Cranberry products may prevent urinary tract infections
Drinking cranberry juice has long been recommended as a cure for urinary tract infections (UTIs).
But while there has been little evidence to show cranberries can actually help with the medical condition, researchers from Flinders University and The Children's Hospital at Westmead have now reported that consuming cranberry products is an effective way to prevent a UTI before it gets started.
As part of a review, the team determined that cranberry juice, and its supplements, reduce the risk of repeat symptomatic UTIs in women by more than a quarter, in children by more than half, and in people susceptible to UTI following medical interventions by about 53 per cent.
"Even centuries ago, Native Americans reportedly ate cranberries for bladder problems, leading somewhat more recently, to laboratory scientists exploring what it was in cranberries that helped and how it might work," said co-author Dr Jacqueline Stephens. "The studies we looked at included a range of methods to determine the benefits of cranberry products. The vast majority compared cranberry products with a placebo or no treatment for UTI and determined drinking cranberries as a juice or taking capsules reduced the number of UTIs in women with recurrent cases, in children and in people susceptible to UTIs following medical interventions such as bladder radiotherapy."
Dr Stephens also noted that few people reported any side effects from consuming cranberry products.
Yet, it remains unclear if cranberries are more or less effective compared with antibiotics or probiotics in preventing further UTIs.
"This is a review of the totality of the evidence and as new evidence emerges, new findings might occur. In this case, the new evidence shows a very positive finding that cranberry juice can prevent UTI in susceptible people," added Professor Jonathan Craig.
Full results have been published in Cochrane Reviews.
