Cranberry

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Urinary tract infections³

  In people prone to urinary tract infections, taking cranberry products lowered the chance of getting another one.

• Benefit

  Antioxidant levels after hard exercise⁴

  In rowers, cranberry extract raised resting and post-exercise antioxidant levels, but did not change inflammation or iron markers.

• Concern

  Blood clotting with warfarin⁵

  A woman on warfarin saw her blood clotting test rise after drinking cranberry juice daily, twice.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Cancer cell growth⁸

  In lab studies, cranberry extracts and compounds slowed the growth of breast, colon, prostate and lung tumor cells.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Urinary tract inflammation⁶

  Cranberry may help against urinary tract inflammation in adults and children, but scientists do not yet know everything about how it works.

• Concern

  Blood-thinning medicine interaction⁷

  Cranberry is not known to cause serious health risks when taken properly in supplements, though it may interact with warfarin.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.