Your urinary tract includes the various organs that collect, store and release urine from your body. Bacteria can enter the tract, causing infections when the normal bodily processes for removing these microbes do not function properly. Women are more prone to urinary tract infections (UTI) than men, but both genders can help prevent infections through the use of natural nutritional supplements, such as cranberries.
The Urinary Tract
The kidneys, bladder, prostate (in men), urethra and ureter work together to collect wastes and water, transport it from your kidneys to your bladder, store it and then discharge it.
Infections
Bacteria that cause UTI often enter the urinary tract through the urethra and move to the bladder and kidneys, where they are usually removed with no symptoms. Most UTI occur in the bladder, with the most common an inflammation of the bladder known as a cystitis. If treated quickly, these common infections are cured with no permanent damage to the organs. E. coli bacteria cause the vast majority of UTI.
Cranberries
For many years, people have used cranberry drinks as a home remedy to treat and prevent UTI. Recently, researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass., conducted a study that found cranberry juice affects bacteria in a way that makes it impossible for the microorganisms to attach to cells inside the urinary tract organs. Although the researchers did not identify the components in cranberry juice that cause this, they found the interference was created because of changes in the bacteria's heat properties.
Dosage
The WPI research found the amount of cranberry juice needed to ward of UTI were comparable to the normal amounts of cranberry juice a person would be likely to drink (glasses, not gallons). The frequency of taking cranberry juice to provide maximum protection from UTI would be frequent, possibly daily, according to Terri Camesano, associate professor of chemical engineering at WPI, who worked on the study. Cranberry juice only provides protection against bacteria when it is present in the urinary tract.
Regular or Diet?
There is good news for those worried about the implications of drinking high-calorie cranberry juice on a daily basis. According to the WPI researchers, the effects of regular and sugar-free cranberry juice on UTI-causing bacteria are exactly the same.
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