It is always better to eat the fruit rather than drink its juice to maximize your nutrient intake. But when it comes to selecting a healthy juice, it is important that you select nutrient-rich juices. Cranberry juice, with its vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E content, makes a good choice. Recent case reports indicate cranberry juice may alter the metabolism of some medications. However, research as of 2011 has not validated these case reports.
Cranberry Juice
When it comes to juice choice, cranberry juice makes a healthy selection. In addition to helping you meet some of your essential nutrient needs, cranberry juice may also help prevent urinary tract infections and lower your risk of heart disease. A 1 cup serving of cranberry juice contains 116 calories, 1 g of protein, 0 g of fat, 30 g of carbohydrates, 20 mg of calcium, 195 mg of potassium, 24 mg of vitamin C, 114 IU of vitamin A and 3 mg of vitamin E.
Warfarin
Concerns over cranberry juice first came to light after several case reports that it increased the international normalized ration, or INR, in individuals taking the blood thinner warfarin. A high INR increases bleeding risk. However, according to the website Drugs.com, a review of the literature and clinical trials has not shown the same interaction between cranberry juice and warfarin. Theoretically, the flavonoids in cranberry juice may reduce blood clotting by affecting platelet aggregation, but this has not been proved. If you are taking warfarin, sold as the brand name Coumadin, talk to your doctor about the safety of drinking cranberry juice while taking the medication.
Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections such as the urinary tract infection. It is often recommended that you drink cranberry juice in addition to the medication to help clear up the infection. A 2009 crossover design study published in "Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy" evaluated the interactions of drinking cranberry juice while taking amoxicillin. Eighteen healthy women were given doses of amoxicillin on four separate occasions with or without an 8 oz. serving of cranberry juice cocktail. While absorption of amoxicillin decreased slightly in the participants drinking the cranberry juice, the researchers concluded no interactions between cranberry juice and amoxicillin.
Diclofenac
Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, or NSAID, medication used to treat the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis. In test tube studies, cranberry juice inhibits the same enzyme that metabolizes diclofenac. A 2009 study published in the "British Journal of Pharmacology" investigated whether cranberry juice interacted with the NSAID. A clinical trial was performed on healthy human subjects, and the researchers found no interaction between diclofenac and cranberry juice.
References
- Drugs.com: Cranberry
- "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology"; Cranberry Juice Suppressed the Diclofenac Metabolism by Human Liver Microsomes, But Not in Healthy Human Subjects; Kentarou Ushijima, et al.; August 2009
- "Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy"; Effects of Cranberry Juice on Pharmacokinetics of β-Lactam Antibiotics following Oral Administration; Meng Li, et al.; July 2009
- Drugs.com: Diclofenac
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