Cranberries are the fruit of a native plant of North America. These red berries are used in foods and in herbal products. What Cranberry Is Used For? Historically, cranberry fruits and leaves were used for a variety of problems, such as wounds, urinary disorders, diarrhea, diabetes, stomach ailments, and liver problems.

Recently, cranberry products have been used in the hope of preventing or treating urinary tract infections or Helicobacter pylori infections that can lead to stomach ulcers, or to prevent dental plaque. Cranberry has also been reported to have antioxidant and anticancer activity.

What the Science Say?

Research shows that components found in cranberry prevent bacteria, such as E. coli, from clinging to the cells along the walls of the urinary tract and causing infection. However, the mechanism of action of cranberry is not fully understood.

NCCAM, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research are funding studies to understand whether and how cranberry might work to:

• Prevent urinary tract infection
• Prevent the formation of dental plaque.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Eating cranberry products in food appears to be safe, but drinking excessive amounts of juice could cause gastrointestinal upset or diarrhea.
• People who think they have a urinary tract infection should see a health care provider for proper diagnosis and treatment.
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

About BioPerine®

Black pepper is a common household spice. Extract from black pepper has also been used extensively as a medicine by our ancestors especially in India. BioPerine® is an extract obtained from the black pepper fruit that is cultivated in the damp, nutrient-rich soil regions of southern India. The delicate pepper berries are harvested just prior to ripening and then sun dried to assure optimum maturity and quality. The extract of piperine, called BioPerine® in the patented form, has been clinically tested in the United States. BioPerine® significantly enhances the bioavailability of various supplement nutrients through increased absorption.

Possible Mechanisms for Increased Nutrient Bioavailability Using BioPerine®

• Nonspecific mechanisms promoting rapid absorption of nutrients
• Increases blood supply to the GI tract
• Increases emulsifying content of the gut
• Increases active nutrient transport

The subtle, yet potent properties of BioPerine® have been measured in several clinical studies with healthy volunteers in the U.S. These studies measured the absorption of three distinct categories of products. The categories evaluated with and without BioPerine® were fat-soluble (beta-carotene), water-soluble (vitamin B6) and a mineral(selenium, in the form of selenomethionine). Gastrointestinal absorption of all the studied nutrients, as measured by amounts present in the blood, increased dramatically when administered with BioPerine® as compared to the control group receiving the nutrient alone.

Selenium levels increased by 30%, beta-carotene increased by 60%, and the vitamin B6 increase was slightly higher than beta-carotene. All studies used BioPerine® in the amount of 5 mg per dose.