Cranberry juice beats bladder infections in children

40 children who had experienced two or more UTIs were randomly assigned to drink either a cranberry juice-rich in PACs (proanthocyanidin) or a non-cranberry juice. The testing occurred at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

The reoccurrence rate among the high PAC cranberry juicers was over 65% fewer than the placebo subjects. This type of testing has a cold side, doesn’t it? Imagine signing up for a trial hoping to get some positive health results and unknowingly getting the placebo instead.

The results of the Vancouver study were published in the Journal of Urology. It was enough to convince at least one formerly skeptical MD reviewer not involved with the study, Dr. Hiep Nguyen of Boston Children’s Hospital.

He has started prescribing cranberry extracts and juices for his pediatric patients.