The only con with the bundles is that if you successfully prevent future UTIs, it’s nearly impossible to isolate which product made the biggest impact.
Subscription
By choosing to go with a subscription plan, you can save up to 35%. After taking the quiz on the website to figure out your needs, you can then decide what products you want to bundle and how much you need. Flush allows you to choose among 10, 20, or 30 packets, and you can change this amount at any time.
If you choose the Complete System subscription, you’ll get a 1-month supply of Defend, a 1-month supply of Promote, and your selected choice of Flush packets.
Your subscription renews every 4 weeks, and you have the flexibility to manage your shipment dates, renewal frequency, and products. Uqora sends you renewal notification emails a few days before your order renews. There are no penalties for canceling.
Uqora pricing and insurance
Flush retails at $30 for 10 packets, $55 for 20 packets, and $75 for 30 packets.
A month’s supply of Defend or Promote comes out to $30.
Signing up for a subscription plan allows you to save 15% individually, and 35% if you bundle all three items together.
Uqora offers a student discount program. Reach out to their support team at support@uqora.com using your school email address.
The brand doesn’t currently offer any free trials, but all of its products have a no-questions-asked free-return policy.
Uqora’s products are health savings account (HSA) and flexible savings account (FSA) approved, which means that you can use your HSA or FSA card at checkout.
To use your HSA dollars on the supplements, you’ll need a doctor to fill out this one-page form, which validates that they consider Uqora’s products to be medically necessary for your health.
Uqora’s reputation
At the time of writing, Uqora doesn’t appear to have any pending lawsuits.
Uqora has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, though it only has two customer reviews. The reviewers complain that they had a hard time canceling their subscriptions.
All the ingredients in Uqora products are deemed GRAS by the FDA, but the FDA doesn’t approve the products to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease.
Safety of Uqora products
Uqora products are deemed safe for the general public, including for older adults, by the FDA. Products have undergone research and manufacturer testing and clinical trials, and no known adverse side effects for the ingredients’ concentrations have come up.
That said, people do report that taking D-mannose (a Uqora active ingredient) at high doses can cause stomach pain or loose stool. So, it’s best to take Uqora Defend with food.
With the appropriate dosage, ingredients in Uqora products have proven safe and effective in children from 4 years old and up weighing at least 45 pounds. However, it’s always best to talk with a pediatrician if you have specific questions or concerns or if your child has pre-existing medical conditions.
Customer reviews of Uqora
There are currently more than 21,000 reviews on the Uqora website, with more than 18,000 5-star reviews. There are only a few negative reviews on the site. The consensus is that Uqora products, mainly Flush (formerly known as Target), work effectively to help prevent UTIs.
Reviewers range from ages 21 to 80, so the products appear to be used by most age groups. A lot of testimonials claim that Flush changed their life and that they would recommend it to others.
A common complaint is that the product is overpriced. You can purchase D-mannose and multivitamins separately for cheaper.
How does Uqora compare with competitors?
Here’s a quick rundown on how Uqora compares with four competitors on the market when it comes to products, price, prescription requirement, and shipping cost.
| Uqora | Wisp | Stix | Love Wellness | Hum Nutrition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UTI products | • D-mannose-based capsules • D-mannose-based drink mix • probiotics | • antibiotics • D-mannose capsules • probiotics • boric acid | • UTI testing sticks • pH-balanced cleansing wipes • D-mannose-based capsules • UTI pain-relief tablets | • cranberry extract-based capsules | • probiotics |
| Starting monthly price | $30 | $9–$27 | $13–$19 | $24.99 | $26 |
| Prescription needed | no | only for antibiotics | no | no | no |
| Shipping | free | free | free | free for subscription orders over $35 | free for orders over $50 |
When to call a doctor
UTIs are very common and over-the-counter remedies like Uqora often help. But sometimes you may need to talk with a doctor for advice and prescription treatment.
If you get severe or frequent UTIs (about three or more UTIs each year), or if home treatment simply isn’t helping, it’s time to make an appointment with a doctor.
If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here.
Frequently asked questions about Uqora
If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here.
Is Uqora a legitimate company?
Yes, Uqora is a legitimate company offering products that help many users prevent UTIs. These products contain ingredients that are deemed GRAS by the FDA.
Does Uqora have any side effects?
Uqora’s ingredients are recognized as safe by the FDA with minimum side effects.
D-mannose, an active ingredient, can cause some gastrointestinal issues like bloating or loose stools. If you have diabetes, talk with a doctor before taking D-mannose, as it is a form of sugar.
Uqora also doesn’t specify which D-mannose they use. Since most D-mannose on the market is made from corn, it’s a possible allergen for many people.
Uqora recommends checking in with a doctor before trying their products.
Does Uqora work for men?
Yes. Flush and Defend can be used by anyone for urinary tract health. Promote, a vaginal probiotic, can be used by anyone with a vagina.
How often can you consume Uqora?
The brand recommends taking no more than 8,000 milligrams (mg) of D-mannose in a day.
There are 600 mg in 2 capsules of Defend and 2,000 mg in a packet of Flush, so you’ll be well under that number even if you’re taking both capsules and a packet of Flush each day.
The company recommends taking Flush at least every 3 days but says you can take it up to 4 times per day.
Can Uqora treat a UTI?
No, Uqora cannot treat a UTI. Rather, Uqora products were developed to help prevent them. If you have UTI symptoms, it’s best to contact your healthcare professional.
What is the main ingredient in Uqora?
D-mannose is the main ingredient in Uqora products. This is a sugar that combines with and helps clear out UTI-causing bacteria through urine.
Takeaway
While there’s not a ton of research on the effects of D-mannose when taken by people who have UTIs, preliminary research and thousands of positive reviews on Uqora’s website show it might be worth trying if you experience recurrent UTIs.
Iman Balagam is a writer based in Houston, Texas. When she’s not laughing at her own jokes, or buying overpriced chia pudding, she can be found reading fiction novels, catching a spin class, doomscrolling through TikTok, or waiting for her delayed Spirit flight to board. You can see more of her work on her website.