Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Does Cranberry Juice Help Bladder Problems

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Cranberries Help Urinary Tract Infections But Not As Juice

Does cranberry juice helps in urinary tract infection? – Ms. Sushma Jaiswal

Dashing out for a bottle of cranberry juice when a urinary tract infection hits may not be so helpful after all. Research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology suggests it could just be an old wives tale.

A urinary tract infection can affect any part of the urinary system, kidneys, bladder or urethra.

More than 3 million Americans, mostly women, experience a UTI every year.

Symptoms include frequent, painful urination, pelvic pain and traces blood in the urine. The infection does not normally last long, and most patients self-diagnose.

For many, the first port of call is a box of cranberry juice. However, new research suggests that while cranberry capsules can help, cranberry juice may be little more than a panacea.

Dr. Timothy Boone, PhD, vice dean of the Texas A& M Health Science Center College of Medicine in Houston, and colleagues wanted to know if cranberries can really help.

Does Cranberry Juice Prevent Urinary Tract Infections

It is commonly believed that cranberries and cranberry juice can prevent UTIs but is this accurate? It is worth noting that there are only limited studies on this. Still, from the small research sample available, it would appear that, in some women at risk of developing these infections, drinking cranberry juiceor taking cranberry pills may decrease your chance of getting a urinary tract infection.5

It is believed that cranberries make your urine more acidic, thus killing the bacteria that cause UTIs, and that it prevents bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract.6 If you are interested in trying it, drink pure, unsweetened cranberry juice rather than cranberry juice drink because cranberry juice drink is not shown to benefit UTI prevention.7

Cranberry Supplements For Pets

With all that I’ve stated in this article if you’d like to try a cranberry supplement for your pet suffering with urinary issues, though actual scientific evidence to back up their use is lacking, many people report good results with the three brands highlighted below:

Crananidin Pet Supplement : Produced by Nutramax Laboratories, this product is a chewable tablet.

Cranberry Comfort : Produced by Vet Classics, this product is a soft chew.

Cranberry Bladder Bites : These chewables come in two flavors, bacon and chicken.

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So Much Of What I Read Led Me To Believe Two Things About Utis In Men:

#1: Men dont suffer from UTIs as much as women, based on their anatomy.

Longer urethas mean its easier to flush out bacteria when urinating.

#2: When men do contract a UTI, they tend to be whats called a complicated infection.

There is a need to be observant and prudent in treatment.

Id be interested to know if any guys reading this have tried any of these home remedies and what they discovered.

Dose And Side Effects

Does Cranberry Juice Help Prevent or Treat a UTI?

There is no recommended daily allowance or dose for cranberry juice. However, taking between 3 L to 4 L of cranberry juice daily potentially causes adverse reactions such as diarrhea, Drugs.com says. Cranberry juice also contains oxalate. Oxalate combines with calcium to form kidney stones, MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, explains. So, the oxalate in cranberry juice is believed to elevate your risk of developing kidney stones. Cranberry juice is also purported to potentiate the effects of blood thinning medications such as warfarin. Consult your doctor before taking cranberry juice to ensure you lower your risk of developing adverse reactions.

Read Also: How To Empty Your Bladder With A Uti

What Can I Take Over

The drug oxybutynin may be used to treat OAB. It is available over-the-counter in patch form, which delivers 3.9 mg of oxybutynin daily through your skin. However, the over-the-counter patch is only available to women. Men may take oxybutynin in patch or oral form, but they need a prescription for it.

Whats A Cpac And Why Is It Helpful

I know I mentioned this above, but in case youve scrolled down without reading, heres the info again:

PACs are a class of polyphenols .

The PACs found in cranberries help prevent the adhesion of certain harmful bacteria, including E. coli .

Supplements can deliver a higher dose of cPACs, compared to juice.

As soon as I suspected my UTI, I was taking 2 cranberry supplements a day throughout the infection and for two weeks post just for good measure.

This is the one I use :

Also Check: Can Too Much Sugar Cause A Bladder Infection

Clinical Relevance Prostatic Carcinoma

Prostatic carcinoma represents the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, especially in countries with high sociodemographic index. The malignant cells commonly originate from the peripheral zone, although carcinomas may arise from the central and transition zones too. It is still debatable that the latter tumors may present with lower malignant potential.

However the proximity of the peripheral zone to the neurovascular bundle that surrounds the prostate may facilitate spread along perineural and lymphatic pathways, thus increasing the metastatic potential of these tumors. Malignant cells may invade adjacent structures and/ or lymphatic and blood vessel routes to give distant metastases. Prostate carcinoma also commonly spreads via the Batson venous plexus to the vertebral bodies and cause skeletal metastases.

A DRE may reveal a hard, irregular prostate gland. In most cases the serum PSA values will be increased. However, due to the peripherally-advancing tumor, symptoms may be minimal, as obstruction occurs usually at late stages. One should also keep in mind that the high incidence of prostate carcinoma is found in elderly men, who may already have symptoms due to BPH.

Fig 4 Prostate cancer has the potential to invade nearby structures.

  • Is Drinking a Lot of Water Good for Your Prostate? Center
  • For prostate problems, limit water intake before going to bed at night. This will keep you from waking up at night to urinate repeatedly.

    Is Cranberry Juice Good For Interstitial Cystitis & What About Bananas & Hummus

    Can Cranberry Juice Really Help Treat My Urinary Tract Infection?

    Acidic products like cranberry juice worsen the lining and cause more irritation in patients with Interstitial cystitis struggling with irritated bladder.1

    The interstitial cystitis network suggests avoiding drinking cranberry juice since the symptoms worse as the bladder is inflamed.2

    Banana can make an ideal choice for IC patients since they have extremely low acidic properties.3,4

    Unfortunately, there is no cure for interstitial cystitis and there is no well-defined treatment or therapy that can help these patients recover from their symptoms. Medical studies show that there are patients who battle with IC struggles from late teens with no complete recovery.

    The usual course of treatment is antibiotics until the patients develop sensitivity to the same kind of medications. This is a serious discomfort in IC patients since they tend to develop depression and anxiety at a very young age.

    Also Check: Can You Treat A Bladder Infection Without Antibiotics

    Can Cranberry Juice Help Uti

    There are many studies on the prevention of UTIs, but very little research into whether cranberry juice can treat or get rid of existing symptoms. This means that its not recommended for use in healing current infections by this method aloneThe majority of evidence linkingIDs with discomfort comes from United States-based clinical trials while other countries continents show much lower rates including Europe where only 28% reported experiencing any form obumor development after consuming two 500 millilitre glasses daily compared to 12%, 14%.

    Mechanistic Studies: Antiadherent Properties

    Adherence of uropathogens to uroepithelial cells is the initial step in pathogenesis of UTI . In 1984, Sobota was first to suggest that reported benefits derived from the use of cranberry juice may be related to its ability to inhibit bacterial adherence . Sobota found that cranberry juice cocktail reduced adherence by > 75% in > 60% of 77 clinical isolates of E. coli recovered from patients with UTI. Fifteen of 22 subjects showed significant antiadherence activity in their urine 13 h after drinking 15 oz of cranberry juice cocktail .

    Since Sobota’s initial report, several studies have confirmed that the presumed efficacy of cranberry in preventing UTI is related to its antiadherent properties. It is now known that E. coli, the most common cause of UTI, have hairlike fimbria that protrude from their surface. The fimbriae produce 2 adhesins that attach to receptors on uroepithelial cells .

    Read Also: What Causes Weak Bladder In Males

    Cranberry Products Are They Good For Pets

    Go to many of the popular pet blogs or pet supply stores these days and youre likely to see cranberry-containing products touted and marketed with terms such as urinary health or urinary care.” But whats the real deal with cranberry is it really a cure-all for your cat or dogs urinary issues? Or does cranberry just have a good publicity agent?

    Lets cut through the clutter and explore the truth about the benefits of cranberry to urinary tract health for cats and dogs. If you really want to try using cranberry supplements for your pet, scroll further down for some product options to consider.

    Is Cranberry Juice Good For Overactive Bladder Or Not

    Can cranberry help with UTIs?

    Cranberry juice is a popular beverage which is well-known as a natural remedy for urinary tract infections . This has led some people to ask whether cranberry juice is also good for other problems such as overactive bladder.

    So, if you suffer from overactive bladder, is drinking cranberry juice a good idea or not? We will aim to answer this question later in the article, but first, lets take a look at the difference between overactive bladder and UTIs.

    Also Check: Botox Injections For Bladder Control

    Cranberry Juice For Urinary Tract Infections It Really Can Help

    Cranberry Antioxidant Punch Maggie Starbard/NPRhide caption

    toggle caption

    Native Americans and Pilgrims were onto something when they turned to cranberries as an infection fighter. American settlers believed the bitter food could stave off scurvy. But there’s more than just Vitamin C in this indigenous berry.

    A new meta-analysis finds drinking cranberry juice on a regular basis may help prevent urinary tract infections in women. The study, published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, concluded that regular cranberry-juice drinkers were 38 percent less likely than non-cranberry-juice-drinkers to develop UTIs.

    The authors conclude that women with recurrent infections and those consuming cranberry products more than twice a day tended to get the most protection. The amounts of cranberry given in the trials varied, and more research is needed to figure out exactly how much cranberry you’d need to consume, the paper says. .

    Also, the cranberry supplements were not as good as the real thing. “We are surprised,” author Chien-Chang Lee of the National Taiwan University Hospital tells The Salt that cranberry-containing capsules or supplements were less effective than cranberry juice in reducing the risk.

    And how does it work? Previous studies have found that cranberries contain compounds that seem to inhibit bacteria from setting-up-shop and infecting the lining of the urinary tract.

    Are Bananas & Hummus Good For Interstitial Cystitis

    Research about the influence of eating habits on interstitial cystitis, or IC, is inadequate. Many fruits and vegetables do not trigger bladder flares and keep us healthy. Some women with this condition have additional symptoms triggered by food allergies whereas other patients have sensitivity towards milk products. There are certain fruits such as bananas, blueberries, pear, and apples referred to as interstitial cystitis friendly fruits that can help improve symptoms in IC patients.

    Bananas have low-acidic properties hence make an ideal choice for IC patients. Years ago, the banana was not considered as the recommended option because they were thought to contain high tyramine linked to IC flares however with the development in medical fields, the latest studies proved that you will notice improvement after a few weeks. Similarly, hummus is packed with protein and they are usually IC friendly.3,4

  • Osborne, Jill, et al. âShould IC Patients Drink Cranberry Juice? No!â Interstitial Cystitis Network, 28 Jan. 2017, www.ic-network.com/should-ic-patients-drink-cranberry-juice-no/.
  • âTreatment Is Different for Everyone.â Interstitial Cystitis Association, 16 June 2015, www.ichelp.org/treatment-is-different-for-everyone/.
  • âGoing Bananas May Be A Good Thing.â Interstitial Cystitis Network , 18 Jan. 2017, www.ic-network.com/bev/going-bananas/.
  • âBladder & Irritating Foods.â Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14244-bladder-irritating-foods.
  • Don’t Miss: How Do Bladder Infections Happen

    Cranberry Juice Will Not Do The Trick

    However, the researchers point out that since a cranberry capsule provides the equivalent of 8 ounces of cranberry juice, a patient would need a lot of pure cranberry to prevent an infection.

    Dr. Boone explains: It takes an extremely large concentration of cranberry to prevent bacterial adhesion. This amount of concentration is not found in the juices we drink. Theres a possibility it was stronger back in our grandparents day, but definitely not in modern times.

    He adds:

    Cranberry juice, especially the juice concentrates you find at the grocery store, will not treat a UTI or bladder infection. It can offer more hydration and possibly wash bacteria from your body more effectively, but the active ingredient in cranberry is long gone by the time it reaches your bladder.

    He also cautions that a UTI and an overactive bladder may show similar symptoms, and people should seek medical advice if any adverse symptoms appear, to prevent UTIs from developing into kidney infections.

    Treatment of UTIs can be complicated. Approximately 20-30% of women have recurring UTIs, and concerns about antibiotic resistance mean that both doctors and patients may be unwilling to use such medication.

    Dr. Boone points out that there are many benefits of probiotics, although more research is still needed.

    Our Knowledge Center article features more information about the health benefits of cranberries.

    Benefits Of Drinking Cranberry Juice

    “Does Cranberry Juice Really Cause Urinary Tract Infections? with Dr. Melanie Crites-Bachert

    Cranberry juice is a great way to help battle the ravages of time on your body. Cranberries are high in antioxidants and can fight off harmful free radicals that cause damage at an accelerated rate as we age, so its no wonder theyre often used by doctors for their patients! Broccoli also has similar properties but with less research behind its benefits you might want try drinking some fresh-squeezed or frozen versions before making any decisions about what diet pills would work best . Heres 6 reasons why regular consumption could be beneficial:2) Improving heart health6.). Preventing infections

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    What Vitamin Helps With Bladder Control

    Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased urinary urgency. However, supplemental vitamin C, especially at high levels, is associated with worsening symptoms. Studies have found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased urination. So, getting enough vitamin D may be protective.

    But What About Cranberry Juice Can It Really Help

    Cranberries, and in turn cranberry juice, contain a group of chemicals called proanthocyanidins . These can prevent the bacteria responsible for UTIs attaching properly to tissues in the urinary tract. If the bacteria cant attach properly then they cannot grow and cause the infection. However there are mixed opinions on whether or not it works in preventing UTIs. Some studies have shown some small benefits to healthy, non-pregnant, women who suffer from repeated infections while others have showed no benefit at all. Interestingly, there was a large number of drop-out in some of these studies due to volunteers finding it difficult to consume so much cranberry juice!

    This is where the problem with cranberry juice can lie. Cranberries are very bitter and so to make cranberry juice easy to drink, lots of sugar is added about three teaspoons of sugar in every 100 ml! This means with a typical 300 mL glass of cranberry juice you would have had more than your recommended intake of sugar for the day!

    If you suffer from repeated urinary tract infections, you might want to consider a low dose of antibiotics Hiprex is used commonly in the UK to prevent repeated infections. Discuss it with your doctor and look at trying to prevent infections by following the steps outlined above.

    Also Check: Is Green Tea Good For Bladder Infection

    Is Cranberry Juice Good For Interstitial Cystitis

    Interstitial cystitis turns into disability and the quality of life is decreased. However, following dietary changes as a guide is perhaps a convenient, painless, and easy way to come out of this condition. Everyone may have a different level of sensitivity so understand what best suits for you to ease the condition.

    Clinical studies demonstrate that lifestyle modifications and changes to your diet can bring in changes to IC symptoms and helps prevent flares. However, not all foods are good for this condition. Certain foods can worsen your condition and enhance your pain and discomfort.1

    For anyone struggling with interstitial cystitis, the first suggestion they often hear is to drink cranberry juice. Cranberry contains an ingredient called proanthocyanidins that has high acidic properties which have provided beneficial results in patients with urinary tract infection however they are found to trigger agonizing symptoms in IC patients. Acidic products like cranberry juice worsen the lining and cause more irritation in patients with Interstitial cystitis struggling with the irritated bladder.

    Texas, Health Science Center analyzed 24 research studies that compared the role of cranberry juice in improving or worsening of IC symptoms. Although some studies showed minor benefits on the preventions of urinary tract infections yet larger studies denied its benefits and revealed cranberry juice will make Interstitial Cystitis symptoms worse.2

    Cranberry Capsules Reduce The Prevalence Of Uti

    Home Remedies &  Treatments for Kidney Pain

    The team studied 160 patients aged 23-88 years who were undergoing elective gynecological surgery between 2011-2013. Normally, 10-64% of women undergoing this kind of surgery will develop a UTI following the removal of the catheter.

    Half of the patients received two cranberry juice capsules twice daily the equivalent in strength to two 8-ounce servings of cranberry juice for 6 weeks after surgery. The others took a placebo.

    Cranberry capsules lowered the risk of UTIs by 50%. In the cranberry treatment group, 19% of patients developed a UTI, compared with 38% of the placebo group.

    So, how does it work? For a UTI to occur, bacteria must adhere to and invade the lining of the bladder. Cranberries contain A-type proanthocyanidins , which interfere with the bacterias ability to the bladder wall, reducing the likelihood of infection.

    Also Check: Can You Have Intercourse While Having A Bladder Infection

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