Okay so it turns out cranberry juice *doesn’t* actually help cure your UTIs

Please sit down because I have some horrible news to break to you: It turns out cranberry juice actually does not cure UTIs.

You’ve definitely seen your mates or people on TikTok speak about using cranberry juice, pills and extracts to cure their UTIs – maybe you’ve even tried it yourself, running to the bathroom for your 12th wee of the day, clutching your stomach and frantically sending a “pls buy me anything with cranberries in it!!!!” text to your housemate. But it turns out this doesn’t actually do anything – sorry.

Speaking to The Tab, Dr Sameer Sanghvi from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor has debunked all the cranberry-based UTI myths you’ve ever heard of, so strap in and get ready to listen to some cold, hard truth.

A doctor answers all your questions of does cranberry juice cure UTIs:

Dr Sanghvi says some people believe cranberries help UTIs, but there’s a lack of evidence over whether this is actually effective. “Some people believe drinking cranberry juice or using products that lowers the acidity of their urine (such as sodium bicarbonate or potassium citrate) reduces their symptoms, but there’s a lack of evidence to suggest they’re effective.”

However, cranberries may help to prevent you getting future UTIs. “While the phenolic acids and flavonoids within cranberries might not treat your current UTI, there have been some studies to suggest that cranberry supplements may have a part to play in preventing future UTIs”, Dr Sanghvi says.

“Cranberries are thought to work by helping prevent bacteria sticking to the lining of the bladder.”

via Yulia Khlebnikova on Unsplash

Some women say cranberry supplements were able to clear UTIs quicker than antibiotics, but Dr Sanghvi says there needs to be more research into this, as most of the research around cranberries and UTIs is around preventing rather than treating them.

“There needs to be more research into how well cranberry products can prevent UTIs, as well as which exact properties of cranberries can help. Antibiotics are proven to help cure the infection, so it’s always recommended that you see a doctor if you’re suffering from a UTI.”

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Featured image (before edits) background via Henk van der Steege on Unsplash