Why does cranberry juice help bladder infections?

Question

Why does cranberry juice help bladder infections?

Answer 1

Normally, there are no bacteria in the bladder whatsoever.  Cranberry juice does indeed change the pH of the urine, making it more alkaline, too alkaline for the bacteria that normally cause UTI's (E. coli, usually, but can be others such as chlamydia, etc.) to live.

Answer 2

I'm no doctor, but the website below should answer your question!

http://www.coolnurse.com/bladder.htm

Thanks Kiddo!-D

Answer 3

Yes it heklp balance in the natural floral in the bladder

Answer 4

it changes the  PH of you're urine and makes it difficult for the bacteria to live there

Answer 5

It's important to drink lots of water during and after treatment because each time you urinate, the bladder cleanses itself a little bit more. Cranberry juice also has been shown to have positive effects on UTIs/Bladder Infections. DON'T use the kind of juice that says "Juice Cocktail" on the label. That has too much sugar and is not concentrated enough with cranberries. Make sure the cranberry juice is 100% juice, many brands are now 100% cranberry. Quality cranberry juice produces hippuric acid in the urine which acidifies the urine and prevents bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder. If pure cranberry juice is not available, cranberry capsules can be substituted. They can be found in most health food stores. Always take these with a large glass of water.

Principal Proposed Natural Treatments

Women who do not want to use antibiotics may be able to find some help through the use of herbs. However, if symptoms do not improve or signs of a kidney infection develop, medical attention is essential to prevent serious complications.

Cranberry

Cranberry juice is commonly used to prevent bladder infections as well as to overcome low-level chronic infections. The cranberry plant is a close relative of the common blueberry. Native Americans used it both as food and as a treatment for bladder and kidney diseases. The Pilgrims learned about cranberry from local tribes and quickly adopted it for their own use. Subsequent physicians used it for bladder infections, for "bladder gravel," and to remove "blood toxins."

In the 1920s, researchers observed that drinking cranberry juice makes the urine more acidic. Because common urine infection bacteria, such as E. coli, dislike acidic surroundings, physicians concluded that they had discovered a scientific explanation for the traditional uses of cranberry. This discovery led to widespread medical use of cranberry juice for bladder infections. Cranberry fell out of favor after World War II, only to return in the 1960s as a self-treatment for bladder infections.

More recent research has revised the conclusions reached by scientists in the 1920s. It appears that cranberry's acidification of the urine is not likely to play an important role in the treatment of bladder infections; current research has instead focused on cranberry's apparent ability to interfere with the bacteria establishing a foothold on the bladder wall.1-7,30  If the bacteria can't hold on, they will be washed out with the stream of urine. Studies suggest that in women who frequently develop bladder infections, bacteria have an especially easy time holding on to the bladder wall.8  Thus, when taken regularly, cranberry juice might fix this problem and break the cycle of repeated infection.

The best evidence for the use of cranberry juice for preventing bladder infections comes from a 1-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 150 sexually active women that compared placebo against both cranberry juice (8 ounces 3 times daily) and cranberry tablets.9  The results showed that both forms of cranberry significantly reduced the number of episodes of bladder infections.

A double-blind study of 376 hospitalized seniors attempted to determine whether a low dose of cranberry juice cocktail would help prevent acute infections.31  It failed to find benefit, most likely due to the minimal dosage of cranberry: only 10 ounces daily of cranberry juice cocktail. Furthermore, because of the low rate of infections, it would necessarily have been more difficult for this study to produce statistically significant results.

Another double-blind study evaluated cranberry juice cocktail for treatment of chronic bladder infections.10  This trial followed 153 women with an average age of 78.5 years for a period of 6 months. Many women of this age group have what are called chronic asymptomatic bladder infections: signs of bacteria in the urine without any symptoms. Half of the participants were given 10 ounces per day of a standard commercial cranberry cocktail drink, the other a placebo drink prepared to look and taste the same. Both treatments contained the same amount of vitamin C to eliminate the possible effect of that supplement. Despite the weak preparation of cranberry used, the results showed that the treatment significantly reduced bacteria and white blood cells in the urine.

In addition, a year-long open trial of 150 women found that regular use of a cranberry juice/lingonberry combination reduced the rate of urinary tract infection as compared to a probiotic drink or no treatment.12  However, because this study was not double-blind, the results are unreliable. (For more information on why double-blind studies are so important, see Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies?)

A review of 10 studies investigated the benefits of cranberry juice or tablets compared to a placebo control in patients susceptible to urinary tract infections. Among 1,049 participants, the researchers found the cranberry products reduced the incidence of urinary tract infections by 35%, a statistically significant amount, over a 12-month period. The effect was most notable in those with recurrent infections. However, many subjects dropped out of the studies early, suggesting that continuous consumption of cranberries is not well tolerated.38  

On the negative side, three double-blind, placebo-controlled studies failed to find cranberry extract helpful for preventing bladder infection in people with bladder paralysis (neurogenic bladder).11,32-33  However, a subsequent study of 47 patients with neurogenic bladder from spinal cord injuries found that the use of cranberry extract tablets over 6 months significantly reduced the risk of urinary tract infection.39