Cranberries in Your Pee

WHAT’S GOT US BUZZING

Confirmed: Cranberries can help prevent UTIs

A brief history of cranberries and UTIs goes something like this:

For hundreds of years, humans used cranberries to treat and prevent UTIs.
In the 2010s, researchers declared this a myth following the results of a systematic review of studies that found no evidence for the claim.
Science comes back to the table in 2023 with an updated review dispelling the myth and confirming that cranberries can, indeed, help prevent UTIs.

Riveting. Why should we believe this new review over past research? The new review looked at a much larger sample size. Researchers added 26 additional studies to the last version of the review. In total, this review included 50 studies and 8,857 participants.

Why do cranberries help prevent UTIs? Probably because of the acidity, according to researchers we talked to for this article. Cranberries are naturally acidic, and bacteria have a harder time growing in acidic environments. (Important note: Always opt for pure cranberry juice. Cranberry cocktails and other mixed juices won’t be as effective.)

Did the study find that cranberries can also be used to cure UTIs? No. The findings only showed that cranberries can reduce the risk of developing UTIs. It did not find that cranberries can be used instead of antibiotics to treat or cure an existing UTI. In fact, if you do notice the symptoms of a UTI, it’s important to see a doctor ASAP. UTIs can become severe if not treated.

Do you have an alternative prevention remedy you swear by? Write in to tell us about it at wellnesswire@healthline.com. (Please note that we may use your name and response in an upcoming edition!)

Cranberries in Your Pee

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