iStock/ThinkstockBy DR. JENNIFER ASHTON, ABC News Senior Medical Contributor

Cranberry products have been widely promoted to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections — or UTIs. The theory is that the active ingredient in cranberry inhibits bacteria from attaching to urinary tract cells therefore preventing them from multiplying and creating an infection. But now, new research from Yale suggests that there is, in fact, no benefit in taking cranberry capsules to reduce an overload of bacteria in the urine.

We likely haven’t heard the last of it either, so here’s my prescription:

If you suffer from frequent UTIs, cranberry juice or capsules can be a part of a preventive routine.

And remember, if you have an actual infection, cranberry alone will not kill the bacteria. You need an antibiotic for a true UTI.

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