A urinary tract infection can cause many symptoms such as cloudy and strong smelling urine, painful urination, low grade fever, frequent urination, or pain and cramping in the stomach or lower back. Women especially, can be prone to repetitive infections, and part of the treatment plan, is to learn techniques to avoid the risk of infection. UTIs usually require treatment with antibiotics; however adding cranberry juice into the diet may also help to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection can occur in the bladder; kidneys; ureters, or small tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder; and the urethra, a tube that empties urine from the bladder. Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria enters and infects structures within the urinary tract system. Taking antibiotics is the usual course of treatment to prevent the infection from getting worse or traveling to areas outside of the urinary tract. Some women who get recurrent infections may need antibiotics on a regular basis.
Cranberry Juice
For reasons not well understood, in some patients the body naturally gets rid of the bacteria and no infection develops, while in others the bacteria sticks to the lining of the urinary tract and multiplies, causing illness. However, drinking cranberry juice may help because the juice makes your urine more acidic, so it is harder for the bacteria to live and it makes the lining of the urinary tract more slippery, so the bacteria can not stick to the walls, reports the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Recommended Intake
More research is still needed to determine if cranberry juice is truly effective in preventing and treating bladder infections, and there is currently no recommended amount to consume that has been scientifically proven to help. It is thought that the tannins and probiotics found in plants such as cranberry are what help to prevent infections in some patients, and for most, cranberry juice is safe to consume. If you are living with recurrent UTIs, the University of Maryland Medical Center, suggests drinking 1 to 2 cups of cranberry juice each day or taking 300 to 400 mg of cranberry tablets twice a day. For the best results, make sure to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water every day along with the cranberry juice, to help flush out your system.
Precautions
Cranberry juice is part of a healthy diet; however, the safety of high doses of cranberry juice and the long-term use of cranberry tablets have not fully been tested. For some, too much of either can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as upset stomach, gas, bloating, cramping or diarrhea. Patients with kidney disease should discuss the use of cranberry for a UTI, as it may increase the risk of kidney stones in those who are prone to them.
References
- MedlinePlus: Urinary Tract Infection -- Adults
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: What I Need to Know About Urinary Tract Infections
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Urinary Tract Infection - Lifestyle Changes
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections
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