More Proof Cranberry Juice Thwarts Infection

July 10th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

MONDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) — Cranberry juice and cranberry
supplements really do help prevent urinary tract infections, a new study
confirms.

As many as 50 percent of women will develop at least one urinary tract
infection in their lifetime, and up to 30 percent will develop recurrent
urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to the experts. So researchers
have long debated what role — if any — cranberries and
cranberry-containing products play in preventing or treating these painful
infections.

For this new report, researchers from Taiwan analyzed 13 studies that
compared cranberry-containing products to inactive placebo among a total
of 1,616 individuals in North America and Europe. Most of the trials
lasted six months.

The result? These longtime folk remedies provide protection against
common urinary tract infections, especially among women, women with repeat
infections, children, and those who drink cranberry juice instead of
talking cranberry supplements, the researchers reported.

In addition, people who consumed the cranberry products twice a day got
more protection than their counterparts who did so less frequently,
according to the study, published July 9 in the Archives of Internal
Medicine.

“Cranberry-containing products could reduce the incidence rate of UTIs
for people at high risk,” said study author Dr. Chien-Chang Lee, director
of the department of emergency medicine at National Taiwan University
Hospital Yunlin Branch in Yunlin County.

Pregnant women, the elderly and people with neuropathic bladder — an
underactive bladder caused by damage to the nervous system — are among
those at high risk.

Exactly how cranberries help stave off urinary tract infections isn’t
fully known, but they may interfere with the attachment of bacteria to
cells, potentially preventing infection.

Cranberry juice may be more effective than capsules or tablets. “This
benefit might come from the additive or synergistic effect of unknown
substances in the juice, which are devoid in cranberry capsules or
tablets,” Lee said. “Therefore, we recommend cranberry juice rather than
cranberry tablets/capsules in prevention of UTIs despite its side
effects.”

“People taking cranberry juice for a long time might suffer from
gastrointestinal upset,” Lee said. “Cranberry capsules or tablets might
prevent this side effect.”

The high sugar content of some cranberry juices might also be a concern
for someone with diabetes, the authors said.

Because of many differences in the studies and study populations
included in this analysis, the results should be interpreted with caution,
the authors added.

Not everyone is sold on the preventive powers of the bog berry. Dr.
Elizabeth Kavaler, a urologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City,
said that cranberries and cranberry juice may be worth a try for the
prevention of urinary tract infections. But “when you have a UTI, you
have to treat it with antibiotics,” she said.

“People who get UTIs often feel helpless because of no control over
when they get one, so if the cranberries make them feel empowered, they
are safe,” she said. The best way to avoid urinary tract infections is to
prime your immune system. This includes eating well, exercising and
getting enough sleep.

Dr. Jill Rabin, chief of ambulatory care, obstetrics and gynecology and
head of urogynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde
Park, N.Y., said she has “always recommended” cranberry juice or cranberry
products to prevent urinary tract infections. “It makes urine more acidic
so it is harder for bacteria to accumulate on the bladder wall,” she
said.

Rabin agreed that cranberries are not a treatment for urinary tract
infections. Also, not everyone can safely consume cranberry juice or
pills, including individuals who take blood thinners, she said.

“Check your medications to make sure there are no contraindications,”
she advised.

Individuals with diabetes and those with compromised immune systems may
be more prone to develop urinary tract infections. While there is no
surefire way to prevent these infections, showering before and after
having sex, and avoiding thong underwear may also make a difference, she
said.

More information

The U.S. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information
Clearinghouse talks about treating urinary tract infections.