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Crn7.5
Cranberry Extract Research
Likely helpsHigh safety
36 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Likely helps
Cranberry Extract appears to help in 7 of 9 studies with measurable effects — the evidence leans clearly favourable.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2007–2025 with a typical study size of 80 participants.
Based on 36 studies · 7 meta-analyses · 25 RCTs · 27,929 total participants
Confidence
High
What the studies found
7helped2unclear· 27 more without graded effect data
By outcome
Urinary tract infection
Likely helps26 studies
Women's healthMay help manage menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes · 4-8 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational7 studies
Inflammation
Mostly mechanism / observational4 studies
Safety profile
Mostly mechanism / observational4 studies
Therapeutic & clinical
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies
Oral & dental health
Too few graded studies2 studies
Glucose & metabolic
Too few graded studies2 studies
Cholesterol & lipids
Too few graded studies2 studies
Heart & blood pressure
Too few graded studies1 study
Liver health
Too few graded studies1 study
Immune supportReduced frequency of recurrent UTIs · Ongoing prevention
Too few graded studies1 study
By the numbers
Pulled from 28 studies with measurable effects
Likely real effects
57%
across studies
People studied
28k
typical study: 80 people
Strongest designs
32
7 pooled, 25 randomised
Showed benefit
78%
7/9 studies
How long studies ran
1–4 weeks
2
1–3 months
3
3+ months
4
Populations Studied
Women with recurrent UTIs2
Preeclampsia patients1
Women with recurrent UTI history1
Rheumatoid arthritis patients1
Active research area
14 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2025
200720162025
1UTI recurrence reductionSystematic Reviewn=4,473 · very large study2012
Cranberry products reduced UTI risk in women with recurrent UTIs.
Jepson RG et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2012)
3Clinical signs and symptoms of preeclampsiaMeta-AnalysisCited 3×n=349 · medium study2025
ECGC and resveratrol supplements have been investigated for potential effects in managing clinical signs and symptoms of preeclampsia; however, evidence on the clinical and adverse effects of polyphenols is limited and uncertain.
Nguyen PY et al. · BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology (2025)
ECGC and resveratrol supplements have been investigated for potential effects in managing clinical signs and symptoms of preeclampsia; however, evidence on the clinical and adverse effects of polyphenols is limited and uncertain.
5Clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritisMeta-AnalysisCited 21×2023
Some non-pharmacological therapies may modestly improve some clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Turk MA et al. · Autoimmunity reviews (2023)
Some non-pharmacological therapies may modestly improve some clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Many identified studies lacked full reporting.
Further clinical trials that are well-designed, adequately powered, and sufficiently report ACR improvement criteria or EULAR response criteria outcomes are needed to confirm the efficacy of these therapies.
6Time to first symptomatic UTIRCTCited 25×n=40 · small study2014
Taking cranberry extract versus placebo twice a day did not prevent UTI occurrence in MS patients with urinary disorders.
Gallien P et al. · Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) (2014)
No clear effect
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Could be chance
There was no difference in time to first symptomatic UTI distribution across 1 year, with an estimated hazard ratio of 0.99, 95% CI [0.61, 1.60] (p = 0.97).
Taking cranberry extract versus placebo twice a day did not prevent UTI occurrence in MS patients with urinary disorders.
It seems that 288 mg of cranberry extract might improve managing NAFLD, which is equivalent to 26 g of dried cranberry.
Hormoznejad R et al. · International journal of food sciences and nutrition (2020)
Significant improvements in insulin resistance were observed in the cranberry group and between the two groups (p < .001 and p = .020, respectively).
At the end of the study, alanine aminotransferase and insulin decreased significantly in both groups (p < .05); however, this reduction was significantly greater in the cranberry group than in the placebo group (p < .05).
Also, there was an improvement in steatosis grade and anthropometric measurements in both groups (p < .05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups in regard to these factors (p > .05).
9Initial non-cavitated carious lesions incidenceRCTCited 8×n=73 · small study2025
A daily intake of a tablet containing a paraprobiotic and the cranberry extract reduced the 9-month incidence of initial non-cavitated carious lesions in caries-active preschool children.
Olczak-Kowalczyk D et al. · Dental and medical problems (2025)
Sixty children completed the trial (a dropout rate of 19%).
The baseline caries prevalence was high in both groups (~71%) and there were no major differences between the groups with regard to background variables.
A daily intake of a tablet containing a paraprobiotic and the cranberry extract reduced the 9-month incidence of initial non-cavitated carious lesions in caries-active preschool children.
Careful determination of the total PAC content using the BL-DMAC method and the authentication of PACs-A with mass spectrometry in cranberry extracts are necessary to prepare effective doses for UTI prevention.
Occhipinti A et al. · Urology journal (2016)
Analysis of Oximacro revealed a high total PAC content (372.34 mg/g ± 2.3) and a high percentage of PAC-A dimers and trimers (86.72% ± 1.65).
Careful determination of the total PAC content using the BL-DMAC method and the authentication of PACs-A with mass spectrometry in cranberry extracts are necessary to prepare effective doses for UTI prevention.
A dose of 112 mg Oximacro containing 36 mg PACs-A was found to be effective in preventing UTIs when used twice per day for 7 days.
11RCTCited 6×2024
In conclusion, highly standardized cranberry extract phytosome supplementation reduced UTI recurrence.
Rondanelli M et al. · Nutrients (2024)
Considering UTI episodes, during the six-month supplementation period, an increase of 1.321 (95% CI: -0.322; 2.9650) was observed in the placebo group, while it remained at a steady value of 0.393 (95% CI: -4.230; 5.016) in the supplemented group.
Regarding UTI episodes, in both groups, interaction between times for supplementation was statistically significant (p = 0.001).
In particular, at follow-up 4, 9% of the placebo group showed infection versus only 3% with cranberry supplementation.
12Recurrent uncomplicated UTI preventionRCTCited 36×n=115 · medium study2019
These findings support the need for further well-designed trials to clarify the benefits that may be achieved.
Koradia P et al. · Expert review of anti-infective therapy (2019)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
After 26 weeks, a significantly lower number of women experienced recurrent UTIs with BKPro-Cyan compared to placebo (9.1 vs 33.3%; P = 0.0053).
The primary endpoint was the proportion of subjects with recurrent UTI at the end of the study.Results: 115 subjects were screened; 90 were enrolled; 81 completed the study.
These findings support the need for further well-designed trials to clarify the benefits that may be achieved.
13Probing pocket depth and bleeding on probingRCTCited 10×n=42 · small study2024
Multinutrient supplementation as an adjunct to nonsurgical treatment of periodontitis showed some additional benefit regarding probing-pocket-depth and bleeding-on-probing.
Laky B et al. · Journal of periodontology (2024)
Borderline
All clinical parameters significantly improved from baseline to reevaluation within each group (p < 0.05).
Multinutrient supplementation as an adjunct to nonsurgical treatment of periodontitis showed some additional benefit regarding probing-pocket-depth and bleeding-on-probing.
However, the clinical relevance needs to be further explored.
14Patient wellbeing and symptom reductionRCTCited 2×n=80 · small study2023
Considering the results of this study, it was determined that the patient's complaints decreased from day 3 and their well-being increased with the use of cranberry only.
Güven O et al. · Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) (2023)
Considering the results of this study, it was determined that the patient's complaints decreased from day 3 and their well-being increased with the use of cranberry only.
Specifically, on day 7, the well-being of the cranberry group was higher than that of the fosfomycin group.
For this reason, cranberry is a favorable alternative to antibiotics in uncomplicated and simple urinary tract infections.
The overall efficacy and tolerability of standardized cranberry extract containing (PAC-A) as a food supplement were superior to placebo in terms of reduced bacterial adhesion; bacterial MRHA negativity; urine pH reduction; and in preventing r-UTI (dysuria, bacteriuria and pyuria).
Singh I et al. · International urology and nephrology (2016)
The overall efficacy and tolerability of standardized cranberry extract containing (PAC-A) as a food supplement were superior to placebo in terms of reduced bacterial adhesion; bacterial MRHA negativity; urine pH reduction; and in preventing r-UTI (dysuria, bacteriuria and pyuria).
Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to elucidate the precise role, exact dose and optimal duration of PAC-A therapy in patients at risk of r-UTI.
Supplementation with cranberry extract contributed to a significant strengthening of antioxidant potential in individuals exposed to strenuous physical exercise.
Skarpańska-Stejnborn A et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2017)
Supplementation with cranberry extract contributed to a significant strengthening of antioxidant potential in individuals exposed to strenuous physical exercise.
However, supplementation did not exert direct effects on other analyzed parameters: inflammatory markers and indices of iron metabolism (TNF-alpha, hepcidin and myoglobin).
19UTI episode frequency reductionRCTCited 21×n=22 · very small study2015
These preliminary results, obtained in a field-practice setting, indicates the effectiveness and safety of a well-standardized cranberry extract in the prevention of R-UTI.
Ledda A et al. · European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2015)
Huge benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
Likely real
In the cranberry group, the reduction in the frequency of UTI episodes during the study period compared with the two months before the inclusion was 73.3% (p < 0.05).
This figure was 15.4% in the control group (p < 0.05; p = 0.012 vs cranberry group).
Seven (31.8%) subjects in the cranberry group were symptom-free; no patient was symptom-free in the control group (p < 0.05).
20LPS and uremic toxins plasma levelsRCTCited 15×n=12 · very small study2022
Cranberry dry extract supplementation for two months did not reduce the LPS and uremic toxins plasma levels produced by the gut microbiota in non-dialysis CKD patients.
Teixeira KTR et al. · Clinical nutrition ESPEN (2022)
Cranberry dry extract supplementation for two months did not reduce the LPS and uremic toxins plasma levels produced by the gut microbiota in non-dialysis CKD patients.