Cran-Max® Comparable to Antibiotics for UTI

KEARNY, N.J.,—A recent study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, a peer-reviewed publication considered to be among the foremost in antimicrobial research, showed administration of Cran-Max®, a proprietary cranberry concentrate, was comparable to the commonly prescribed antibiotic, trimethoprim, for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in older women.

This randomized, controlled clinical trial enrolled 137 women who experienced two or more antibiotic-treated UTIs in the previous 12 months. They were randomized to receive either 500 mg of Cran-Max or 100 mg of trimethoprim for six months. The researchers found the time to first recurrence of UTI was not significantly different between the groups.

Lead researcher Marion E.T. McMurdo concluded: “Our trial is the first to evaluate cranberry (Cran-Max) in the prevention of recurrent UTIs specifically in older women, and the first head-to-head, double blind comparison of cranberry versus antibiotic prophylaxis. Trimethoprim had a very limited advantage over cranberry extract (Cran-Max) in the prevention of recurrent UTIs in older women and had more adverse effects.”

Dean Mosca, president of Proprietary Nutritionals Inc., marketer of Cran-Max, said: “This study is extremely significant because it comes at a time when more women and men prone to UTIs are becoming resistant to, or fearful, of treatment with antibiotics and are seeking natural products. There’s also a great cost advantage to consumers. A 30-day supply of Cran-Max is a small fraction of the cost of trimethoprim.”

Urinary tract infections are the most common infection in older adults, and the second most common infection in women. UTIs are not only painful and inconvenient but they account for the leading cause of lost work days for women.