Cranberry's Credentials

Learn more about this superfruit for urinary health and more

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) has long been cherished for its nutritional and medicinal properties. The fruit is juicy and tart and contains a range of valuable nutrients including vitamin C and flavonoids.

According to Sherry Torkos, well-known pharmacist, fitness instructor and author of Breaking the Age Barrier and Winning at Weight Loss, cranberry has evolved from a folk remedy to a scientifically proven product that can provide protection against urinary tract infections (UTI). "Recent research has found that cranberry is also beneficial for fighting gum disease, lowering cholesterol levels, and preventing ulcers," explains Torkos.

Cranberry and Urinary Tract Health

UTI is the second most common infection that affects women. The symptoms-urinary burning, frequency, urgency and pain-are unpleasant and in some cases debilitating. About fifty percent of all women will experience a UTI in their lifetime and many women suffer recurrent UTIs. Women are at greater risk of UTI due to various biological reasons. Men can also get UTIs.

Treatment of a UTI most often involves antibiotic therapy, which is associated with various health and societal risks. Side effects of antibiotics may include nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and yeast infections, to name a few. Plus, the overuse of antibiotics is now recognized as a major factor in the development of resistance-the bugs are becoming stronger than the drugs, leaving people vulnerable for attack by bacteria. Antibiotics are also expensive. Some of the broad-spectrum drugs are $80 or more for a week supply.

As with most health problems, prevention is the key. Cranberry helps protect against UTIs in part by preventing bacteria from adhering to the bladder. The proanthocyanidins (PAC) adhere to the tiny hairs of the bacterial surface, changing the structure of the bacteria and preventing bacteria from implanting in the bladder wall. Scientists have also discovered another mechanism by which cranberry works. Cranberry causes chemical changes, which create an energy barrier that keeps the bacteria from getting close to the urinary tract lining in the first place.

Juice vs. Supplements

Most of the early research on cranberry involved testing juice cocktail with mixed results. This may have been due to the fact that the amount of juice used in the studies varied greatly. Studies finding positive results involved drinking large amounts of juice: up to 34 ounces per day. Not only is that difficult for most people to comply with, but most juices contain only 27 percent cranberry juice, with added sugar and water. For those watching their weight and trying to control blood sugar, all this excess sugar presents a problem. Pure juice is available in health food stores, but it is quite expensive and very tart. For all of these reasons, cranberry supplements offer significant advantages.

The most widely studied cranberry supplement on the market is Cran-Max^®, a full spectrum product that contains all the vital parts of the cranberry-the fruit, seeds, skin and juice. One clinical study, published in the Canadian Journal of Urology, compared the effects of pure cranberry juice (250 ml three times daily), cranberry tablets (Cran-Max 250mg twice daily) and placebo for the prevention of UTI in a group of 150 women with a history of recurrent UTIs. Both the pure juice and cranberry tablets significantly reduced the occurrence of UTI, but the cranberry tablets proved to be the most effective method.

A more recent study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, has shown that the administration of Cran-Max was comparable to the commonly prescribed antibiotic, Trimethoprim, for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections in older women.

Guidelines for Use

Cranberry juice is generally well tolerated with no known adverse effects. Those with diabetes or insulin resistance should limit their intake of juice cocktail as it contains a significant amount of sugar. Cranberry should be used cautiously in those taking anti-coagulants such as warfarin because it may enhance the blood-thinning effect of the drug. As with any dietary supplement, if you have a serious health issue, you should always consult with your doctor before incorporating cranberry into your diet.

The dosage of cranberry juice has varied in the research. The most significant study on cranberry juice utilized a dosage of 250ml of pure juice three times daily. The recommended dosage for Cran-Max is 500 mg daily for prevention.

Emerging Uses for Cranberry

According to Torkos, preliminary research has found that cranberry may offer benefits for the following:

Oral Health-cranberry inhibits bacteria from adhering to the teeth and gums

Heart Health-cranberry can raise HDL and lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol oxidation

Ulcer prevention-cranberry inhibits adhesion of H. Pylori bacteria to the lining of the stomach (most ulcers are caused by H. Pylori infection)

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