Convinced that cranberries help prevent UTIs? Research finally shows you are right! — AFP
More than just a myth, hearsay or a received idea, it turns out that cranberries could indeed be beneficial in preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs), as revealed by research conducted by scientists in Australia.
This is the first time that science has been able to attribute such properties to these small red berries native to North America, providing evidence to confirm a decades-old myth.
Despite numerous studies on the subject, science had never managed to substantiate claims that cranberries could prevent UTIs, with the last review being conducted in 2012 and based on 24 trials.
A little over a decade later, this has now been achieved via new research that supports the idea that these small red berries can indeed be effective in preventing these infections.
This research is the work of a team of scientists from Flinders University in Adelaide and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Published in the journal Cochrane Reviews, their research is based on 50 trials, of which more than 20 are considered recent, and included 8,857 participants.
Their finding was that cranberry juice, as well as cranberry-based supplements – whether taken in capsule or tablet form – could reduce the risk of recurrent UTIs by more than a quarter in women, by more than half in children, and by just as much in individuals susceptible to developing UTIs after a medical procedure.
The findings support the idea that cranberries are more than just a folk remedy.
“Even back in 1973, my mum was told to try cranberry juice to prevent her horrible and frequent UTIs, and for her, it’s been a saviour.
“Despite me niggling in her ear about evidence, she’s continued to take it daily – first, as the nasty sour juice, and in recent years, the easy-to-swallow capsules.
“As soon as she stops, wham, the symptoms are back.
“As usual, it turns out that mum was right!
“Cranberry products can help some women prevent UTIs,” says study lead author Dr Gabrielle Williams in a statement.
A number of food supplements based on these small red berries have been sold for a long time, lauding their health properties and benefits for the urinary tract.
This new study, although still only the first, appears to provide support for these claims, especially since the researchers report few side effects, except for abdominal pain, from the intake of cranberry juice and supplements.
Despite the compelling results, particularly for women with recurring UTIs, the researchers believe that further studies are now needed to determine the category or categories of people for whom cranberry products would be the most beneficial. – AFP Relaxnews
