|
||||||
   
|
|
Antibiotics are both good and bad--a godsend when you're fighting off strep throat or bronchitis, but hated if they cause a rebound yeast infection. It's best to avoid them whenever you can--like not insisting your doc give you a prescription if you have a cold. But sometimes only an antibiotic will do, as in the case of bladder infections, or UTIs. Some of my patients swear that they can treat a UTI by large doses of cranberry juice. However, multiple studies have shown that once bacteria have established themselves in your bladder, only antibiotics can get rid of them. But there is evidence to support the claim that cranberry juice can help prevent UTIs from happening in the first place. Cranberries have the lovely effect of keeping the most common UTI bacteria (E. coli) from sticking to the walls of the bladder, so they reduce the chance of an infection from taking hold. It's unclear, though, how much cranberry juice you need to drink to have this effect. These trials have used a wide variety of cranberry products, such as cranberry juice concentrate, cranberry juice cocktail, and cranberry capsules, and they have used different dosing regimens. Most studies suggest between 300 and 750ml a day--that's the equivalent of one to two cans of soda. Not everyone can tolerate that much acidity (and extra calories) each day. And the amount of cranberry capsules and tablets have varied as well. If you're prone to getting UTIs--or if the memory of your first one is so painful you'd do anything to avoid it again--you may want to try cranberry juice. Stick with products that say 100% cranberry (not the cocktails that are diluted with so much sugar). But if you have all the symptoms of an infection, head to your gyno, not the grocery store. Have any of you had success preventing UTIs with cranberry juice? 4 CommentsLeave a comment |
|
![[Body By Glamour ad]](http://dailybedpost.com/ads/bbg-fall-275x225.gif)
 
Em & Lo, more formally known as Emma Taylor and Lorelei Sharkey, are
the self-proclaimed Emily Posts of the modern bedroom.
Dr. Kate is an OB/GYN at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New
York City.
Check out Daily Bedpost on MySpace.com.
|
||
FEED ME
I totally have success stopping UTIs with cranberry juice. The thing is, you have to know your body well enough to catch them before they are full blown, just the very first...er... tingle? For lack of a bette term. If you start even a couple hours too late it does no good, or at least you'll need antibiotics as well.
You know, I've never had a UTI in my life, which I guess isn't so very long (I'm mid-twenties now). I've always drank cranberry juice since I was a child and I just grew to really like the taste. I drink it weekly, and to this day Cran-raspberry juice is one of my favorite drinks.
I have a regular problem with UTIs, and I've learned to take cranberry capsules at the first "tingle." I've found that preventing dehydration is crucial, too--if I neglect drinking water for just a day or two, I can begin to feel those awful bacteria collect. It's shocking to me that the cranberry pills actually work, though. I still don't quite believe it, even though I take them.
I got my first UTI shortly after my first real boyfriend (surprise surprise) and it was AWFUL....and then I got another one about 5 months later and it was just as awful....since then I have taken cranberry pills religiously every single day (I get the ones at trader joes, you take 3 at a time, once a day.) I haven't had a UTI in almost 2 years. I don't know if its the pills but I'm not going to stop them to find out!!!!