Cranberry reduced urinary tract infections post-surgery
This study followed 64 otherwise healthy people who needed urinary catheterization after a surgical procedure. Immediately following surgery, participants took a placebo, 120 or 240 mg of cranberry extract per day, or 50 mg of the antibiotic nitrofurantoin three times per day.
Four weeks after surgery, those taking cranberry had fewer UTIs than antibiotics or placebo, and none in the cranberry group had a UTI recur in the three months after the study ended.
Antibiotics during and after surgery, including the nitrofurantoin used in the study, may introduce bacterial strains that are resistant to antibiotic treatments, potentially causing UTIs to persist for months after surgery.
Commenting on the findings, doctors said cranberry extract was safe and well-tolerated during the study, with no adverse effects among any of the participants, and that reducing and preventing recurrent UTIs is an important step in preserving good urinary tract health post-surgery, and in lowering health care costs.
Reference: Journal of Dietary Supplements; 2021, 1972074
