A glass of cranberry juice a day to keep UTIs away
by Mary Calvagna
Ohhh...that burning and itching...that urgent need to urinate accompanied by an intense stinging every time you try. At that moment—blinking back tears—you can't remember when you felt this much pain. Wait, you can. It was about 5 months ago, when you were diagnosed with a urinary tract infection.
Urinary tract infection—you are not alone
If you are a woman, chances are pretty good that you have experienced the pain and discomfort of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Up to 60% of women have a UTI at some point in their lives. And at least a third of these women will experience a recurrence within the next 12 months.
Each year, over 11 million women in the United States receive antibiotics to treat UTIs. However, concern has been raised about the possible over-prescription of antibiotics and bacteria's increasing resistance to them. This has led some to search for alternative treatments.
Cranberry juice: a glass of prevention?
Many women have heard that drinking cranberry juice may help with UTIs. The knowledge seems to be passed between girlfriends, or from a mother down to her daughter. Although there is much anecdotal support, there is little scientific evidence to confirm the cranberry juice claim. A study published in the British Medical Journal* attempted to put some science behind this folklore.
Putting cranberry juice to the test
The study included 150 women who had experienced a UTI. The researchers randomly assigned the women into one of three groups. One group received 50 ml of cranberry-lingonberry juice concentrate daily for six months, the second group received 100 ml of Lactobacillus GG drink five days a week for one year, and the third group received nothing additional and served as the control group.
During the first six months, 8 women (16%) in the cranberry juice group had at least one UTI, compared with 19 (39%) in the lactobacillus group and 18 (36%) in the control group. At the end of one year, there were 98 UTIs reported—21 occurred in the women drinking the cranberry juice, 39 in the lactobacillus group, and 38 in the control group.
Cranberry juice appeared to reduce the recurrence of a UTI by about half. This is great news for women. Cranberry juice is natural and readily available. When purchasing juice though, read the label to make sure that you are getting juice—not just water, sugar, and cranberry flavoring.
Tips for prevention
In addition to a daily glass of cranberry juice, here are some tips to help you prevent a urinary tract infection:
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Urinate as soon as you feel the need.
- Urinate shortly after sexual intercourse.
- Wipe from the front to the back after going to the bathroom.
- Avoid using douches and feminine hygiene sprays.
Resources
* "Randomized trial of cranberry-lingonberry juice and Lactobacillus GG drink for the prevention of urinary tract infections in women," by T Kontiokari et al. British Medical Journal, June 30, 2001, Volume 322, pp. 1571-1573.
Last reviewed July 2001 by Medical Review Board
