- WASHINGTON (ANI) -- Contrary
to popular belief, researchers have now found that cranberry extract can
not prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
-
- For the study, forty-three patients were randomized to
receive cranberry extract or placebo.
-
- The findings did not show that cranberry pills offer
any benefit in reducing the number of bacteria in the urine of these individuals,
according to a report in Newswise.
-
- Ken Waites, a clinical pathologist at the University
of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), who directed the study said, "Complications
due to UTI are a primary medical concern and more likely to affect the
overall health and health care costs of people with SCI."
-
- Some people are more prone to getting a UTI than others.
Any abnormality of the urinary tract that obstructs the flow of urine,
a kidney stone for example, sets the stage for an infection.
-
- An enlarged prostate gland also can slow the flow of
urine, thus raising the risk of infection.
-
-
-
- Copyright © 2001 ANI-Asian News International. All
rights reserved.
-
-
- Comment
-
- From Pam Rotella
- rotella@juno.com
- 7-20-3
-
- Ugh! They engineer these studies to ensure the outcome
wanted. This is
- why it's important to look at a study's methods and data
before accepting
- summarized claims.
-
- Cranberries and blueberries are reputed to stop bacteria
from STICKING TO
- THE WALLS of the bladder and starting a culture there,
NOT to reduce or
- increase the number of bacteria in the urine. It's hard
to measure any
- difference in bacteria when UTIs are stopped from developing
entirely. A
- good study would have placed a large number of people
on cranberry vs.
- placebo, and then compared how many developed UTIs over
time in each
- group. Also, they used cranberry pills in the study,
not fresh
- cranberries or cranberry juice. Active ingredients can
sometimes become
- less effective when processed in any way, and there's
no telling how old
- or over-processed those pills were.
-
- Cranberry juice is so widely used that I've known people
personally who
- claimed daily cranberry juice ended their bladder infections.
It seems
- whenever any herb or vitamin becomes more popular than
drugs, SOMEONE
- (check their funding) has to come out with a study carefully
crafted to
- send everyone back to the drug profiteers.
- Comment
-
- From Leaflady
- leaflady@leaflady.org
- 7-20-3
-
- Jeff, this is a good example of very bad science.
-
- First of all the sample size is only 43 and usually in
"random" selection you expect 50% to be on placebo and 50% on
the item to be tested, so this reduce the actual sample to either 21 or
22, or some combination or permutation of the number 43.
-
- We do not know how these subjects were selected. No explanation
of the product used in the study is given, not is it stated the type of
product utilized.
-
- We also do not see any references to search of the literature
which is a basic tenet of good science.
-
- These are the very techniques used in studies to attempt
to vilify nutritional supplements and assure the public that diet alone
will keep you healthy. What new drug will we see next, another antibiotic?
-
- For years, at least 50, it has been known in nutritional
and medical texts that cranberry
- is very effective for UTI.
-
- The cranberry has some unique enzymes found in no other
food and it has some specific sugars that "attract" bacteria
like a magnet. The sugar molecule that attracts the bacteria then carries
it out of the body during urination. Secondly, cranberry is an acidifying
food, and bacteria do not grow in an acid environment.
-
- Dr. Jonathan Wright is well know for his studies on this
subject. He regularly treats, as I do with come clients, using a professional
product made from the concentrated cranberry sugar.
-
- Gayle
-
- Gayle Eversole, DHom, PhD, MH, RN (CP)
- Creating Health Institute
- for the natural healing arts
- www.leaflady.org
-
-
-
- Comment
-
- From Rick Gardner
- 7-22-3
-
- Jeff,
-
- I can personally attest to the effectiveness of cranberry
juice in preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs). I have a urological
condition that had been leading to a increased frequency of UTIs, one every
few months. No matter how hygienic I maintained myself, I could not stop
them. In desperation, I started drinking one small glass of cranberry
juice every evening. My UTIs stopped immediately, and I have been UTI-free
for almost two years now.
-
- It seems as though the experts are divided between being
enthusiastic supporters of cranberry juice (such as my urologist) and those
who purport that it doesn't work. Well I know of no one who suffers from
UTIs who isn't a supporter of cranberry juice.
-
- Thanks for all the great articles ...
- Rick Gardner
Comments
Alton Raines
7-22-03
Ditto!!!! These brain-dead researchers are always coming up with some BS
to hand out that shifts the focus of people away from what is good, natural
and has a track record a mile long to prove itself, and toward synthetic
pharmaceutical poisons. It's a ruse! At the slightest twinge of pain when
urinating, or even the slightest sensation of heaviness in the bladder
when empty, cranberry juice eliminates all symptoms sometimes even overnight.
Don't listen to these yahoo's. These are the same buggers that said peanut
butter was carncenogenic!
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