Study: Cranberry concentrate supplements reduce bladder infections

OUD-BEIJERLAND, The Netherlands — New research published in the American Journal of Geriatrics on Monday found that more than 25% of bladder infections (cystitis) can be reduced with the regular use of cranberry concentrate supplements in vulnerable older people in nursing homes at high risk of urinary tract infections. 

More than 20% of these high-risk elderly did not develop any UTI’s at all when taking the cranberry capsule.

The Public Health and Primary Care department of the Leiden University Medical Center LUMC conducted the one-year study in 21 Dutch nursing homes and was financed by ZonMW, a government organization that funds health research to help improve health and health care in the Netherlands, and by the supplier of cranberry concentrate Springfield Nutraceuticals.

Currently, nearly 1-in-10 nursing home residents in the United States have a urinary tract infection. An estimated 17% to 69% of all catheter-associated urinary tract infections may be preventable. 

In the one-year study, 928 people with an average age of 85 years participated. During the study, cranberry capsules with a specific composition were used and compared with a placebo. In this study the cranberry supplement used contains the whole cranberry: skin, seeds, pulp, juice and fiber that previous research has shown is preferable to those that do not contain the whole fruit.