Blog · Cranberry
Cranberry 36 mg PAC: Where the Number Comes From
Cranberry 36 mg PAC is a dose figure that many product pages repeat, but none of the sources we cite confirms it as a proven amount. FemiCore does not print it. Its cranberry line is standardized to 30% PAC and capped at about 52 mg, by an unnamed method, so the two cannot be matched.
Written by the FemiCore label benchUpdated · 4 min read
The figure
Is 36 mg of cranberry PAC a proven dose?
No source we cite proves 36 mg of cranberry PAC as a dose. Our review of the Cochrane trial summary and the NCCIH fact sheet found no such number in either (Cochrane 2023, cranberries and UTI) (NCCIH, Cranberry).
The Cochrane review looked at cranberry products as a group. It did not set one PAC target, and its products came in many forms, from juice to tablets (Cochrane 2023, cranberries and UTI).
The 36 mg figure is widely repeated in product marketing, and a repeated number is not the same as a tested one. We cannot confirm where it started, so we do not state it as established.
The label
Does FemiCore contain 36 mg of PAC?
FemiCore does not say. The label prints a cranberry extract standardized to 30% proanthocyanidin, line 2 in a 350 mg Herbal Blend, with no weight for the line (21 CFR 101.36, supplement labeling).
The ceiling is 175 mg of extract, so at most about 52 mg of PAC at 30%. The real figure could sit above, below or near 36 mg, and the label gives no way to tell.
| Question | Answer from the label |
|---|---|
| Is the PAC standard printed? | Yes, 30% |
| Is the extract weight printed? | No, only a 350 mg blend total |
| Maximum PAC by the maker's method | About 52 mg |
| Is the test method named? | No |
| Can it be said to match a study dose? | No |
Different methods give different PAC readings, so even a printed 36 would need its method to count.
The gap
Why can a PAC number not be matched to a study?
A match needs the same extract, the same test and the same dose, and a label seldom shows all three. PAC values from different methods do not compare.
The trials in the Cochrane review also tested other forms of cranberry, and the review said its result is about cranberry products, not a multi-ingredient capsule (Cochrane 2023, cranberries and UTI).
FemiCore adds a bearberry line, a berberine line and five probiotic strains. No trial has tested that mixture, so the cranberry data cannot be carried over whole.
The Cochrane result also did not cover everyone. It found little or no benefit in elderly institutionalised adults, pregnant women, or people with incomplete bladder emptying (Cochrane 2023, cranberries and UTI). A single dose number would hide those limits.
FemiCore: from $49 a bottle30 capsules · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free shipping on 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsSafety
Who should check with a clinician before taking cranberry PAC?
Anyone with a kidney stone history, a warfarin prescription or an active infection should ask first. Cranberry is generally safe by mouth, but large amounts can upset the stomach (NCCIH, Cranberry).
The NCCIH page does not mention oxalate or kidney stones, and the NIDDK stone-diet page does not mention cranberry (NIDDK, diet for kidney stones (oxalate)). So the link is not established in our sources, and stone-formers should ask their clinician.
Evidence on warfarin is conflicting, so talk to a provider (NCCIH, Cranberry). Cranberry is not a treatment for an existing UTI.
Deciding
What should you do about a 36 mg claim?
Ask the seller for the extract weight per capsule and the PAC method, then judge from those. If neither is given, treat any 36 mg claim as unverified.
Keep taking any prescribed medicine. The sales page lists $79 a bottle on two, $69 on three and $49 on six, and the pricing page compares the packs.
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FAQ
36 mg PAC questions, answered
Why do so many labels mention 36 mg?
It is a figure repeated across marketing pages. We found no cited source that sets it as a proven dose, so we treat it as a marketing number and not as a standard.
Is more than 36 mg of PAC unsafe?
No source we cite sets a ceiling for PAC. Large cranberry amounts can upset the stomach (NCCIH, Cranberry). Ask a clinician if you take other products with cranberry.
Can FemiCore reach 36 mg if the extract is at its ceiling?
At the ceiling it could hold about 52 mg, so yes in theory. Since the real extract weight is not printed, the PAC could also be lower.
Is a PAC figure on a bottle a sign of quality?
It is a sign the maker standardized the extract, which is better than none. It is not proof of results. Quality also needs the method, the weight and a lot report.
Can I ask the seller for the PAC test?
Yes. Request the method, the lab and the lot report. No lab report or certificate of analysis is published for this product at present.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, EMA and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner for FemiCore, not by the manufacturer or the label's distributor. We are paid when you buy through our order links.
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U.S. stocking partner for FemiCore
Ready to try FemiCore?
Start with a check of your medicines, then pick a pack. Six bottles ship free and cost the least per bottle, and every pack sits inside the 60-day money-back window.
- Secure checkout
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Ships from the U.S.