Cranberries, Probiotics may fight ulcer-causing bacteria in children

Cranberry juice or healthy Probiotic Intestinal Bacteria clear the stomach of children of the bacteria that causes ulcers and even cancer

Results from this new multi-centered, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial involving 271 children who had Helicobacter pylori infection shows that drinking cranberry juice or taking Lactobacillus bacteria (La1 strain) may eradicate the bacteria.

"These results suggest that regular intake of cranberry juice or La1 may be useful in the management of asymptomatic children colonized by H. pylori," wrote lead author Martin Gotteland from the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology at the University of Chile in Santiago.

H. pylori is the only bacterium that can survive in the acidic environment of the stomach and it is known to cause peptic ulcers and gastritis.

Infected individuals are said to have a two to six-fold increased risk of developing mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, and gastric cancer compared with uninfected counterparts.

Previously, in vitro studies have reported that cranberry juice or Probiotics can inhibit the adhesion of many pathogenic bacteria in the mouth, urinary tract, and gastro-intestinal tract. A significant reduction in H. pylori was observed in children given either Cranberry or Lactobacillus (La1). The study is published in the May 2008 issue of the journal Nutrition.