Theoretically cranberry juice is thought to reduce UTIs by preventing bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder, thus preventing infections. There is, however, limited evidence to suggest that cranberry juice is actually effective in the management of urinary tract infections. Some of the smaller studies showed a possible benefit for preventing UTIs in women with frequent urinary tract infections, however larger studies did not show any significant difference between women using cranberry juice and those who were not using cranberry juice.
Cranberry juice is not recommended as an alternative to treating urinary tract infections with antibiotics.
About the author
Dr. Kristin Dean is a Family Practice Physician who received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in Nutritional Sciences. She continued her loyalty to the ‘Gator Nation’ and completed her medical school education at the University of Florida College of Medicine in 2010. Dr. Dean then moved to Los Angeles to complete her training in Family Medicine at Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Dean considers healthcare to be a team approach, with the patient being the captain of the healthcare team. Although she considers a healthy lifestyle to be the starting point for all healthcare plans, she uses medicine, empathy and education to continue to improve her patient’s health.
