April 25, 2023 – For generations, people have used cranberries within the hope of stopping urinary tract infections.
According to a study published in Cochrane Library.
The researchers examined 50 studies conducted to find out whether cranberries in juice, tablet or powder form could affect urinary tract infections. The studies involved nearly 9,000 participants.
“The studies we examined included a variety of methods to determine the benefits of cranberry products,” said study co-author Jacqueline Stephens of Flinders University in Australia.
“The vast majority compared cranberry products to a placebo or no treatment for urinary tract infections and concluded that drinking cranberry juice or taking capsules reduced the number of urinary tract infections in women with recurrent cases, in children and in people who are prone to urinary tract infections after medical procedures such as bladder radiation,” she said.
The global study found that cranberry juice and its supplements can reduce the chance of recurrent symptomatic urinary tract infections by greater than 1 / 4 in women, by greater than half in children, and by about 53% in people vulnerable to urinary tract infections after medical procedures.
“Back in 1973, my mother was advised to try cranberry juice to prevent her horrific and frequent urinary tract infections, and for her it was a lifesaver,” said lead study creator Gabrielle Williams in a Flinders press release. “As always, my mother turned out to be right! Cranberry products can help some women prevent urinary tract infections.”
Urinary tract infections can often be cured quickly with antibiotics, but some people experience relapses.
“Very few studies have directly compared cranberry products with antibiotics or probiotics alone, and these treatments may be as effective as the fruit,” Science alert reported. “No benefits of cranberries have been demonstrated for older adults, pregnant women, or people with problems emptying their bladders.”
Urinary tract infections are more common in women than in men or children. They may be painful and cause a spread of bladder problems, even spread to the kidneys and, in rare cases, result in sepsis if left untreated.