Problems with urinary infection are common in women – and the older we get, the worse the problem. So does cranberry juice work ? I’ve been looking into it.

For many decades cranberry juice has been thought to reduce bacterial infections of the bladder. Studies in recent years have shown that cranberry juice inhibits adherence of E. coli cells to cells lining the bladder. Two different constituents have been implicated, one being fructose and the other a large polymeric compound of unknown structure.  Fructose is present in all fruits, but the large polymeric compound is found only in cranberry and blueberry juices and not other fruits.

The study I read about was a well-conducted randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial performed in Boston. The study found that cranberry juice had a significant effect on the incidence of bladder infections and suggested Cranberry juice could have been working by curing existing infections, by preventing new infections, or by a combination of these mechanisms though the results implied that that cranberry juice actually cures existing infection. 

I have a continuing re-occurring problem of bladder infection and I’m definitely switching my breakfast juice to  a cranberry/blueberry combination.