Ah yes, the cranberry myth. Mom always told us to drink cranberry juice to keep from getting a UTI. Welp. Sorry ma. That's a myth. Cranberries, cranberry juice, and cranberry products were often recommended as a natural way to help prevent a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Nursing home residents who took cranberry juice showed did not have fewer UTis than those who took a placebo, researchers found out.
Searching for an alternative treatment
Urinary Tract Infections plague women of all ages, and as men age, they too can become increasingly susceptible. Utis occur when bacteria infect the urinary tract. Symptoms include feeling the need to urinate despite having an empty bladder, pain or burning while peeing, frequent urination, low fever and cloudy or bloody urine. Most times the body can flush out the infection on it's own, but sometimes it can spread to the kidneys and pose quite the problem. To treat these infections doctors prescribe antibiotics, but these bacterias are starting to grow more immune to the antibiotics and don't go away so easy. Alternatively, a common suggestion for those who suffer recurrent UTIs is to drink plenty of cranberry juice. The acidity of the cranberry is believed to change the pH balance of the urinary tract and bladder to keep an infection from developing. Although the origins of this folk remedy are unclear, a scientific study published in 1923 showed that cranberries, and prunes, affect the acidity of urine."It is time to move on from cranberries," wrote Dr. Lindsay E. Nicolle of the University of Manitoba in an editorial published with the study. Nicolle acknowledges that "a person may, of course, choose to use cranberry juice or capsules for whatever reason she or he wishes," but she says she cannot support cranberries. Evidence from this new study, combined with past research, is now "convincing that cranberry products should not be recommended as a medical intervention for the prevention of UTI."
Question-
1. Has your mother or grandmother ever told you to drink cranberry juice?
2. Do you agree with their study and findings? If no, why not? If so, what do you agree with?
3. Do you drink cranberry juice to prevent a UTI? If so, do you think it has helped?
My thoughts- I don't know. I mean i've been told from the very beginning that I should drink cranberry juice because It help fight and cure UTIs. Now whether or not I actually believed it or not, I don't know. I think it's one of those wives tales, kind of like cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis. Or reading in dim light or watching tv too close to the screen will damage your eyes. Or you should wait 20 minutes after you eat to go swimming. It's just a load of crap. I mean if there is an actual science behind it then yeah, but they've all been proven wrong.
Replies
Well done Serena!
Yes and so has three different doctors. I'll probably still drink the cranberry juice because I don't think the finding is very thorough because they don't seem to have a diverse test group. I drink cranberry juice for UTI's because it's just something that I've always done and probably always will do. That and I like cranberry juice!
I agree with you on the diverse test groups. It did say that it was only tested on elderly women. I think maybe if they tried different age groups and with men maybe they'll find different answers. I don't really like it. It's kind of bitter. Maybe if I add like a little bit of sugar it will help.
I have heard it from someone else that cranberry juice helps prevent Urinary Tract Infections but never have needed to even try it out. I believe that they would know way more than I would about them so yes I do believe that they are correct about this stuff. Never have and hope I never will doesnt sound too fun.
Lol yeah they aren't. They're painful. But I've always been told to drink it. I know that it helps to flush out the bacteria and keep your Ph levels balanced but I don't know for sure.
I have been told to drink cranberry juice to help clear out the UTI. I don't actually know if I believe the study or not. I've also been told that works so I believe that it works. I have drank cranberry juice to prevent a UTI and I do think it works after awhile.
I know my grandmother has always drank cranberry juice and some elderly residents I work with drink it as well. I do still drink cranberry juice and I haven't had one in a while (knock on wood) but I think that it helps your body and boosts your immune system.
My mom has me drink it, but I never knew it was for this reason. I thought we just drank it because. I agree with the study because if they did a case and experiment and it came back as it does not work then people should follow that. Doctors should not be able to say to try it if it does not scientifically really work. I do not drink it to prevent UTI's but sometimes I just drink it, so I am not really sure if it helps.
I agree. I do know that the Cranberry juice helps with Ph balances in the body and it's good for your body in general but I guess not to help UTIs. I know they do have other soluble tablets you can take or other types of medicine.