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Cranberry

by Jacinta Horan in Research Library

The Native American Indians first used cranberries for food and for their medicinal properties to treat bladder and kidney diseases.

Cranberries contain a chemical component called proanthocyanidins that help discourage bacteria from sticking on the walls of the bladder (the urinary tract). Our Cranberry formula contains Vitamin C and Silica to help reduce the frequency of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). The added silica also supports nail strength and thickness.

Antioxidant

  • The chemical polyphenolic compounds in cranberry show a high antioxidant capacity (Braun & Cohen 2015, 248).
  • Isolated compounds and the whole fruit have shown free radical scavenging activity comparable to that of Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant (Yan et al. 2002).

Urinary Tract Health

  • Cranberries contribute to the maintenance of urinary tract health including bacterial anti-adhesion bioactivity of the proanthocyanidins (Howell 2007). 
  • Random controlled trials demonstrate evidence of using cranberry therapeutically in UTI prophylaxis (Lynch 2004). 
  • A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 150 women over a 12 month period found cranberry significantly decreased the number of patients having at least one symptomatic UTI per year (Stothers 2002).

Nail Health

  • Silica supports the body’s structure and strength of connective tissue for healthy and strong nails (Lassus 1992).
  • Silica plays a role in repairing connective tissues in hair and nail beds (Barel et al. 2005).
  • Studies suggest silica improves the condition of nails and overall nail health (Lassus 1992).

References

  1. Braun, L., and Cohen,Marc. 2015. Herbs & Natural Supplements An Evidence-based guide Volume 2. 4th ed. Australia: Elsevier.
  2. Howell, AB. 2007. “Bioactive compounds in cranberries and their role in prevention of urinary tract infections.” Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 51. 6 (June); 732-7. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/mnfr.200700038
  3. Yan, X., Murphy, BT., Hammond, GB., Vinson, JA., Neto, CC. 2002. “Antioxidant activities and antitumor screening of extracts from cranberry fruit (Vaccinium macrocarpon)”. Journal of agriculture and food chemistry, 9. 50 (Oct); 5844-9. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jf0202234
  4. Lynch, DM. 2004. “Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections”. American Family Physician, 70. 11 (Dec): 2175-2177. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/1201/p2175.html 
  5. Stothers, L. 2002. “A randomized trial to evaluate effectiveness and cost effectiveness of naturopathic cranberry products as prophylaxis against urinary tract infection women.” The Canadian Journal of Urology, 9. 3 (jun): 1588-62. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12121581 
  6. Barel A., Calomme, M., Timchenko, A., De Paepe, K., Demeester, N., Rogiers, V., Clarys,  P., Vanden, BD. 2005. “Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin”. Arch Dermatol Res. 297. 4 (June):147-53. doi: 10.1007/s00403-005-0584-6.
  7. Lassus, A. 1992. “Colloidal silicic acid for oral and topical treatment of aged skin, fragile hair and brittle nails in females”. J Int Med Res. 21. 4 (Jul-Aug):209-15. doi: 10.1177/030006059302100406. PMID: 8112478.

The content on this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine or taking new supplements.

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