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This month's focus is: Urinary Tract Infections and Cranberry Juice   (Previous Topic - 04/11)

It is widely known and accepted that cranberry juice can prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). However, there has been no scientific evidence to support this claim. A recent prospective double-blind trial of 319 otherwise healthy patients looked into this question.

Women ages 18 to 40 who presented with acute UTIs to the University of Michigan Health Service were randomized to receive 8 oz of either placebo or cranberry juice. Urine samples were collected at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months after the initial visit. Results from the study showed that the overall recurrence rate of UTIs within 6 months was 16.9%, which was less than expected. Furthermore, the distribution of recurrence was similar in both groups. Thus, cranberry juice appears to have minimal affect on UTI prevention.

Barbosa-Cesnik et al. "Cranberry Juice Fails to Prevent Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection: Results From a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial." Clinical Infectious Diseases. 52(2011): 23-30.