No significant evidence that cranberry juice can prevent UTIs - 20-Oct-2012

A Cochrane Library review finds that cranberries may not be effective in treating Urinary Tract Infections. Some evidence shows that cranberry juice may decrease the number of symptomatic UTIs over a 12 month period, particularly for women with recurrent UTIs. However the addition of 14 further studies suggests that cranberry juice is less effective than previously indicated. Although some of small studies demonstrated a small benefit for women with recurrent UTIs, there were no statistically significant differences when the results of a much larger study were included. Cranberry products were not significantly different to antibiotics for preventing UTIs in three small studies.

Given the large number of dropouts/withdrawals from studies (mainly attributed to the acceptability of consuming cranberry products particularly juice, over long periods), and the evidence that the benefit for preventing UTI is small, cranberry juice cannot currently be recommended for the prevention of UTIs. See: "Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections" Ruth G Jepson et al. Cochrane Renal Group, Published Online: 17 OCT 2012 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub5