Being diagnosed with an overactive bladder can be a real blow to your self-confidence. After all, it may negatively impact your day-to-day life. Though treatments exist for this condition, some may wish to utilize natural remedies like cranberry supplements to ease their symptoms. Despite cranberry's reputation as being good for the bladder, it's unlikely to do anything for an overactive bladder.
What is an Overactive Bladder?
An overactive bladder is a condition that causes the bladder to spasm even when there isn't enough urine in the bladder to constitute a need to urinate, according to PubMed Health. These spasms can become so intense they force you to urinate uncontrollably. This is called urge incontinence and can lead some people to wear adult diapers to prevent accidents.
Traditional Role of Cranberry Supplements
Cranberry supplements and cranberry juice are thought to be healthy for the bladder, especially in preventing urinary tract infections. Though they're not suitable for treating active infections, they can create an environment in the bladder that's inhospitable to bacteria, according to the University of Pittsburgh. However, there is no evidence cranberry supplements can prevent or treat an overactive bladder, unless the cause of your urge incontinence is infection.
Usage
For generalized bladder health and UTI prevention, take up to 300 to 400 milligrams of cranberry capsules a day, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This equates to about a half a glass of cranberry juice.
Caution
Not every form of cranberry is created equal in terms of encouraging bladder health. Fruit cocktail varieties and those that contain added sugar can actually irritate the bladder. If you have an overactive bladder, the acidity of the juice may worsen your symptoms. Likewise, it contains oxalate, which could increase your chances of getting kidney stones, says the University of Maryland Medical Center.
