Cranberries and UTI — Now We Know Why It Works
March 9th, 2009 | Published in Other News | 3 Comments
It’s the chemicals in cranberry juice, not the acidity, that help tame a urinary tract infection. As reported in this week’s Journal of Medicinal Food, it’s the chemicals called proanthocyanidins (PACs) that prevent E. coli, which is the cause of about 85% of UTIs. Diagnosis and treatment of UTIs cost America’s health system about $2 billion a year. 
– Joyce
March 9th, 2009 at 2:25 pm (#)
You can also get proanthocyanidins in apples, red wine and tea or even via supplements.
March 10th, 2009 at 10:43 am (#)
Cranberries are filled with antioxidants and have long been considered a very valuable ally for our health. In addition to these antioxidants, cranberries contain hippuronic acid. This compound has been shown in some studies to make it much more difficult for the bacteria that causes urinary tract infections to attach to the bladder wall (because this acid works to acidify the urine). This lowers the risk of getting a UTI in some cases.
However, once you have a UTI, cranberries in any form will do little to help treat it, and can actually exacerbate painful urination, one of the main symptoms associated with a UTI. This pain is caused by irritation and inflammation of the urethra and urethral opening. The best thing to do is to go to your doctor for proper antibiotic treatment (he or she will take a culture to confirm the UTI), and, in the meantime, take an over-the-counter urinary pain relief medication like Cystex® to help calm the symptoms. Cystex® Urinary Pain Relief Tablets is the only over-the-counter (OTC) medication that has a dual-action formula, with both a pain reliever to help with the discomfort and burning, as well as an antiseptic to help keep the bacteria in check and the infection from worsening before you can get into your doctor’s office
April 5th, 2009 at 2:49 pm (#)
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