Skip to main navigation
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
For
Medicare
For
Providers
For
Brokers
For
Employers
Español
For Individuals & Families:
For Individuals & Families
Medical
Dental
Other Supplemental
Explore coverage through work
How to Buy Health Insurance
Types of Dental Insurance
Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment
See all topics
Shop for Medicare plans
Member Guide
Find a Doctor
Log in to myCigna
Home
Knowledge Center
Wellness Library
Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections
Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections
Overview
For years, people have used cranberry juice to prevent and help cure urinary tract infections (UTIs). There is limited proof that this is worth trying.
Pure cranberry juice, cranberry extract, or cranberry supplements may help prevent repeated UTIs in women, but the benefit is small. Using cranberry products to prevent UTIs may be expensive, and some people don't like the taste. No single concentration of cranberry juice, extract, or supplement has been studied, so it's hard to know which product to choose.
If you do want to try cranberry juice to prevent UTIs, it's better to drink pure, unsweetened cranberry juice (rather than cranberry juice cocktail). Drinking cranberry juice cocktail doesn't seem to prevent UTIs better than drinking any other fruit juice.footnote 1
There is no proof that cranberry can cure a UTI. Cranberry is not well tested as a UTI treatment.
References
References
Citations
- Barbosa-Cesnik C, et al. (2011). Cranberry juice fails to prevent recurrent urinary tract infection: Results from a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 52(1): 23–30.
Current as of: March 1, 2023
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Avery L. Seifert MD - Urology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
© 1995-2023 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
Related Links
Urinary Tract Infections in Teens and Adults
Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older
<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>