Q. I published the original article on cranberry juice cocktail and urinary tract infections (Journal of Urology, May, 1984). We also demonstrated in several nursing home studies that cranberry juice cocktail, not the plain juice, works best. Please spare your readers the tartness of the straight juice.
Anthony E. Sobota, PhD
A. Thank you for investigating this old wives’ tale in such a scientific manner. Investigators have confirmed your original findings and explored why it works (Urology, online April 16, 2010).
One reader shared this cranberry story: “Since drinking about 4 oz. cranberry juice every day I haven’t had a urinary tract infection. When I was overseas and the juice was unavailable, I used cranberry extract pills when an infection showed up. It was over in two or three days. That’s a much better solution than an antibiotic, which should be saved for when it’s really needed!”
