People who drink cranberry juice are 54 percent less likely to develop urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to a study led by researchers at Bond University.
It has long been suspected that cranberries contain compounds that help prevent bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract, reducing the risk of infection.
However the effectiveness of cranberry juice has been confirmed by the network meta-analysis that amalgamated the results of 20 studies involving 3091 participants worldwide.
While some studies presented conflicts of interest, such as receiving funding from cranberry companies, this was taken into account when analysing the data.
Lead researcher Dr Christian Moro said the findings could help reduce the use of antibiotics to treat UTIs.
“More than half of women experience UTIs and antibiotics are a go-to treatment prescribed by doctors,” said Dr Moro, Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine.
“With antibiotic resistance increasing, it is vital to identify effective non-drug interventions.
“Cranberry juice is an effective and easy intervention that should be considered for the management of UTIs.”
The study, involving researchers from the University of Oxford and University of Helsinki, also found cranberry juice reduced the need for antibiotics by 59 percent, and significantly reduced the symptoms of those with a current UTI.
Just drinking more water or taking cranberry tablets was also beneficial, although not to the extent of combining cranberry with fluid, such as in juice.
About 50 percent of women and 20 percent of men experience a UTI in their lifetime.