A thousand years ago, the Maharajas of India were said to drink their own urine. Why this seemingly abhorrent practice? Because in healthy people, urine is 100% sterile; no bacteria or other potentially infectious organisms are present. Consuming one's own urine was thought to replace essential nutrients that were lost from the body during urination. Thus, the ancient Maharajas were merely replenishing that which their bodies lost.

Any part of the urinary tract can become infected with bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. A urinary tract infection (UTI) is caused by two routes; the most common route is through the lower end of the urinary tract via the tip of a man's penis or the opening of a woman's urethra, next to the vulva. The other possible, but rare, route is through the bloodstream, usually directly to the kidneys. Although bacteria are the primary cause of most UTIs, another cause is the fungus yeast candida albicans in a condition commonly known as candidiasis. 

Candidiasis occurs when the yeast fungus candida albicans, a normal resident of the intestines, mouth, and vagina, grows in overabundance; this unchecked growth causes a variety of medical problems including yeast infections of the vagina and mouth, jock itch, nail fungus and skin infections. Candida is considered to be an infection of opportunity, meaning that it firmly entrenches itself in people who have weakened immune systems due to medical conditions like AIDS, cancer, diabetes, lupus and fibromyalgia. Taking full advantage of the body's fragility, its overabundant growth in the heart, lungs, bloodstream or lungs can potentially be fatal. Thus, the patient and the physician must take a candida infection seriously.

Candida flourishes in warm, moist environments. In addition to affecting persons with a weakened immune system, this fungus also affects those with a bladder catheter in place on a regular or permanent basis. Also, it is well known that antibiotics destroy the healthy bacteria in the urinary tract, allowing candida to grow unchecked. A person who is taking antibiotics for any medical condition is therefore at risk to develop a candida albicans overgrowth. In turn, this yeast fungus can be transmitted to the urinary tract through poor personal hygiene. Candida can affect both the urinary tract and the bladder at the same time and produce an extremely painful condition called cystitis. The symptoms of this infection include frequent urgent and very painful urination; the urine often contains visible blood and pus. Especially among women, a UTI/bladder infection caused by candida overgrowth is one of the most painful conditions imaginable and sends women to the emergency room for relief.

Urethritis is infection of the urethra, the channel that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. Men commonly experience this condition with a yellow-green discharge from the urethra, and a constant, strong urge to urinate. If candida is the culprit that is causing the infection, it is essential that candida overgrowth be eliminated via oral antifungal medication.

Urinary tract infections caused by an overgrowth of candida in the genital area can be greatly reduced by proper personal hygiene. Physicians recommend that after urination or defecation, men and women should use toilet paper to wipe themselves from front to back to avoid contamination of the urethra with urine or fecal matter. This is especially essential for men or women who are experiencing a candida yeast infection; it is essential to keep the fungus from entering the urethra because this will almost inevitably result in a UTI. Personal cleanliness can go a long way toward preventing urinary tract infections caused by candida albicans.