Although some bacteria that live in your intestines can help to keep you healthy, bacteria in your urinary tract can cause a painful condition known as a urinary tract infection. When bacteria travel from the vagina or urethra into the urinary tract, you can experience a painful, burning sensation upon urination. If you experience this condition frequently, a surprising preventive measure can help: drinking cranberry juice.
Prevention
Cranberry juice is a common breakfast beverage that can have positive preventive effects when you experience a urinary tract infection. While you should drink plenty of fluids -- about eight to 10 8-oz. glasses per day -- to keep urine flowing through your system and flushing out bacteria, cranberry juice has constituents like tannins and vitamin C that make it ideal for the prevention of UTIs. If you experience frequent urinary tract infections -- more than three per year -- drinking cranberry juice regularly may help to prevent the onset of a UTI.
How It Works
Cranberry juice is high in citric acid. While acid may sound harmful, in your urinary tract, it can be beneficial. The added urine in cranberry juice creates an acidic environment in your urinary tract. This creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria, preventing their growth. Although you could take a vitamin C supplement to produce a similar effect, cranberry juice has an added benefit: it makes the walls of your bladder slippery. This prevents bacteria from sticking to your bladder wall, allowing your urine to flush out bacteria.
Misconception
While cranberry juice is helpful in reducing the incidence of a UTI, scientists have yet to discover evidence that it can treat an active infection, according to Ruth Jepson, a senior research fellow at Scotland's University of Stirling, interviewed in "Newsweek" magazine. Although cranberry juice is effective in keeping bacteria from adhering to your bladder walls, it is uncertain if juice can unstick the bacteria. Drinking cranberry juice won't hurt you when you have a urinary tract infection. However, you should use other treatment methods like antibiotics as well to eradicate bacteria.
Suggested Intake
Cranberry juice is a caloric beverage and manufacturers can sweeten it with sugar in some instances. When drinking cranberry juice for UTI prevention purposes, it may be best to choose a juice with no sugar added -- look for labels like "100% Juice" or those with at least a 30 percent concentration of cranberries. While a definitive amount to drink has not been determined, Jepson recommends drinking at least 10 oz. per day.
References
- University of Pittsburgh; Why Cranberry Juice Works for UTI Prevention; Carol Mulvihill, BSN, RN-C; 1999
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: What I Need to Know About Urinary Tract Infections
- "Newsweek"; Can Cranberry Juice Cure Urinary Tract Infections?; Karen Springen; Feb. 1, 2008
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