Does Cranberry Help Urinary Urgency?

Many people believe cranberry can help combat a variety of bladder issues, including urinary tract infections. UTIs can cause urinary urgency, which may be uncomfortable and can be embarrassing if it causes incontinence. Cranberry juice and supplements may be helpful in preventing UTIs and urgency but should not be used as a treatment method. Always work with your doctor to determine what, if any, supplements are right for you.

Primary Cause of Urinary Urgency

Urinary urgency is typically caused by a urinary tract infection. A UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urethra and cause inflammation of the urinary tract. Women are more prone to these infections than are men. Symptoms besides urgency include increased urinary frequency, painful or burning urination, pelvic pain, cloudy or bloody urine, and malodorous urine, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.

Function

Cranberries are an often-cited home remedy for preventing urinary urgency caused by UTIs. Though there is a lack of solid evidence behind the remedy, cranberries do contain polyphenols and proanthocyanidins, which can make the lining of the bladder inhospitable to bacteria and prevent bacteria growth since they deplete iron levels in urine, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Iron is needed for bacteria to grow.

Research

As of 2011, there is a lack of evidence directly linking cranberry with a reduction in UTI symptoms and occurrence of infection. However, a review in the Cochrane Database in 2008 of 10 different studies that involved cranberry juice, cranberry tablets or a combination of the two were compared side by side and indicated that consuming cranberry regularly might reduce the number of urinary tract infections experienced by women over the course of a year.

Caution

Consume cranberry juice or tablets only as a preventive measure against UTIs or urinary urgency. Also, drink plenty of water, wear cotton underwear and avoid scented feminine products. If you already have an infection, see a doctor right away. Antibiotics are the only appropriate treatment. If not treated promptly, UTIs can spread to the kidneys, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.