Cranberry Pills & Bladder Infections

A bladder infection, also known as cystitis, urinary tract infection, or UTI, is painful and annoying. UTIs can even be dangerous; the bacteria causing the infection can move up to the kidneys or even get into the bloodstream, causing a more generalized infection known as sepsis. Cranberry supplements are one method often used by those who struggle with bladder infections. As with all other supplements, talk to your doctor before introducing cranberry supplements into your diet to prevent bladder infections.

About Bladder Infections

According to Amy B. Howell, Ph.D., of Rutgers University and Betsy Foxman, Ph.D. of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, people with UTIs make over 11 million visits to physicians each year. If you are female, have prostate problems, diabetes or are older, your chances of getting a urinary tract infection are higher. A history of kidney stones also increases your risk of developing a UTI. The most common symptoms of a UTI are pain or burning on urination, needing to urinate frequently, cloudy urine and sometimes fever or low back pain.

How Cranberry Pills Help

While antibiotics may be necessary once you actually get an infection, cranberries can help to prevent them. Howell and Foxman report that the tannins in cranberries -- including cranberry pills or supplements -- stop the bacteria from sticking to the wall of the bladder, which is one of the early stages of an infection. And according to the University of Maryland, cranberries actually decrease the amount of bacteria in the urine. Cranberry products cannot, however, be used in place of antibiotics once an infection actually occurs.

The Research

D.T. Bailey, C. Dalton, F. Daugherty, and M.S. Tempesta reported in the April 2007 issue of "Phytomedicine" that of 12 women who had a history of recurrent UTIs and took concentrated cranberry extract capsules, eight remained free of infection for two years. Study participants took 200 mg of a concentrated cranberry extract. Prior to the study, the women had experienced a minimum of six UTIs per year.

Considerations and Warnings

Cranberry pills are a relatively safe form of supplementation. However, they can interact with warfarin, commonly known as Coumadin, which is used by people who are at risk for blood clots. In addition, cranberries, which are high in a compound called oxalates, can be a problem for people who are prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones. If you have questions or concerns about using cranberry supplements or think you might actually have a kidney infection, be sure to talk to a health care professional.