Does Cranberry Juice Help With a UTI?

You’ve probably heard by now that cranberry juice can help with urinary tract infections (UTIs). But is this true? Is cranberry actually good for treating or preventing UTIs? Let’s take a closer look at whether cranberry juice or cranberry pills can help with UTI symptoms and if not, how you can treat it.

Cranberry juice for UTI: Myth or reality?

It’s not clear whether cranberry juice or pills can really help prevent or treat a UTI. The data is mixed. One study of older adults looked at people who were at risk for getting UTI compared with people who weren’t at risk. 

Some of the people in each group got cranberry pills and some got a placebo (sugar pill). Interestingly, the people at risk for a UTI who got cranberry pills had fewer UTI symptoms. But there was no difference in actual UTI diagnosis using a urine culture to confirm the presence of bacteria. In the low-risk group, there was no difference in UTI symptoms or the presence of bacteria on urine culture. 

The researchers concluded that if a person is at increased risk, taking cranberry pills might lower the incidence of UTI symptoms. But this evidence is weak.

What cranberry juice or pills are best for UTI prevention?

Among the studies that have looked at cranberry as UTI prevention, there’s a lot of variation in what type of cranberry products were used. For that reason, it’s difficult to say if taking cranberry pills for UTI is better than cranberry juice. 

When cranberry juice is studied, it’s usually a higher concentration than the cranberry juice cocktail at your grocery store. The taste of pure cranberry juice typically turns people off, so the commercial versions are sweetened. That being said, pure cranberry juice may be better than sweetened cranberry juice for preventing UTI. 

You can also find dried cranberry powder in capsule or tablet form. But, you’ll want to be careful when taking cranberry supplements for UTI. They’re not regulated, and dosing may not be consistent. 

How much cranberry you need for UTI prevention hasn’t been established. But many studies have shown that 36 mg of proanthocyanidins (PAC) is the recommended intake for cranberry products to have an effect. Many cranberry supplements contain much less than that and aren’t likely to help with UTI at all. 

Be sure to speak with your healthcare provider before taking anything new — including cranberry supplements. This will be important especially if you take other medications or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

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Where does the claim that cranberry juice helps with UTIs come from?

It’s believed that cranberries were first used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. In the late 1800s, scientists discovered that cranberry juice could lower the pH of urine (making it more acidic). It was thought that a low pH of urine could also prevent the growth of bacteria, including E. coli — the most common cause of UTIs. 

Research has found that proanthocyanidins in cranberries may prevent E. coli from sticking to the cells of the urinary tract. 

UTI treatment options

Treatment of uncomplicated UTIs requires antibiotics. It’s important to treat a UTI promptly to avoid more serious issues, like kidney infection. Some of the antibiotics that are most frequently used include:

• Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra)

• Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid, Macrodantin)

• Amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate

• Cefdinir

• Cephalexin

• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)

• Levofloxacin (Levaquin)

Your healthcare provider will take into account your entire clinical picture when prescribing an antibiotic. The right antibiotic for you will depend on a number of factors, including:

• What bacteria is causing your infection

• Your age

• Whether the area you live in has a high antibiotic resistance rate

• Whether you have allergies/sensitivities

• How often you get UTIs

Rarely, a UTI might go away on its own. It’s hard to predict which ones will, though. And some untreated UTIs will turn into a more complicated infection. That’s why it’s always best to let your healthcare provider know if you have UTI symptoms.

UTI prevention tips

Cranberry juice may or may not help prevent UTIs. But there are four things you can do at home to help prevent a UTI:

• Urinate after sex. This helps to wash bacteria from the urethra so they can’t make their way up into the bladder.

• Stay hydrated. Good hydration means you pee often, and this will help ensure that you regularly wash away bacteria from the urethra.

• Wipe from front to back after you pee. This might prevent introducing bacteria from the rectal area into the urethra if you’re at high risk.

• Look into different birth control options. There isn’t any evidence that hormonal birth control causes UTIs. But spermicides may increase the risk. If you have recurrent urinary infections, you might consider switching your birth control.

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Written by:

Frank Schwalbe, MD

Frank Schwalbe, MD, is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the Yale School of Medicine. He has practiced anesthesiology for 30 years.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

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