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Cranberry Supplements Can Prevent Lower Urinary Tract Infections

According to the latest in a growing evidence base for the use of cranberry extracts in preventing lower urinary tract infections, an Italian study has shown people taking cranberry extracts once a day for 60 days had a reduction in frequency and length of episodes and a lower requirement for medical consultation.

Dried cranberries and extracts contain high concentrations of polyphenols that inhibit the adherence of bacteria to the mucosal and uro-epithelial cells in the lower urinary tract.  Additionally, the proantocyanidins present in cranberries may inhibit a strain of E.coli bacteria adhering to the uroepithelial cells that can cause a urinary tract infections (UTI).

Both men and women can experience urinary tract infections during their lifetime and a person is said to have recurrent UTI if they have three episodes in a year or two episodes in six months.

Recurrent UTIs are a major source or morbidity and health care costs.  While long term use of antibiotics can reduce the frequency of UTIs, disadvantages include cost, risk of adverse effects of the drug, alteration of the intestinal flora and the potential for creating microbial resistance.

In this recent study, a total of 44 patients with a history of recurring UTIs were divided into two groups (22 people in each group) with only one group receiving the cranberry extract for two months. The results showed a 73 percent reduction in the frequency of UTIs in the group receiving the cranberry extract and only a 15 percent reduction in the control group.  Further, 31 percent of people in the cranberry group were symptom-free during the study period.

According to the lead author of the study, “Subjects who added a well-standardised cranberry extract to lifestyle counselling had better clinical outcomes than those who only followed lifestyle advice.

“Larger controlled studies with longer follow-up should be conducted to investigate the potential effectiveness of the well-standardised cranberry extract used in this study in other settings, for example, prostatitis or paediatric subjects.

“Available evidence seems to suggest that cranberry extract might have a role in the prevention of further lower UTI episodes in subjects with a history of recurring UTIs.”

Journal source: Eur  Rev med Pharmaco Sci 2015;19:77-80.

Source: www.blackmoresinstitute.org/login/news-and-insights/Cranberry-supplements-urinary-tract-infections, viewed Thursday 3 September 2015