A urinary tract infection, or UTI, may begin anywhere in your urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder or, in men, the prostate gland. The usual cause is contamination of the urethral opening by bacteria that live in your digestive system, followed by spread of the infection into one or more parts of the urinary tract. Cranberry juice is a natural remedy that may help prevent a UTI but is not effective in curing an existing infection. Talk to you doctor to determine the right treatment for your situation.
Symptoms and Risk Factors
Not all UTIs cause obvious symptoms. However, in most cases you might experience a frequent urge to urinate, burning during urination, a general feeling of fatigue, or pain in the lower abdominal region. Your urine may appear cloudy, milky or reddish if blood is present, and the infection may sometimes cause a fever. You are at increased risk of a UTI if you have a urinary obstruction that blocks free flow of urine or an enlarged prostate, or if you are diabetic or ill and have a urinary catheter in place. Women are at higher risk for UTIs than men; this is especially true for a woman who has already had a urinary infection.
Cranberry Juice
The cranberry plant, or Vaccinum macrocarpon, produces berries that were used for centuries by Native Americans as a treatment for bladder and kidney diseases. The plants grow in bogs throughout North America, and the berries, when pressed, produce a clear red juice. The juice contains several types of polyphenols and flavonoids that are antioxidants and natural antibacterial chemicals. One of these compounds, a proanthocyanidin, gives cranberry juice its red color and also has a direct effect on bacteria, preventing them from adhering to the lining of the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract.
Prevention and Treatment
Several laboratory studies have shown that cranberry juice stops bacteria from attaching to urinary tract lining cells. In addition, some clinical trials suggest that cranberry juice is an effective preventative for UTIs. In one of these studies, published in "Phytomedicine" in 2007, women with a history of UTIs consumed cranberry extract daily for 12 weeks, with a follow-up two years later. The findings showed that cranberry juice prevented new UTIs among women in the treatment group. However, based on additional clinical studies, experts at the Mayo Clinic conclude that cranberry juice is not useful if consumed after bacteria have already attached to the urinary lining, making it ineffective as a treatment for an existing UTI.
Recommendations
Cranberry juice is available from most grocery stores or health food stores, in either sweetened or unsweetened forms. The juice is generally considered very safe and without side effects. However, cranberry juice is rich in oxalates, compounds that may raise the risk of kidney stones in some people. If you already have a urinary tract infection, do not self-treat with cranberry juice. See your doctor to develop an appropriate treatment regimen and to discuss whether you should add cranberry juice to your regular regimen.
References
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Urinary Tract Infections in Adults
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Cranberry
- Drugs.com: Cranberry
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Cranberry
- "Phytomedicine"; Can a Concentrated Cranberry Extract Prevent Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Women? A Pilot Study; D. Bailey, et al.; April 2007
- FamilyDoctor.org: Urinary Tract Infections in Women
- MayoClinic.com: Cranberry (Vaccinium Macrocarpon)
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