Cranberries May Help Prevent Chronic Urinary Tract Infections

Cranberries have long been used to prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Researchers with the Department of Urology at Hospital Foch in France recently conducted a study to test whether cranberries would be effective in preventing chronic UTI’s.

The study was published in the April 2010 issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology.

UTIs are one of the most common types of bacterial infection, and the most common among mature adults. Women are also particularly susceptible and one in five will have at least one UTI in her lifetime.

For the study, researchers gave 15 patients with a history of repeated urinary tract infections cranberry juice for an average of 32 months. During the treatment period the researchers observed a decrease in the number of positive urine cultures which would indicate a decrease in urinary infection.

These results are likely due to the fact that cranberries have an “anti-adhesion” effect on harmful bacteria in your body. These properties help flush harmful bacteria out of your body by preventing them from sticking to your teeth, intestinal walls, stomach lining and urinary tract.

Due to their high level of antioxidants, cranberries not only protect against UTIs, they may also help reduce your risk of stomach cancer, ulcers and prevent the formation of plaque on your teeth.