cranberries are also effective as antibiotics?
Several studies 2 have to say that cranberries reduce the frequency of cystitis in women 30 to 40 years but beyond that, there was no evidence so far that little red fruit retains its virtues. For more information, a team écossaise compared its efficacy to standard treatment with antibiotics in small doses over the long term preventative. A total of 137 women over 45 years, with at least 2 UTIs in the previous year, took 6 months or 500 mg of cranberry extract, 100 mg trométhoprine, an antibiotic effective against germs concerned these infections.
During the study, 39 women were victims of cystitis (25 in the cranberry group and 14 in another), with periods of recurrence substantially similar (respectively 84.5 and 91 days). More women in the study antibiotics were discontinued (11 against 6 in the cranberry group). In both groups, the offending bacteria were mainly E. coli, according to the authors, therefore antibiotics have a slight advantage in terms of effectiveness of cranberry extract, but have more side effects.
These results will provide women victims of cystitis frequently to assess their physician's interest to choose between these two alternatives preventive. Also note that in addition to its natural character and its low cost, the cranberry has the advantage of reducing the risk of the emergence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Finally, taking cranberry does not expose the dangerous or embarrassing side effects of chronic administration of an antibiotic, such as intestinal or vaginal fungal superinfection (thrush) or the rare but dreaded pseudomembranous colitis caused by a germ to growth promoted by the antibiotic.