Natural health proponents often suggest using cranberry juice for urinary tract infections, but many people are unaware of the actual benefits of cranberry juice and how it may affect infections of the urinary tract. Becoming more familiar with this burgundy-colored, vitamin C-rich juice can teach you to use it wisely to maximize your urinary tract health.
The Facts
Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria enter and multiply in part of your urinary tract, which includes the bladder, kidneys, ureters and urethra. Although urinary tract infections are more common in women, they may also develop in men. According to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, risk factors include advanced age, catheter use, history of incontinence and a history of kidney stones.
Prevention/Solution
Drinking cranberry juice regularly may prevent urinary tract infections. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NKUDIC, cranberry juice increases the amount of acid in your urine, which inhibits the ability of bacteria to grow and reproduce in your urinary tract. Cranberry juice also makes the walls of your bladder more slippery, which makes it more difficult for bacteria to stick to them. Make sure you practice other preventive measures, as well, such as drinking plenty of water daily to flush your system and avoiding tight-fitting pants.
Treatment
Cranberry juice may help your body fight off mild urinary tract infections, as long as you use it in conjunction with antibiotic treatment. According to the University of Illinois' McKinley Health Center, you should drink 8 ounces of cranberry juice daily to help keep the infection-causing bacteria from attaching to the wall of your bladder. Do not rely on cranberry juice alone to treat a urinary tract infection, especially if you have symptoms of a more advanced infection, such as abdominal pain or blood-tinged urine.
Considerations
Not all commercial juice products available for sale contain the same amount of cranberry juice. In general, avoid cranberry juice cocktail products, which tend to contain high levels of sugar and lower levels of real fruit juice. Dr. James Balch, coauthor of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," suggests that you look for unsweetened, pure cranberry juice concentrate and mix it using little or no sugar to obtain maximum benefits from drinking the juice to ward off urinary tract infections.
Problems
In certain instances, the benefits of drinking cranberry juice to prevent or fight urinary tract infections are outweighed by the problems associated with it. The NIH warns against drinking cranberry juice for urinary tract infections if you have a history of developing kidney stones. Cranberry juice may boost your body's levels of calcium and oxalate, which could lead to increased kidney stone formation in susceptible individuals, according to a small study conducted by the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center and published in the August 2005 issue of "The Journal of Urology."
References
- National Institutes of Health: Urinary Tract Infections in Adults
- NKUDIC: What I Need to Know About Urinary Tract Infections
- University of Illinois' McKinley Health Center: Urinary Tract Infections in Women
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; James Balch, MD & Phyllis Balch, CNC; 2006
- Jurology.com: Effect of Cranberry Juice Consumption on Urinary Stone Risk Factors
