Drinking cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections. It may also reduce the smell of urine for people who have incontinence problems if it is regularly consumed, although more evidence is needed on this issue. However, cranberry juice can interact with certain medications, including coumadin, so you should speak with your doctor before drinking large amounts of cranberry juice to make sure it is safe for you.
Coumadin Function
Coumadin, also called warfarin, is a medication used to thin the blood and lower the risk for blood clots, which can cause stroke or heart attack. People who are taking coumadin need to take special care with their diets, as some supplements, foods, and beverages can interact with coumadin, including cranberry juice.
Cranberry Juice and Coumadin
Cranberry juice and other foods containing cranberries can cause coumadin to stay in your body for longer than normal. This increases your risk for the side effects that may occur with coumadin, including bleeding, bruising, blood in the urine and increased blood clotting times. These side effects may be serious.
Amounts
Small amounts of cranberry juice are unlikely to cause adverse reactions with coumadin, according to a study published in 2006 in "Pharmacotherapy." Only large doses of cranberry juice, such as the amounts used for preventing or treating urinary tract infections, appear to have these effects. Still, it may be best to avoid it altogether if you are taking coumadin, since no safe dose was specified in the study.
Considerations
The reports of interactions between cranberry juice and coumadin are mainly anecdotal. Seven randomized clinical trials showed no evidence of an interaction, according to a May 2010 article in the "American Journal of Medicine" that reviewed both case studies and clinical trials.
References
- MedlinePlus; Cranberry; February 2011
- Drugs.com; Coumadin; December 2010
- "Pharmacotherapy"; Interaction Between Warfarin and Cranberry Juice; J.L. Aston et al.; September 2006
- "American Journal of Therapeutics"; Warfarin-Cranberry Juice Interaction Resulting in Profound Hypoprothrombinemia and Bleeding; J.P. Rindone and T.W. Murphy; May 2006
- "American Journal of Medicine"; Cranberry Juice and Warfarin: When Bad Publicity Trumps Science; J. Zikria et al.; May 2010
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