Cranberries may not be effective against UTIs

Cranberries or cranberry juice has often been recommended as a way to help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). But, a new study shows the fruit may not be as effective against the infection as once thought.

A review of recent studies showed that taking or consuming cranberry products only have small health benefits for women, and only in women who have recurrent UTIs.

• Was mom right? Cranberries effective at preventing UTIs for some

"We can't see a particular need for more studies of the effect of cranberry juice, as the majority of existing studies indicate that the benefit is small at best, and the studies have high drop-out rates," ," lead researcher Ruth Jepson of the University of Stirling in Stirling, Scotland said in a press release. "More studies of other cranberry products such as tablets and capsules may be justified, but only for women with recurrent UTIs, and only if these products contain the recommended amount of active ingredient."

UTIs are infections along the urinary tract, which can include the bladder, kidneys, ureters or urethra. Symptoms include cloudy or bloody urine which may have an odor, low fever, pain or burning with urination, pressure or cramping in the lower abdomen or the need to urinate often even if you just went.

Diabetes, older age, problems emptying your bladder, urinary catheters, bowel incontinence, enlarged prostates or anything that blocks to the flow of urine, kidney stones, pregnancy, surgery of the urinary tract and staying still for long period of time may increase risks of developing an infection.

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Cranberries do prevent UTIs, study suggests

Researchers looked at 24 studies that involved a total of 4,473 people, including 14 additional studies from the last time they had investigated the topic in 2008. Subjects had taken cranberry juice, tablets or capsules, while those in control groups were given placebo cranberry products, water, methenamine hippurate (Urex), antibiotics, lactobacillus (acidophilus) or nothing. The goal in all the studies was to look at the effect of cranberries on preventing UTIs.

While some studies did show that cranberries did help women who had recurrent UTIs, they still had to consume two glasses of cranberry juice daily to stop one infection. Women were shown to have a 14 percent lower risk of UTI, but researchers said that the number was not significant and may be due to chance.

"It's unlikely to be effective because it's very difficult for people to drink cranberry juice twice a day," Jepson told WebMD. "It's quite a commitment."

Dr. Suzanne Geerlings, infectious disease specialist at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands, said that people should continue to take cranberry products if they think it helps them, however.

"One major advantage of cranberry pills is that they don't lead to resistance of bacteria," Geerlings told WebMD.

Part of the problem, she pointed out, is that no one has figured out the exact dosage of cranberries necessary to prevent infection so there may be some benefit after all if the right amount to take is determined.

The study was published in The Cochrane Library on Oct. 17.

[carrieday1]

I am super-thankful for cranberry pills without added Vitamin C. If they weren't on the market, I would have had to take 20 courses of antibiotics. If I have a really horrible UTI, and I take cranberry pills (the good kind without Vitamin C mixed in), they're gone, as a matter of course within a couple of hours. If I don't take cranberry pills, I can never get rid of them!! So the question is, what was mixed in with the cranberry products in those studies? Corn Syrup? Something else to counteract the natural qualities of cranberries? Vitamin C in the pills? I'm just not listening, because real life experience is more trustworthy than studies funded by God knows who. If cranberry pills didn't work, they wouldn't be on the market!

[TomWatson8888888888888]

Until the next study comes out saying "Oh yes it does help UTIs".

[AHowellPhD]

I have been doing research at Rutgers University for the past 20 years and have found that cranberries prevent bacteria from sticking to bladder cells, which is the initial step in the urinary tract infection process. I think we need to keep these latest findings in perspective with the totality of cranberry research that has been done over the last 100 years. This latest review analyzed results from some of the clinical trials, using criteria that apply to studies on drug treatments. Cranberry is a food that comes in different forms (juices, powders, dried, etc.) making it difficult to compare results from different trials because the same form and dosage of cranberry were not used in each study.

Interestingly, three new UTI clinical studies, published after this report was prepared, have shown significant benefits in children, with as much as a 65% reduction in UTIs and reduced use of antibiotics. Cranberries in many forms are enjoyed by millions of people globally on a daily basis. If women are currently consuming cranberry products, the results of this one review do not provide a reason for them to change their current practices. It is important that cranberry continue to be regarded and researched as a viable means to help address the public health challenge that UTIs and their treatment presents to antibiotic resistance. The effects of the studies are clinically important to the 15 million women in the US with UTIs each year. - Amy Howell, PhD

[lisas33]

Ok, the part here where it says "It's unlikely to be effective because it's very difficult for people to drink cranberry juice twice a day," Jepson told WebMD. "It's quite a commitment." is bull!!!!! Do they think it is any easier to pop a pill twice per day after having to 1) go to the doctor and wait on labs 2) pay 3) wait forever in line to fill a prescription 4) pay again 5) fill our bodies with man made chemical cure-alls ?????? Or just drink some cranberry juice?

Who writes and who believes this stuff? The cranberries work folks! It says so in the article. I have had a couple of infections myself over the years and drank the stuff-it worked!!!!!! Just don't ignore your body and wait until your entire lower half is infected.