The male prostate gland is a kiwi-sized organ that rests at the base of your bladder. During sexual intercourse, your prostate secretes an alkaline fluid that nourishes and protects sperm. Since your urethra – the tube that drains urine from your bladder – passes through your prostate gland, bacteria entering your urinary tract can also enter your prostate. Many of the same organisms that cause bladder infections are responsible for prostate infections. Cranberry juice could prove useful for some prostate infections, but scientific data in humans is lacking.
Cranberry Prevents Adhesion
Cranberry products have gained some attention as a means to prevent urinary tract infections, or UTIs. E. coli and other bacterial organisms cause UTIs by producing chemical “glues,” or adhesins, which help them cling to the lining of your urinary tract. According to Dr. Darren Lynch at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, cranberry exerts its antibacterial effects by preventing micro-organisms from producing adhesins. Therefore, cranberry is only effective for prevention; it is not useful for treating an established UTI.
Classification
Prostatitis is a general term used to describe any cause of prostate inflammation. According to a May 2000 review in “American Family Physician,” prostatitis is categorized into acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The distinctions among these categories are based on their underlying causes and how long your symptoms have persisted. Acute bacterial prostatitis, such as an acute bacterial UTI, requires antibiotic therapy. Cranberry juice is of little value in treating an established UTI, but it could help prevent recurrence and reduce the symptoms of chronic prostatitis.
Chronic Prostatitis
Chronic bacterial prostatitis, or CBP, is a common cause of recurrent UTIs in men. Although clinical studies in human males are limited, a 2011 study conducted at the Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea, showed that cranberry extract reduced bacterial growth in the prostate tissue of animals with CBP. Another study published in the October 2010 issue of “British Journal of Nutrition” demonstrated that daily administration of 1,500 mg of cranberry powder reduced symptoms and improved urinary flow in older men with a history of chronic prostatitis.
Recommendation
Cranberry products have demonstrated some benefit in preventing recurrent UTIs in women, and limited scientific evidence supports the notion that cranberry could prove useful in men with chronic or recurrent prostate infections. However, due to its mechanism of action, cranberry is unlikely to be of benefit for acute prostate infections. Cranberry tablets, 300 to 400 mg twice daily, or cranberry juice, 8 oz. three times daily, are the most commonly recommended dosages of cranberry products. Due to the flavor of unsweetened cranberry juice and the added sugars present in sweetened juice, many people prefer tablets. Ask your doctor if cranberry is appropriate for your condition.
References
- “American Family Physician”; Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections; D.M. Lynch; December 2004
- “American Family Physician”; Treatment of Prostatitis; J.J. Stevermer, S.K. Easley; May 2000
- “Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy”; Do Escherichia coli Extract and Cranberry Exert Preventive Effects on Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis? Pilot Study Using an Animal Model; S.H. Kim, et al.; June 2011
- “British Journal of Nutrition”; The Effectiveness of Dried Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) in Men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; A. Vidlar, et al.; October 2010
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