Cranberry Reduces UTIs in Kids: Study

Another human clinical trial has linked cranberry consumption to reduced recurrence of urinary tract infections (UTIs). This time, it’s with children.

Previous clinical trials have linked cranberry juice consumption to fewer UTI recurrences in adults, but evidence of an effect in children is lacking. The double-blind, placebo controlled trial recruited 263 children suffering from recent UTIs.

Researchers assigned parents to give their children Ocean Spray Cranberry Classic cranberry juice (n=129) or placebo (n=134) daily for six months. Assessment of any recurring UTIs was conducted for one year and researchers observed a 43% reduction in the cranberry group compared to the placebo group.

Children in the cranberry group also decreased antibiotic use by 34% compared to placebo. That reduced use of antibiotics is likely to result in a body with less resistance to antibiotics in the future.

The results of this trial are available at the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases (link above).