Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection, usually with the bacteria E. coli, affecting any part of a person’s urinary tract. A patient with UTI typically experiences painful and frequent urination. There could also be note of cloudy or bloody urine and lower back pain. UTI occurs in about 7 million people yearly in the United States alone. It is more prevalent in females than in males. The development of UTI is associated with a person’s sex, poor bowel habits, sexual activity, pregnancy, urinary stones and other urinary tract diseases.

Intake of cranberry juice has been proven to result in a decreased incidence of urinary tract infections, as seen in numerous clinical studies. Randomized controlled trials in young women revealed that cranberry juice or tablets can significantly reduce the incidence of UTI in these patients, compared to a placebo. Studies have also been done on elderly women in nursing homes and in children, also with favorable results.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse discover that compounds found in cranberry extracts dilate blood vessels in rats, thereby reducing their blood pressure.

source: cranberryinstitute

How does cranberry juice prevent UTI? Research has shown that cranberry juice significantly reduces the ability of different strains of E. coli to adhere to bladder cells. A recent study in France revealed that the more cranberry juice a patient drinks, the less likely that the E. coli bacteria can adhere to the bladder cells. However, it is still unclear what the optimal dosage or mode of administration of cranberry products should be to be able to effectively prevent UTI; thus, additional research regarding these should be undertaken.

Although generally safe, the use of cranberry juice has been reported to be associated with severe bleeding. Researches have revealed that cranberry juice may have interactions with the anticoagulant warfarin. Patients taking cranberry juice should be informed of the possible side effects.