Taking the pee? Cranberry juice fails to cut it

	Tweet

Current clinical evidence for using cranberry juice to combat urinary tract infections is ‘unsatisfactory and inconclusive’, according to Raul Raz.

“An apple a day...” Not all medical problems require a state-of-the-art solution, and it would be nice to think that products from the corner shop could treat a widespread and uncomfortable ailment. Cranberry juice and related products have been touted as a simple solution for urinary tract infections, but Raul Raz, a member of F1000 Medicine, finds little to support this claim.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common complaint. Between 10% and 20% of women will suffer a UTI at least once, and a third of these will experience it recurrently. Some recent studies support the use of cranberry as a preventative, but Dr Raz, Director of Infectious Diseases at the Technion School of Medicine in Israel, and his associate Faculty Member, Hana Edelstein, advise the medical community that “cranberry should no longer be considered as an effective [preventative] for recurrent UTIs”.

Cranberry contains hundreds of compounds, and it has been difficult to determine which might be responsible for any therapeutic effect, hindering its adoption. Raz and Edelstein point to differences in clinical trial design and the lack of standardization for doses and formulation. There is a range of potential side-effects including stomach upsets and weight gain. Cranberry can also interact badly with other medicines such as Warfarin, commonly used to treat heart disease.

In any event, up to 55% of patients discontinue cranberry therapy after a short time. It would seem that the public have already voted with their feet.

###

Notes to Editors

1. Raul Raz, Faculty Member for F1000 Medicine, Urology Faculty, is Director of Infectious Diseases at the Technion School of Medicine, Haemek Medical Center in Israel: http://f1000medicine.com/about/biography/1458805616101696.

2. Hana Edelstein, Associate Faculty Member, works for the Haemek Medical Center, Israel.

3. The full text of this evaluation is available at http://www.f1000medicine.com/article/11w8y35hg6gsx6y/id/1159865.

4. Please name Faculty of 1000 Medicine in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the website.

5. Faculty of 1000 Medicine, f1000medicine.com is a unique online service that helps you stay informed of high impact articles and access the opinions of global leaders in medicine. Our distinguished international faculty select and evaluate key articles across medicine, providing a rapidly updated, authoritative guide to the biomedical literature that matters.

6. Please contact Kathleen Wets, Director of Sales & Marketing, for a complimentary journalist subscription to Faculty of 1000 http://f1000.com.

Contact: Kathleen Wets

44-207-323-0323
Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine

RELATED STORIES:
Tips to Stop Emotional Eating (Because Food Doesn’t Fix Stress)   Don’t trouble your heart: Naturally high hemoglobin OK in dialysis patients   Food trends: Will ‘low-G’ muscle out ‘low-C’?   Pistachios offer multiple benefits   Chocolate is a ‘super fruit’   Nectar is not a simple soft drink   How Nutrition Affects the Breakdown of Fats   ‘Twas the Week Before Christmas and Santa’s Due for a Check-Up   Doctors over-treat urine bacteria: study   Coffee break: Compound brewing new research in colon, breast cancer   Kids’ incontinence improved with magnetic therapy   Kidney transplant worth the wait

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

Many people take cranberry supplements to prevent urinary tract infections caused by bacteria. Specifically the proanthocyanidins found in cranberry appear to block the adhesive strands on the E.

posted by the vert on 09/17/2009 at 10:32 pm -08:00