One in three women will experience cystitis in their lifetime. It would be rare for me as a general physician not to see at least one case of cystitis every week. Most cystitis cases can be treated by taking antibiotics.
For years, the medical establishment dismissed cranberry as a folk medicine with a long-standing history among Native Americans. In the 1980s and 1990s, it was found that cranberry juice contained chemicals that prevented E. The most common bacteria that causes UTIs, E. coli, is not able to adhere to the bladder lining.
If bacteria can’t attach to the bladder wall, they will be flushed away with urine.
In the past two decades, this way of thinking has become more popular. The use of cranberry capsules and juice has been promoted and widely used to treat bladder infections. This is especially true for women with recurrent infections. Consumer-oriented health literature, including sources of high quality, recommends cranberry products to reduce UTI episodes.
The research into cranberry and UTIs continues. ArunKamaraj
It would seem natural that in such an environment, cranberry-based products are a tried and tested therapy. In fact, I was told in medical school that the cranberry is effective, and I have prescribed it to my patients.
It is curious that although there are good reasons to believe that cranberry products can prevent UTIs, the evidence of its effectiveness in actual patients has been murky.
The Cochrane Library’s systematic review of 2009, which analysed independently all the available evidence and noted that there were some indications that cranberry products may work but that it was not clear what “the optimal dosage or method or application” was.
The high number of patients who dropped out of the trials suggested that this treatment might not be acceptable over a long period of time.
This review was revised in October 2012 to include newer, larger studies. This revised appraisal of empirical evidence suggests that cranberry may not be effective in reducing the risk of UTIs recurring among women.
I doubt that we have heard the last word on cranberry, and there are [studies] in the pipeline.
The evidence is not in favor of cranberry products, particularly those that come from more extensive and better designed trials.
