I have been doing research at Rutgers University for the past 20 years and have found that cranberries prevent bacteria from sticking to bladder cells, which is the initial step in the urinary tract infection process.  I think we need to keep these latest findings in perspective with the totality of cranberry research that has been done over the last 100 years.  This latest review analyzed results from some of the clinical trials, using criteria that apply to studies on drug treatments. Cranberry is a food that comes in different forms (juices, powders, dried, etc.) making it difficult to compare results from different trials because the same form and dosage of cranberry were not used in each study.  

Interestingly, three new UTI clinical studies, published after this report was prepared, have shown significant benefits in children, with as much as a 65% reduction in UTIs and reduced use of antibiotics.  Cranberries in many forms are enjoyed by millions of people globally on a daily basis.  If women are currently consuming cranberry products, the results of this one review do not provide a reason for them to change their current practices.  It is important that cranberry continue to be regarded and researched as a viable means to help address the public health challenge that UTIs and their treatment presents to antibiotic resistance.  The effects of the studies are clinically important to the 15 million women in the US with UTIs each year. - Amy Howell, PhD