Urinary tract infections are the second most common type of infection in the human body, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Urinary tract infections can cause pain, burning sensations and the constant urge to urinate. Avoiding infections may be possible by drinking plenty of fluids, urinating when you have the urge and considering the use of cranberry in your diet.
What Are Urinary Tract Infections?
A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria enter your urinary system and cause an infection. Your urinary system is made up of your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Urinary tract infections occur more commonly in women than in men and generally occur in the lower part of the urinary system. This type of infection can be painful but is often easy to treat. Typically, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic and ask you to drink extra fluids to flush the infection from your system.
Cranberry Juice
Some patients with frequent urinary tract infections believe that drinking cranberry juice on a daily basis helps to prevent these infections. MayoClinic.com reports that this practice has not been fully proven by scientists and the amount of cranberry juice that must be consumed has not been determined. Since cranberry juice is safe, there are no known problems with trying to prevent urinary infections with cranberry juice. For diabetics, you must consider the amount of sugar in these beverages before drinking large volumes.
Cranberry Tablets
According to "American Family Physician," it is believed that cranberry prevents bacteria from attaching to the wall of the urinary tract. The December 1, 2004, article reports that cranberry is generally well-tolerated and does not pose a risk of drug interactions; therefore, it may be beneficial in preventing UTIs. Based on this research, you should consume one tablet of 300 to 400 mg of concentrated cranberry extract twice daily, or 8 oz. of pure unsweetened cranberry juice, not cranberry juice cocktail, three times daily for the benefit of cranberry.
Risks
As with any nutritional supplement, you should discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor before using cranberry for urinary tract infections. Cranberry may increase your risk of kidney stone formation, which could be more dangerous for patients with a history of kidney stones. Cranberry may also decrease the effectiveness of some medications and may increase the absorption of vitamin B-12. MayoClinic.com also reports that cranberry should not be combined with blood-thinning medication, as the risk of bleeding increases.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Urinary Tract Infections
- "American Family Physician"; Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections; Darren M. Lynch, M.D.; December 1, 2004
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Urinary Tract Infections in Adults
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Urinary Tract Conditions: Examining the Evidence on Cranberry and Saw Palmetto
- The Cranberry Institute: Urinary Tract
