Cranberry and Urinary Tract Infection (UTIs)

Cranberry and Urinary Tract Infection (UTIs)

Urinary Tract Infection (UTIs) is a condition that happen when bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract. Typical symptoms of UTI include painful and frequent urination, feeling the urge to urinate despite having an empty bladder, blood in urine, and lower abdominal pain.

Among women who get UTIs, the chances of it returning are common.

 

 

What is recurrent UTI?

A recurrent UTI is a condition when UTI keeps coming back. It is defined as UTI that has occurred at least twice in 6 months or thrice in 12 months. After the infection, 30 – 44% of women will have another one in 6 months, and half will have a 3rd infection. The most common pathogen is E.Coli, Proteus Klebsiella, Psedomonas, Serratia, and Enterococci.

What causes recurrent UTIs in women?

  • Frequent intercourse (more than 3x/week)
  • New or multiple sex partners
  • Incomplete urination (residual urine in bladder)
  • Comorbidities
  • Having a UTI before 15 years old
  • First-degree female relatives with recurrent UTI more than 5 times

Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections

Cranberries as cranberry juice, tablets, or capsules have been used for many years to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs), substances that can prevent bacteria from sticking to the wall of the bladder, hence reducing the chance of infection.

Another research suggested that cranberries make urine more acidic, which can make it harder for bacteria like E.Coli (common bacteria that cause UTI) thrive, hence reducing the chance of infection.

However, for certain individuals such as for those who are currently on medication such as warfarin, need to consult healthcare professional before using cranberry supplements to avoid any potential interaction.

References 
1. Cochrane. Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infection (UTI). https://www.cochrane.org/CD001321/RENAL_cranberries-preventing-urinary-tract-infections

2. Jepson RG, Mihaljevic L, Craig J. Cranberries for treating urinary tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;1998(2):CD001322. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001322. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Dec 14;12:CD001322. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001322.pub2. PMID: 10796775; PMCID: PMC7025796.

3. WebMD. Are cranberries good for UTI prevention? https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/cranberries-for-uti-protection