Cranberry juice is a common beverage that is also used medicinally, most often to prevent urinary tract infections. It takes about 1,500 g of cranberries to produce 1 liter of pure cranberry juice, according to MedlinePlus. Much of what is sold in supermarkets is actually cranberry juice cocktail, which is sweetened and diluted. Cranberry juice may interact with certain common medications in ways that could increase the risk of side effects. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before drinking large quantities of cranberry juice if you are on medication.
Blood Thinners
If you are taking the common blood thinner warfarin, cranberry juice could cause the drug to stay in your system longer, increasing the risk of bleeding problems. Make sure your doctor is checking your blood regularly to see how fast it clots because there is a chance he may need to adjust the dose of your medication if you are drinking cranberry juice regularly.
Liver Issues
Many common medications are broken down or altered by the liver. Cranberry juice may slow this process down, which could increase the effectiveness of your medication as well as the risk of side effects, according to MedlinePlus. Some common drugs in this category include the antidepressant amitriptyline; the antianxiety drug diazepam; the asthma drug zileuton; painkillers like celecoxib, piroxicam and ibuprofen; anti-cholesterol drugs like fluvastatin; the diabetes drugs tolbutamide and glipizide; the anti-seizure drug phenytoin; the high blood pressure medications irbesartan and losartan; the diuretic torsemide; and the cancer drug tamoxifen.
Potential Interactions
Some early evidence shows cranberry might reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants and opioid painkillers, according to an article in the December 2004 issue of "American Family Physician." Cranberry juice might also increase the absorption of vitamin B12 in people taking the ulcer drugs known as proton pump inhibitors.
Precautions
Cranberries contain salicylic acid, a key ingredient in aspirin, according to MedlinePlus. If you are allergic to aspirin, you should avoid drinking large quantities of cranberry juice. Also, cranberry juice contains a large amount of oxalate, a chemical that may increase the risk of kidney stones. Drinking more than 1 liter per day of cranberry juice for a long time may increase the risk of kidney stones, according to MedlinePlus. If you have a history of kidney stones, avoid drinking large amounts of cranberry juice.
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