Are Cranberry Supplements Good For Bladder Health?

Drinking cranberry juice or eating cranberries has long been heralded as a way to treat a urinary tract infection. Some scientific evidence points to the effectiveness of this treatment for preventing a UTI, although MayoClinic.com reports that studies are of poor quality and no single study supplies convincing proof of its efficacy. Cranberry supplements offer another way to obtain the benefits of cranberry on the bladder without additional calorie intake. Supplementation may be especially beneficial for women, who develop UTIs more often than men because they have a shorter urethra.

Dose

Cranberry supplements containing 400mg of cranberry extract taken twice daily can also help maintain bladder health. MayoClinic.com states that between one and six tablets of 300 to 400mg per day can be used to prevent urinary tract infection.

Effects

Cranberry reduces bacteria's ability to cling to the bladder walls. This significantly decreased the risk of developing a UTI in studies of younger women with recurrent UTIs. Although the positive effect of cranberry was once thought to be due to its ability to acidify the urine, this no longer appears to be true.

Benefits

Fewer UTIs decrease the need for antibiotic use as well as a reduction in the discomfort that accompanies an infection. A UTI can also spread from the bladder to the kidney, causing potentially serious complications.

Results

Cranberry supplements help prevent UTIs, but they don't appear to have as much benefit for treating a UTI once it occurs. If you have a UTI, you most likely need antibiotics to treat the infection. While many studies show benefits for using cranberry products or taking cranberry supplements, many of the studies available were funded by cranberry processor Ocean Spray.

Risks

Taking cranberry supplements long-term may increase your risk of developing kidney stones. One study found that taking cranberry supplements more than 7 days increased oxalate excretion, which could increase the risk of developing calcium-oxalate stones. If you're prone to kidney stones, discuss taking cranberry supplements with your medical practitioner before starting.