New Research Reveals How Cranberry Juice Helps Urinary Tract Infections

As a chiropractor in San Diego, nutrition is a big part of our practice. If you’ve had a urinary tract infection also known as a UTI, you’ve probably heard all about the home remedy: cranberry juice. For years, it was nothing but an “old wive’s tale” without any scientific proof. Now, cranberry juice is widely accepted to fight the bacteria that causes UTIs. The mechanism of exactly how it works is still not known.

A study from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute is finally shedding some light on the secrets of Cranberry juice’s bacteria fighting power in battling this condition. According to researchers, 95% of UTIs are a pathogenic strain of the same E. Coli bacteria found in the intestines. The “bad” E. Coli have little arm-like appendages that grab onto and anchor themselves to the cells of the urinary tract.

As soon as the E. Coli get a good grip on the Urinary Tract cell walls – they start multiplying. These tiny anchors are important because without them, every time you went to the bathroom, the force of your urine would simply flush the bacteria out of your body.

What’s amazing is E. Coli doubles in number in one hour and it only takes a few hours to cause an infection. These are fast Moving Little Buggers! Cranberries have been known to help as far back as 1620. Clinical trials were conducted in 1923 and researchers believed cranberries increased the acidity of urine, killing the bacteria. Sixty years later, scientists realized cranberries did not make urine acidic enough to kill E. Coli.

Now, a new study theorizes cranberries work to protect you from UTIs in a very different way. Here’s the new theory: Cranberries contain large amounts of a chemical called proanthocyanidin or PAC. PAC functions almost like a shield that blocks the arms or anchors of E. Coli from attaching to the cells in the urinary tract. These shields actually make the “anchors” crumble when they try to attach themselves to the urinary tract.

Here is something very important: According to the research, Cranberries’ “shields” were only effective at preventing a UTI. In other words, cranberry “shields” only worked when E. Coli was trying to attach itself – once it was attached, cranberries did not have the similar affect. According to the researchers, “Cranberry juice seems more effective at preventing future bacterial infections than treating an existing one.” The study was published online on June 21 in the journal, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cranberries.

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