Cranberry Concentrate

...supports a healthy urinary tract*

Features & Benefits

• Inhibits the growth of harmful Escherichia coli bacteria*

• Prevents the adherence of bacteria to the lining of the urinary tract which helps to reduce bacteria*

• Increases the excretion of hippuric acid in urine which increases urinary acidity*

• Eases swelling of the kidneys and painful urination*

Facts About Cranberry

Cranberries have been used as an herbal remedy for the urinary tract for over a century.* In the 1920s, scientists demonstrated that cranberries increase the urinary excretion of hippuric acid, an organic acid which acidifies urine.*1 More recently, researchers have investigated the ability of cranberries to prevent the adherence of bacteria to the urinary tract lining.*2,3

Bacteria strains capable of attaching to the mucus lining of the urinary tract are more likely to contribute to an overgrowth of bacteria, while unattached bacteria are harmlessly eliminated when the bladder is emptied.*2 Laboratory research demonstrates that cranberry juice contains at least two separate compounds which hinder the ability of  E. coli (the bacteria most frequently associated with urinary tract problems) to adhere to the urinary tract lining.*3

A clinical trial involving elderly women prone to developing bladder problems demonstrates that cranberry juice effectively helps maintain a healthy urinary tract.*4 When 153 elderly women drank either 10 ounces of cranberry juice cocktail every day for six months or a similarly tasting but inactive beverage, the women drinking the cranberry juice were 58 percent more likely to maintain healthy urinary tracts unaffected by harmful organisms.*4 However, it may take four to eight weeks of daily use before cranberry juice affects bacteria adhesion levels or the presence of white blood cells in the urine.*4

Children with medical conditions requiring urinary catheters, which can increase the risk for urinary tract problems, may also benefit from cranberry juice. A small study of 16 such children, tracked the presence of white and red blood cells in their urine (markers of infection) while the children drank two to three glasses of cranberry juice daily.5 At the beginning of the study, most of the children had measurable levels of red and white blood cells in their urine, which were reduced after drinking the cranberry juice for two weeks. In addition, many of the children’s urine was clearer and had less of an odor while drinking the cranberry juice.

Ingredient Highlights

This high potency product contains pure concentrated cranberry solids, without the calories from added sugars. These natural tablets contain no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors or flavors. Each tablet is equivalent to 2 ounces of 27% cranberry fruit juice concentrate. The tablets also contain nutrients, including 35 mg of magnesium, 30 mg of vitamin C, plus trace amounts of calcium, copper, iron, potassium and B vitamins. Other key components are organic acids, such as citric acid, malic acid, quinic acid and benzoic acid (which act as natural preservatives).

References

1. Bodel PT, Cotran R, and Kass EH: Cranberry juice and the antibacterial action of hippuric acid. J Lab Clin, 1959;54(6):881-888

2. Eden CS, Janson GL, and Lindberg U: Adhesiveness to urinary tract epithelial cells of fecal and urinary Eschericha coli isolates from patients with symptomatic urinary tract infections or asymptomatic bacteriuria of varying duration. J Urol, 1979;122:185-188

3. Zafriri D, Ofek I, Adar R, et al: Inhibitory activity of cranberry juice on adherence of type 1 and type P fimbriated Eschericha coli to eucaryotic cells. Antimicrob Agents Chemo,1989;33(1):92-98

4. Avorn J, Monane M, Gurwitz JH, et al: Reduction of bacteriuria and pyuria after ingestion of cranberry juice. JAMA, 1994;271(10):751-754

5. Rogers J: Pass the cranberry juice. Nursing Times, 1991;87(48):36-37