UTIs and Cranberry, but does it work??
We know you feel our pain about UTIs: 50-60 % of women have at least one in their lifetime, and UTIs are the most frequent outpatient infection in the US.
andddd 27% of female patients have a recurring UTI episodes within 6 months after the first one. UTIs have an economic, social and psychological impact that affects quality of life. According to Medina and Castillo-Pino, approximately $1.6 billion is spent annually for consultations in the US related to UTIs (Medina and Castillo-Pino, 2019). If you lucky, antibiotics are prescribed for treatment based on the type of bacteria of the infection which can be found from a urine collection test. However many antibiotics prescribed are general antibiotics. Because of this, and because of many people experiencing recurring episodes of UTIs… antibiotic resistance is actually common with UTIs.
Research has overwhelmingly demonstrated that cranberry will help to prevent UTIs before the occurrence and additionally cranberry will help to reduce duration and intensity of UTI symptoms - once onset of UTI has already occurred (Ledda et al., 2015). Our research also showed that there are differences in the types of cranberry supplements that are used. The research pointed out that the active ingredient of cranberries, proanthocyanidins (PAC) are the crucial aspect to choosing the right supplement.
Multiple studies have shown that PAC is effective in the inhibition of bacterial adherence to the urinary tract wall. A study by Hisano et al. (2012) discusses previous research that showed the efficacy of PAC against not only E. Coli adherence to the urinary tract wall but also other bacteria strains as well.
Which supplement?
Cranberry juice has a lower content of PAC, thus, cranberry extracts are a much better alternative as they naturally contain a higher level of PAC and lower amounts of sugar (excess sugar may cause more bacteria growth). Cranberry extracts with PAC amounts of 72mg and 112mg per day used in the studies by Foxman et al. (2015) and Ochipinti et al. (2016) were both significantly effective. Click here.
Overall, always consult your doctor about frequent UTIs, frequent UTIs can possibly lead to long term kidney damage. Consult your doctor when taking supplements along side with medications and let your doctor know about your concerns for antibiotic resistance, kidney damage and the decrease of quality of life that the UTIs are causing.
With love,
F.A.M
