Cranberry has been used medicinally by Native Americans for centuries to treat bladder and kidney ailments. Cranberry continues to be used today for various conditions, such as urinary tract infection, or UTI. However, there is not enough scientific evidence to support its efficacy for managing UTIs. If you have a history of UTIs, first consult with your doctor before using cranberry.
About UTI
You can suspect a UTI if you have a sudden onset of certain signs and symptoms, such as frequent urination accompanied by a burning sensation, a continuing need to urinate even after the bladder has been emptied, cramping in the lower abdomen and malodorous or cloudy urine. UTIs may chronically recur in some individuals. Treatments for preventing UTIs include holistic options such as acupuncture, adopting healthy dietary habits and using supplements, such as cranberry.
How Cranberry Works
When you have a UTI, it is usually caused by bacteria called E. coli. Cranberry contains substances that may prevent the bacteria from attaching to the walls of the bladder, thus potentially lowering the risk of UTIs. However, cranberry is not as effective against bacteria once they have attached to walls of the urinary tract, so it is mostly effective at preventing UTIs rather than treating them.
Dosing
There is not enough information from human trials to support dosing recommendations for cranberry. However, some research studies of cranberry for preventing UTIs have used daily doses of six 400-mg capsules taken for 13 months. Another study used cranberry capsules in doses of 400 mg taken twice a day for three months to prevent UTIs.
Effectiveness
If you suffer from recurrent UTIs, supplementing with cranberry pills may be beneficial for you. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, preliminary research has shown that cranberry helps to prevent UTIs, especially in women who have recurrent infections. One study of women who had recurrent UTIs showed that cranberry capsules reduced the recurrence of UTIs significantly more than placebo. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation reported a study of elderly individuals showing a 25 percent decrease in the number of UTIs following treatment with cranberry capsules.
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