Suffering from urinary tract infection? Study claims consuming cranberries may help

New Delhi: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections involving the kidneys, ureters, the bladder and the urethra.

It is more common in adults than in children. And if you're a woman, your chance of getting a urinary tract infection is high. This is because the urethra is shorter in women than in men, and it is closer to the anus, making it more likely that bacteria are transferred to the bladder.

For treatment, a doctor may recommend a shorter course, such as taking an antibiotic for one to three days. But whether this short course of treatment is enough to treat your infection depends on your particular symptoms and medical history.

However, a new study has claimed that consuming cranberry products may be a low-risk, cheap and effective way to prevent recurrent UTIs.

The study, published in The Journal of Urology, suggests that doctors may recommend cranberry products as first line of defence against the disease.

Researchers conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis and assessment of human clinical trials and 28 studies on nearly 5,000 patients.

They found that overall, the use of cranberry products led to a statistically significant risk reduction in repeat UTIs.

The medicinal properties of cranberries may be attributed to their unique polyphenol, proanthocyanidins (PACs), researchers said.

Their ability to keep infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls may be the major reason for their effectiveness in limiting infection growth and recurrence, they added.

"Our investigation supports that cranberry products can be a powerful tool to fight off frequent UTIs," said Angelo Luis, from the Universidade da Beira Interior in Portugal.

"While recommendations for dosage and duration of treatment require further study, the efficacy of the medicinal properties of cranberry products has been well-established," Luis added.

(With PTI inputs)