What’s Cranberry ?
- Cranberries is an evergreen shrub that grows in wet habitats in the Northeastern and North Central parts of North America.
- Cranberries have a history of traditional use in dyes, food, and medicine among Native Americans and later European settlers. Cranberry fruits and leaves were thought to have therapeutic effects on disorders of the bladder, stomach, blood, and liver, and on various conditions like wounds, diabetes, and scurvy.
- Today, it is commonly promoted for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and recurrent UTIs. Cranberry products are promoted for these common infections in part because of a growing interest in nonantibiotic prevention strategies, given concerns about antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Health Benefits of Cranberries
Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon or Vaccinium oxycoccos) contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. They also have benefits for heart, immune, and gut health.
You can enjoy cranberries fresh, frozen, dried, cooked, as juice, and in supplements. You can add cranberries to smoothies and cocktails, sprinkle them in salads, and mix them in side dishes.
1. Aid Digestion
2. Good Source of Vitamin C
3. Have Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties
4. Improve Heart Health
5. Support Oral Health
Cranberry can Help Treat a UTI or not ?
Making an emergency run to the grocery store to stock up on Cranberries juice for a urinary tract infection (UTI) may be a ritual for people prone to this common health issue. There’s limited research on how much Cranberries juice you would need to drink to treat a UTI. Some evidence suggests that drinking 8 to 10 ounces (oz) can prevent an infection.
There’s little high-quality research on the effectiveness of Cranberries products for UTIs. The evidence that does exist on cranberry juice, particularly for reducing the risk of recurrent UTIs, is limited and conflicting.
UTIs happen to up to 60% of females at some point during their lives. People have long considered Cranberries juice a home remedy for warding off these infections, but does Cranberries juice prevent or treat a UTI? Read on to learn if Cranberries juice can cure a UTI.
What the Research Says
There’s bad news if you’ve stockpiled an arsenal of Cranberries juice to battle UTIs. The tart juice probably isn’t helping as much as you’d hope. There’s only limited research that shows that cranberry juice might reduce the risk of UTIs.
There may be some truth to the idea that cranberries can prevent UTIs. A substance inside the fruit called proanthocyanidin (PAC) prevents bacteria from sticking to the lining of the bladder. PAC creates a slippery coating in the thin tissue that lines the lower urinary tract, or urothelium. This helps you pee out the bacteria.
PAC theoretically makes it more difficult for the bacteria to stick around long enough to form an infection in the bladder or other spots in the urinary tract. The key thing to remember about these findings is that cranberry products, like supplements, are effective—not cranberry juice. The beverage itself isn’t considered adequate because it doesn’t usually have enough PAC to make a significant difference.
More research is needed to determine whether Cranberries supplements prevent UTIs. Some evidence suggests that cranberry supplements can significantly lower the rates of UTIs. Other research, in contrast, has found that Cranberries supplements don’t help decrease infection rates in UTI-prone people. These people include older adults, nursing home residents, and those with spinal cord injuries that make bladder control difficult.
Risks
Some people may want to avoid Cranberries juice and supplements for health reasons. For example, people with a painful bladder condition called interstitial cystitis (IC) might avoid Cranberries juice because it might trigger an inflammatory flare.
The acidity from the cranberry can worsen a UTI that has spread to the bladder. Stop using cranberry products if you have an active UTI that’s getting worse. It’s important to visit a healthcare provider to get your urine checked and see if you need antibiotics.
You also may want to avoid cranberry products if you’re taking the blood thinner warfarin. Cranberry may boost warfarin’s anti-clotting effects, leading to more bruising or bleeding.
Many cranberry juice drinks pack added sugar to offset their tart flavor. Excess added sugar can adversely affect your overall health and nutrition.
How Much Cranberry Juice To Drink for a UTI
Research has shown that you’d need to drink about 8 to 10 oz of cranberry juice per day to work against UTIs. A study published in 2016 found that women who drank 8 oz of cranberry juice per day for 24 weeks had fewer UTIs than those who didn’t.
You may consider taking a Cranberries supplement instead of drinking the juice. These supplements are made with a specific amount of PAC, so you know exactly how much you’re getting. Check how much PAC the product contains. Clinical trials have shown that Cranberries pills need at least 36 milligrams (mg) of PAC to work against UTIs.
Many cranberry supplements also contain a combination of other ingredients that may boost their ability to fight UTIs. One common ingredient is D-mannose, which is a simple sugar similar to glucose. Research has shown that D-mannose may help prevent and even treat UTIs.
Consult a healthcare provider if you’re thinking of trying Cranberries supplements for a UTI. Cranberries tablets aren’t necessarily dangerous, but it’s always a good idea to discuss trying new supplements with your healthcare provider.
You can find several Cranberries products at the drugstore. Not all supplements are created equal. Dietary supplements have far less regulation than pharmaceutical medications, and what’s stated on their packaging may not be what’s inside the pills.
A Quick Review
Drinking cranberry juice isn’t an effective treatment for UTIs. The amount of PAC isn’t high enough, and trying to treat a UTI by drinking cranberry juice might worsen it. The effectiveness of cranberry supplements in preventing UTIs has shown mixed results.
Cranberry products are generally harmless. However, it’s always best to check with a healthcare provider before taking cranberry supplements to ensure they won’t interact with other medications or health conditions.
