Benefits of Cranberry Juice for MS

Drink Your Cranberry Juice!

A Finnish study shows that drinking cranberry juice is effective in cutting the occurrence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in half. This is great news for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), who are much more prone to UTIs due to bladder dysfunction, which effects an estimated 80% of people with MS at some point. Bladder dysfunction results from damage to the nerves controlling the bladder and the sphincter (muscle around the opening of the bladder), and often leads to incomplete emptying of the bladder and retained urine – creating a perfect breeding ground for the bacteria which cause UTIs. UTIs are particularly dangerous for people with MS, as they can lead to relapses.

Whenever I heard the advice “Drink cranberry juice,” I never knew what kind or how much I should be drinking. I read the study mentioned, converted amounts from the Metric system, tried it myself and this is what I have for you:

• Use 100% unsweetened cranberry juice, not “CranRaspberry,” “CranGrape” or any of the other concoctions that actually taste good, but that are mostly apple juice with a little bit of cranberry juice and other flavors.
• Dilute 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of the cranberry juice in 8 ounces (1 cup) of water. Do not add any sweeteners.
• Drink. This is easier said than done, as your unsweetened cranberry-water combo will taste pretty sour. I find that it goes down easier with a straw and if it is at room temperature, rather than really cold, so that you can drink it fast without getting a headache.

I wish you luck. You can take comfort in the fact that you are also getting loads of flavonoids and phenols, both which act as antioxidants, which have all sorts of positive effects on health. It also gives you a pretty good dose of vitamin C.

Last points:

• An alternative to the juice is taking concentrated cranberry tablets, which have also been shown to be effective in preventing UTIs.
• If you think you already have a UTI or bladder infection, do not try to self-treat with cranberry juice. Untreated UTIs can lead to relapses, as mentioned, as well as to permanent damage to the urinary tract.

_Source:

Kontiokari, Sundqvist, Nuutinen, Pokka, Koskela and Uhari. 2001. Randomized trial of cranberry-lingonberry juice and Lactobacillus GG drink for the prevention of urinary tract infections in women. British Med. J. 322: 1571-1573.

Stothers. 2002. A randomized trial to evaluate effectiveness and cost effectiveness of naturopathic cranberry products as prophylaxis against urinary tract infection in women. Can J Urol;9(3):1558-62.