GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Cranberry is a member of the same family as
bilberry and is native to North America. The medicinal part of cranberry is the juice obtained
from ripe berries. Cranberry has been used to
prevent kidney stones as well as to remove toxins from
the blood. The plant has long been recommended for people
with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
ROLE FOR ANTI-AGING:
The pro-anthocyanidins present in cranberry
prevent E. coli, the most common cause of UTIs and recurrent UTIs, from adhering to the cells
lining the wall of the bladder and urinary tract. The
berries have also been shown to reduce bacteria levels in
the urinary bladder, an action which may help to prevent
future infections. A study carried out in 2000 by Wang and Jiao revealed that cranberry Cranberry
juice is an effective scavenger of free radicals; therefore,
the plant has antioxidant properties. Cranberry is also rich
in flavonoids, citric and other acids and vitamin
C; exactly which compounds are most active in promoting good urinary tract health (and delivering cranberry’s other health benefits) is
still being determined. Patients taking the protein pump
inhibitors Lansoprazole and Omeprazole may benefit from
cranberry extracts as the plant has been shown to
increase the absorption of vitamin B12.
THERAPEUTIC DAILY AMOUNT:
Most tablets and capsules contain dried, unsweetened juice powder or concentrated extract. An
average dose is 500 to 1,000mg per day. Unsweetened
cranberry juice (available in some health foods stores) is
the most potent cranberry drink, but many people find
it difficult to get down; sweetened drinks are more palatable. “Cranberry juice drinks” typically contain 10 to 20% juice; “cranberry juice
cocktails” typically have 25 to 35% real juice. Some
observers have wondered whether these products were too
diluted or sugar-laden to have any therapeutic effects
but a number of recent studies have found that they can be quite beneficial. For instance, a
1994 study found that 10 ounces per day of commercially
available cranberry juice cocktail was almost twice as
effective as a placebo in reducing bacteria in urine.
When buying the “juice drinks,” one will have to drink roughly twice the amount, 20 ounces a
day.
MAXIMUM SAFE LEVEL: Not established SIDE EFFECTS/CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Ingestion of large amounts (more than 3-4
liters per day) often results in diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, large
doses of cranberry should be avoided if one is aking
drugs for urinary or kidney problems, or are pregnant or
breast-feeding. People taking drugs that affect the kidneys
or the urinary tract should consult their doctor
before taking supplementary cranberry.
