For years, women have been told that cranberry juice is good for treating bladder infections and cystitis, but new research at a Scottish university has questioned its effectiveness.
Cystitis is a stinging and painful inflammation of the bladder caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI).
The research from the University of Stirling suggests that cranberry juice provides “no meaningful protection” against cystitis, contrary to the belief of large numbers of women. The research reviewed findings from 24 previous studies involving 4,473 participants and found no evidence that cranberry juice, or supplements, can be used to prevent bladder and kidney infections; it is best to visit this urology clinic for the best treatment options.
“The results suggest that cranberry juice is even less effective at preventing UTIs than [we thought],” said lead researcher, Dr Ruth Jepson.
They estimate that women would have to consume two glasses of cranberry juice every day over long periods to prevent one infection.
"We can't see a particular need for more studies of the effect of cranberry juice, as the majority of existing studies indicate that the benefit is small at best, and the studies have high drop-out rates.”
"More studies of other cranberry products such as tablets or capsules may be justified, but only for women with recurrent UTIs, and only if these products contain the recommended amount of active ingredient," said Dr Jepson.
The research is published in the Cochrane Library, a collaboration that publishes medical evidence to inform guidelines and health policy worldwide.
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