Previously studies have suggested cranberry juice can fight against bacteria in Petri disk.
A new study, presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, added to the existing evidence by showing cranberry juice could reach the urinary tract and prevent bacterial growing within eight hours of drinking cranberry juice.
Researchers from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts grew strains of E. colin, which was collected from healthy people before and after they drank cranberry juice cocktail.
They found that, in petri dishes, cranberry metabolites in the juice prevented bacteria from sticking to one another and prohibited them from multiplying.
Urinary tract infections are more common among women than men. One in three women has had a urinary tract infection.
Urinary tract infections can occur anywhere along the urinary tract, which includes the bladder, urethra, and ureter. In the US, these infections account for 8 million trips to the doctor’s office every year and cost more than $1.6 billion to treat.
People should not self-treat urinary tract infections, and anyone who suspects they have an infection should see a doctor. However, drinking cranberry juice may be an easy and inexpensive way to help keep the bacteria at bay.
Sources: American Chemical Society, Boston Aug 22-25, 2010
Please visit http://healthreason.com/ for more health related articles
