Cranberries . . . YUCK ! ! !

CRanberries is no more a bogus food than is RHUBARB. With all the oxalic acid in rhubarb, you can actually die eating it.

spinach leaves, dried cranberries, walnut pieces topped with a cranberry olive oil balsamic vinaigrette.

Cranberry extract helps fight prostrate cancer.

Cranberry extract and cancer
Indeed, the most exciting new research into the power of the phytochemicals found in cranberries is in the area of cancer prevention and cancer treatment. The anticancer properties of cranberries and cranberry extract are a new frontier in cancer research that is really starting to gain ground.

In 2008, researchers in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, published a detailed article examining the last 10 years of anticancer research involving the nutrients and phytochemicals found in cranberry. Their article, entitled Anticancer activities of cranberry phytochemicals: An update is exhaustive in scope and identifies more than 75 published research studies on the power of cranberries to fight cancer.11

Some of the highlights from this well-regarded scientific article include :

The triterpenoid ursolic acid found in cranberry fruit was shown to inhibit the proliferation of human liver cancer cells12 as well as tumor colony formation in colon tumor models and breast cancer cells.13
The flavonoid quercetin, which is abundant in cranberry extracts, inhibited the growth of human breast adenocarcinoma, human colon adenocarcinoma, and human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells.14
Other studies done on human tumor cell lines, including prostate, skin, brain, colon, lung and breast, also indicated that cranberry extract inhibited the growth of the cancer cells.15
Cranberry extract, along with other berry extracts, were studied for their antioxidant and anti-angiogenic (ways to stop the blood supply to the tumor) properties at the Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Ohio State University. They were all found to have an anti-angiogenic effect on human skin cancer cells, and this effect was not shared by other antioxidants such as alpha-tocopherol.16
An in vivo study conducted by researchers at the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, Canada, examined the effect of cranberry extract on mice that had been injected with human breast tumor cells, colon cancer cells, and prostate cancer cells. In all cases the cranberry extract decreased the growth and metastasis of the cancer tumors.17
Cranberry fights cancer four ways
In their review of the various studies on cranberry and cancer, the researchers determined that the phytochemicals contained in cranberry fought cancer in four ways:

Induction of apoptosis (cell death) in cancer tumor cells
Decreased invasion, and metastasis due to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) inhibition
Reduced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) expression and activity
Inhibition of inflammatory processes including inhibition of cyclooxygenases
And while the scientists from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth conceded that there was a lot more research that needed to be done, they did say that their findings “... suggests a potential role for cranberry as a dietary chemopreventive ...”

How safe is cranberry extract?
Cranberry extract supplements are extremely safe. There have been no reported side effects and can be used safely during pregnancy and breast feeding. However, individuals with a history of kidney stones should consult a medical professional before using cranberry extract for long periods of time, since there is some indication long-term use might increase the risk of developing a kidney stone.18

Conclusion
As with any alternative treatment or therapy, conclusive proof of efficacy is often difficult to point to. However, there is now a strong scientific basis for the use of cranberries to reduce the risk of E. coli adhesion to bladder cells and the onset of urinary tract infection.

And while the science that points to extracts from cranberry as a preventative against cancer is exciting, there is still much to be learned. But if you are concerned about cancer, supplementing with cranberry extract could very well be a wise preventive measure to take. And if you do suffer from bladder issues or painful urinary tract infections, cranberry extract supplementation is a healthy, side-effect-free way to prevent future UTI’s.

Proven urinary tract infection protection
Urinary tract infections (UTI’s) are extremely common in the U.S., resulting in approximately 7 million doctor visits and a million hospitalizations each year.3 Women are primarily affected and about 25% of all women in the U.S. have at least one UTI in their lifetime.4 Men can also get bladder and urinary tract infections, especially if they suffer from an enlarged prostate.

Additionally, a large percentage of individuals with spinal cord injuries suffer from UTI’s due to the use of indwelling catheters.

When it comes to treating UTI’s, antibiotics don’t always work. And to complicate matters, even if the antibiotic does work, it weakens the immune system, making it easier to get a subsequent infection. The good news is that cranberry extract can prevent UTI’s before they can take hold.

What is a UTI and how do you get them?
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that causes painful urination and the feeling that your bladder is never completely empty. It can also cause fever and low back pain.

Adhesion of E. coli bacteria (a microorganism that lives in the digestive tract) to cells lining the urinary tract is the first step in the development of a UTI, and E. coli is the cause of about 85% of UTI’s and 90% of cases of acute kidney infections. The good news is that cranberry extract does a remarkable job of preventing the adhesion of E. coli bacteria to the cells that line the urinary tract.

According to researchers at the Washington University (WU) School of Medicine in St. Louis, a UTI starts when E. coli invade the bladder and penetrate a protective coating of the superficial cells that line the bladder. Once the E. coli is established in the bladder lining, the stage is set for infection.5

Proanthocyanidins found in cranberries prevent UTI’s
The proanthocyanidins found in cranberry differ from those found in other plants by their unique structures and very potent antibacterial and anti-adhesion activity.6 In the case of UTI’s, these proanthocyanidins prevent E. coli from adhering to the urethra and bladder.7

The cell wall of E. coli bacteria has tiny finger-like projections that contain complex molecules called lectins on their surfaces. These lectins are cellular glue that bind the bacteria to the bladder wall so they cannot be easily rinsed out by urination. But because proanthocyanidin molecules attach themselves to these lectins and fill up all of the bacterial anchoring sites, the bacteria can no longer stick to the bladder wall and are flushed away.

The likelihood of infection is significantly reduced because bacteria must first adhere to the mucosal lining before they can proliferate—and without the ability to stick, the bacteria cannot infect. {pagebreak)