Over Thanksgiving, we might indulge in cranberry sauce or cranberry juice as part of our holiday traditions. While some love cranberry products and others do not, are there benefits to consuming cranberries? Specifically, can cranberry juice prevent urinary tract infections?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are bacterial infections that occur when bacteria enter the urethra (part of the urinary tract) from the skin or rectum (1). UTIs are often treated by a short course of antibiotics and will clear up within a few days of treatment (2). It is often stated that drinking cranberry juice can help prevent or clear up UTIs. Let’s think twice.

A 1998 systematic review found no randomized controlled trials of cranberry juice as treatment for UTIs (3), and we couldn’t find any done since. Cranberry juice is not a treatment for UTI.

In terms of prophylaxis, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found a 54% lower rate of UTIs with cranberry juice consumption and a 49% lower rate with other liquids (4). Greater liquid intake is associated with fewer UTIs, but it’s not clear that cranberry juice is more effective than other liquids for prophylaxis.

One limitation of studies of the relationship between UTIs and cranberry is the use of a variety of cranberry products, for example, juice or capsules (5). Though you are likely not preventing a UTI, you can indulge in cranberry foods this season for the sake of holiday tradition.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Urinary Tract Infection Basics.” Jan. 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/uti/about/index.html

2. May Clinic. “Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).” Sep. 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-tract-infection/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353453

3. Jepson, R G et al. “Cranberries for treating urinary tract infections.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 1998,2 (2000): CD001322. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001322

4. Moro, Christian et al. “Cranberry Juice, Cranberry Tablets, or Liquid Therapies for Urinary Tract Infection: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.” European Urology Focus, S2405-4569(24)00122-6. 18 Jul. 2024, doi:10.1016/j.euf.2024.07.002

5. R. Raz, B. Chazan, M. Dan, Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infection, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 38, Issue 10, 15 May 2004, Pages 1413–1419, https://doi.org/10.1086/386328?