Cranberry Juice No More Effective Than Placebo In Preventing Urinary Tract Infection

A U.S. study has found that drinking eight ounces of cranberry juice (27 percent concentration) twice daily did not prevent a recurrence of urinary tract infections (UTI) any more effectively than a placebo in otherwise health young women. The researchers had predicted a higher recurrence rate among the placebo group than the juice group. Instead they were surprised to find that urinary tract infections recurred at a 20 percent rate among the cranberry juice drinkers, compared to a 14 percent recurrence rate among those who drank the placebo juice. Urinary tract infections are one of the most commonly acquired bacterial infections. About eleven percent of women aged 18 and over have a UTI every year. Researchers suggested the possibility that study participants were better hydrated, urinated more frequently and therefore experienced less bacterial growth.