Cranberry juice may help prevent repeated urinary tract infections in children, a new study says. Urinary tract infection (UTIs) is a bacterial infection that affects the bladder, leading to the infection of the blood or scars of the kidneys. Urinary tract infection is often caused by the intestinal bacteria E. coli.
Girls are at higher risks of developing the infection (8 percent) than boys (2 percent) as their urethra is shorter and closer to the anus.
The repetition of the UTIs often affects the function of the kidneys. Though health practitioners often treat the condition by prescribing antibiotics, in the long term, it will help only in creating drug-resistant bacteria.
The findings published in the journal of Urocology found the effectiveness of cranberry juice rich with the compound proanthocyanidins (PACs) in reducing the occurrence of repeated urinary tract infections by two-thirds compared to other juices, Reuters Health reported.
The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) contains high levels of the PACs substance that have the capacity to fight bacteria.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada based their study on 40 children, having repeated UTIs history.
All the participants were provided with two kind of juices- cranberry with high levels of PACs and another juice without any cranberry ingredients.
The findings proved the power of cranberry in protecting children against UTIs - only 0.4 percent of children were found getting UTIs compared with the 1.15 percent of the participants who were given the other juice.
After getting a positive result, the health experts urge parents and health practitioners to replace the antibiotics with cranberry juices rich with PACs for treating UTIs safely.
"It can be a great alternative to prophylactic (preventive) antibiotics," Dr. Hiep Nguyen of Boston Children's Hospital Nguyen, who was not involved with the study, told Reuters Health.
However, they emphasize the need for consulting a doctor before simply trying to solve the children's problem with cranberry juice.
"They still should see a doctor, so they can try to address the underlying problem," Nguyen told Reuters Health.
