Cranberry juice is probably safe for most people, but drinking too much may cause some unpleasant side effects and increase risks for certain groups, according to MedlinePlus. Most cranberry juice cocktail on the market is only one-third or less real cranberry juice and contains sweeteners. Cranberry juice has been touted as being useful for preventing and treating urinary tract infections -- though its effectiveness in this regard is unproven, and there hasn't been enough research to determine the best dosage, according to MayoClinic.com. It is, therefore, imperative that you talk to your doctor before taking cranberry juice medicinally.
Side Effects
Drinking large amounts of cranberry juice may increase the risk of digestive side effects like stomach upset and diarrhea, according to MedlinePlus. You should also be aware that many commercially available cranberry juice products contain sugar and significant calories, which can raise the risk of weight gain. On average, 6 oz. of cranberry juice contains 100 calories. Cranberry juice may raise the risk of vaginal yeast infections in women, but this hasn't been proven.
Kidney Stones
Cranberry juice is high in a chemical called oxalate, which can combine with calcium to form kidney stones. For this reason, some researchers fear that drinking more than 1 liter a day of cranberry juice for a prolonged period may increase the risk of kidney stones, according to MedlinePlus. If you have a history of kidney stones, do not drink large quantities of cranberry juice without talking to your doctor first. You may want to avoid cranberry supplements as well.
Allergies
Cranberries contain a chemical known as salicylic acid, which is like aspirin. If you have an aspirin allergy, you should not drink large quantities of cranberry juice, according to MedlinePlus. If you are taking aspirin, be cautious about drinking large quantities of cranberry juice at the same time. If you are allergic or sensitive to vaccinium species, which includes cranberries and blueberries, you should also avoid cranberry juice.
Other Concerns
If you have diabetes, the sugar in many commercial cranberry juice products may be a problem. You may want to choose products that use artificial sweeteners. If you take the blood thinner warfarin, large quantities of cranberry juice might increase the drug's effectiveness, which could lead to bruising and bleeding, according to MedlinePlus. Cranberry may also affect medications that are changed by the liver, increasing the risk of side effects. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your cranberry juice intake if you take amitriptyline, diazepam, celecoxib, diclofenac, ibuprofen, losartan, phenytoin, tamoxifen, tolbutamide, torsemide or other medications changed by the liver.
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