It could without exaggeration be called “the female nightmare”.
Pain and violent burning sensations when urinating, irrepressible urge to go to the toilet, sometimes blood in the urine… Cystitis affects between 800,000 and 850,000 French women each year.
Half of women will have at least one in their life, a third repeatedly.
“There is a urinary tract infection every 30 seconds in France”, summarizes Jean-Marc Bohbot (1), infectious disease specialist at the Institut Fournier in Paris, to further highlight the scourge.
Whether occasional or frequent, cystitis profoundly alters the daily life of women, their emotional and sexual life.
In those who suffer from it, cranberry juice (or other commercial products containing the extract of the fruit, such as capsules) is often a reflex to relieve the symptoms of the infection or prevent recurrences.
But what about its effectiveness?
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Help to prevent recurrences?
In terms of treatment, the interest of the cranberry has never been demonstrated by any study.
In 20 to 25% of cases, the urinary tract infection disappears simply by drinking a liter and a half of water and urinating, says Dr. Jean-Marc Bohbot.
Cranberry juice would not be more effective.
In other cases, antibiotics are prescribed to treat the infection.
On the other hand, the cranberry could well help prevent episodes of cystitis, according to the infectiologist.
As a reminder, urinary tract infection is caused by colonization of the walls of the bladder by uropathogenic bacteria, the majority of which come from the intestines.
In 75 to 80% of cases, it is the bacterium Escherichia coli, better known as E.
coli, which attaches itself to the bladder and creates inflammation.
However, “cranberries contain a substance, proanthocyanidin, which can prevent bacteria from attaching themselves,” explains the doctor.
How to prevent cystitis?
Get enough hydration every day
Sit correctly on the toilet in order to completely empty the bladder
From four episodes of infection per year, we speak of recurrent cystitis.
It is then necessary to find the origin of the evil and to discuss at length with his general practitioner
To do this, the practitioner recalls the importance of a large quantity of active products, and thus advises to prefer cranberry capsules to juice, the former being richer in the substance in question.
"You can also combine it with propolis, which boosts the effects of cranberries, and with D-mannose, a simple sugar that can help 'unstick' bacteria," adds the doctor.
In the case of occasional cystitis (three or four per year), Dr. Jean-Marc Bohbot recommends taking capsules (once or twice a day) during contexts favorable to urinary tract infections, in summer and when sexual activity is more sustained, for example.
“In summer, we drink a lot but also sweat more than normal and therefore go to the toilet less.
However, what is dangerous is precisely to keep the urine in the bladder, ”explains the doctor.
The multiplication of sexual intercourse can create an inflammation of the vagina.
Find the cause rather than treat the symptom
On the science side, the anti-adhesive action of proanthocyanidin has been demonstrated, the effectiveness of cranberries in reducing the frequency of cystitis in women, too.
But there is no consensus within the scientific community so far.
The first reflexes to adopt in case of cystitis
Drink a liter and a half of water to dilute toxic substances from the bladder
Avoid diuretic drinks (tea, coffee) which can be irritating to the mucosa
To relieve the burning of urination, immerse yourself in a basin of lukewarm water and urinate in it
In its book
Fake News Santé
(2), the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), informs that a study has even shown “that cranberry-based capsules did not have more efficacy than a beet-based placebo on the evolution of cystitis”.
Inserm also points the finger at the lack of standardization of cranberry-based products, which makes it difficult to compare them and extrapolate the results of existing studies.
In a 2014 opinion, ANSES (the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety) indicates that the current data are insufficient to confirm the effectiveness of the fruit on the prevention urinary tract infections, but continues to closely follow scientific news on this subject.
If some women use it and find relief from it, so much the better
Jean-Marc Bohbot, infectiologist
“If some women consume it and find relief, then so much the better,” comments infectious disease specialist Jean-Marc Bohbot.
If these products can help, the doctor recalls that they will never solve the fundamental problem;
but this is the objective to be achieved.
“Women prone to cystitis often suffer from an imbalance of the intestinal microbiota and are often constipated.
As well as vaginal microbiota: the bacteria then pass into the vagina.
We can therefore prescribe probiotics for these two flora”, specifies the doctor.
And to conclude on the importance, in case of regular cystitis, of a complete urodynamic assessment.
(1) Dr. Jean-Marc Bohbot is co-author with Rica Etienne of
Take care of your vaginal microbiota
, published by Marabout, €6.90, and of
Cystitis, the female nightmare
, published by Flammarion, €19.
(2)
Fake News Santé
, from Inserm, published by Le Cherche Midi, €14.
