Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a distressing and widely prevalent medical condition that affects a significant proportion of the population. According to estimates, around one-third of women will experience UTIs in their lifetime, and the ailment also affects many elderly individuals, as well as those with bladder problems due to spinal cord injuries or other underlying medical conditions.
The majority of UTIs can be efficiently and promptly addressed with antibiotics, with some cases requiring just a single dose to resolve the issue. However, regrettably, some individuals experience recurring UTIs despite treatment.
For a long time, drinking cranberry juice has been considered a folk remedy to prevent UTIs in women. However, recent medical research has demonstrated that consuming cranberry products can indeed be an effective approach to ward off UTIs before they take hold.
According to a global research study published in Cochrane Reviews, cranberry products have been found to offer significant benefits in preventing recurrent symptomatic UTIs in women by over 25%, in children by over 50%, and in individuals who are prone to UTIs after medical procedures by around 53%.
Cranberry juice and healthcare supplements, such as capsules and tablets, containing the fruit have been widely touted as an easily accessible means to prevent UTIs. However, a previous review in 2012, based on evidence from 24 clinical trials, found no significant benefits from these products.
In a bid to reassess the effectiveness of cranberry products, medical researchers from Flinders University and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead conducted an updated review that analyzed data from 50 more recent clinical trials involving almost 9,000 participants. This was a crucial step towards determining the efficacy of cranberry products in preventing UTIs.
“This incredible result didn’t really surprise us,” says lead author Dr. Gabrielle Williams, “as we’re taught that when there’s more and better evidence, the truth will ultimately come out.
The lead author adds: “UTIs are horrible and very common; about a third of women will experience one, as will many elderly people and also people with bladder issues from spinal cord injury or other conditions.”
“Even back in 1973, my mum was told to try cranberry juice to prevent her horrible and frequent UTIs, and for her it’s been a saviour,” comments the author.
“Despite me niggling in her ear about evidence, she’s continued to take it daily, first as the nasty sour juice and in recent years, the easy to swallow capsules. As soon as she stops, wham the symptoms are back. As usual, it turns out that mum was right! Cranberry products can help some women prevent UTIs.”
Dr. Jacqueline Stephens, an epidemiologist from Flinders University and co-author of the study, highlighted the dangers of leaving UTIs untreated. She warned that if left unchecked, UTIs can spread to the kidneys and lead to pain and further complications, potentially even causing sepsis in severe cases. As a result, Dr. Stephens emphasized that prevention is the best way to reduce the risk of UTIs and their associated complications.
The treatment of UTIs usually involves antibiotics, and in most cases, even a single dose can effectively resolve the problem. However, some individuals suffer from recurrent UTIs that do not respond to antibiotics. In such cases, healthcare providers may recommend cranberry products as a harmless and convenient alternative, although the exact mechanism by which cranberries prevent UTIs is not entirely clear. Interestingly, Native Americans are said to have traditionally consumed cranberries to alleviate bladder problems, leading to scientific investigations into its potential benefits.
The latest study on cranberry products evaluated various methods to assess their effectiveness in preventing UTIs. The vast majority of these methods involved comparing cranberry products to a placebo or no treatment, and the findings demonstrated that drinking cranberry juice or taking capsules can significantly reduce the incidence of UTIs in women with recurrent cases, children, and people who are susceptible to UTIs after medical interventions such as bladder radiotherapy.
Importantly, the study also found that cranberry products were generally well-tolerated, with few reports of side effects, the most common of which was mild abdominal discomfort. However, the study did not provide enough evidence to determine if cranberry products are more or less effective than antibiotics or probiotics in preventing UTIs.
The data analyzed in the study did not demonstrate any significant benefits of cranberry products in elderly people, pregnant women, or those with bladder emptying problems.
However, Professor Jonathan Craig, the Senior Author of the study and Vice President and Executive Dean of the College of Medicine & Public Health at Flinders University, highlighted that the expanded review of the most recent clinical data revealed the clear benefits of cranberry products in preventing UTIs in susceptible individuals.
The review encompassed all the evidence published on this topic since the mid-1990s, and the researchers found that cranberry products are effective in treating UTIs. While earlier reviews lacked sufficient evidence to determine efficacy, subsequent clinical trials produced varying results. However, the updated review based on a larger volume of data showed a very positive finding that cranberry juice can prevent UTIs in susceptible individuals.
The study authors concluded that while cranberry products are helpful in preventing UTIs in women with frequent recurrence, further studies are needed to identify who would benefit most from these products in the treatment of UTIs.
Image Credit: Getty