If you haven't yet heard about the power of tart cherry fruit extract, where have you been?! It's fast becoming a super popular dietary supplement, appreciated for its powerhouse nutrition and potential uses. It may be helpful for sleep, exercise recovery, joint stiffness, and more.
So, let's take a look at why - and how - it's so special and see what the science says...
What is Tart Cherry?
As the name implies, tart cherry is a type of cherry, scientifically classified as prunus cerasus. It's the deep red cherry that tastes sour; hence they're also known as sour cherries. Of those, Montmorency tart cherry is the most popular type grown in the U.S. and potentially the most beneficial.
What are Tart Cherry Supplements?
Tart cherry supplements come in various forms, including capsules, tablets, and powders, all featuring extracts of tart cherry.
Capsules are a convenient and easy-to-swallow option, whereas powders can be mixed with water or juice. Some supplements may also include other herbal supplements or vitamins.
You’ll see tart cherry supplements marketed for everything and anything - and I should point out that not all so-called uses have a scientific basis. Anecdotal evidence may suggest potential benefits that science hasn't yet determined.
However, it's also worth noting that research into tart cherry is ongoing and new discoveries are being made every day.
For now, however, I'm going to err on the side of caution and only talk about the potential benefits and uses of tart cherries that have been studied and show promise...
Why is Tart Cherry Extract So Popular?
Tart cherries are packed full of useful nutrients - we're talking vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, even melatonin (the sleep hormone).
The cherries are strong in vitamins A, B6 and vitamin C, as well as the minerals potassium and magnesium, which are essential nutrients in food. Again, tart cherries have more of these than sweet cherries - such as 20 times more vitamin A. (1)
They're also a strong source of fiber which may help keep you fuller for longer - useful if you're on a diet.
But it's the antioxidants and anti-inflammatories which really give tart cherries their healthy punch. Scientists theorize that they may offer protective benefits that could help reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, lower blood pressure, soothe joint pain and stiffness, ease muscle soreness, help sleep, memory and more. (2, 3)
Let's examine the science behind each potential benefit and use...
The Health Benefits and Uses of Tart Cherry Supplements
Before we get started, in the interests of full disclosure, I should point out that some of the scientific trials I'm going to mention today use cherry juice or a concentrated cherry beverage. While others use the powdered version - likely what you'd find in tart cherry pills or capsules.
Studies don't seem to show a great difference between the two; they are similarly beneficial which is great news for those who don't want to drink sour cherry juice and would prefer capsules or pills instead.
See our article: Tart cherry juice versus capsules
So, let's take a look at what science says about the potential benefits of tart cherries...
Relief from Inflammation, Easing Stiff and Painful Joints
If you suffer from stiff and painful joints, you may have already heard of tart cherry. The lovely pigment that gives the cherries their deep red color (also known as anthocyanins) acts as a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Antioxidants tackle free radicals that cause damage to cells and tissues in the body. As such, they tackle inflammation and oxidative stress, helping to reduce inflammation in the body. (4)
It's important to note that acute short-term inflammation is often a reaction to injury where the body seeks to repair itself. Chronic inflammation, however, where inflammation continues beyond its intended duration, is believed to contribute to chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, COPD, cancer, some types of arthritis, and more. (5, 6)
So how can tart cherry potentially help?
Scientific research has shown that:
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Tart cherry juice may help to decrease inflammation in chronic conditions, though more research is needed. (7)
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A 2023 meta-analysis found that regular consumption of cherry juice could control and manage inflammation throughout the body, though it did depend on finding the right dose. (8)
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A four-week study concluded that overweight or obese people who took 320mg of anthocyanins daily showed significantly lower markers of inflammation, leaving the authors to conclude that anthocyanin supplementation 'may be effective in countering overweight/obesity-induced inflammation' (9)
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The antioxidants in tart cherry juice may help reduce inflammation and pain from osteoarthritis. A 2019 study showed that OA sufferers who drank two cups of cherry juice a day for four months experienced less knee pain as a result. (10)
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The authors concluded that drinking the juice daily helped to relieve pain, improve quality of life, improve mobility and showed in 'selective markers of cartilage health'
Muscle Recovery and Athletic Performance.
As an extension of the above, the anti-inflammatory nature of tart cherry fruit has also been shown to help reduce muscle inflammation and soreness after exercise, particularly in combination with other recovery strategies. Helping to reduce muscle damage and aiding faster recovery. (11, 12, 13, 14)
May Improve Sleep
A third of adults in America struggle with insomnia, with a tenth describing it as chronic. We're crying out for effective natural sleep aids, and the good news is that tart cherries could potentially be one of them. (15)
The cherry contains natural melatonin, the 'sleep hormone' that lets our bodies know when it's time to wind down ready for bed. Melatonin is crucial to our sleep-wake cycle, helping us to sleep at night and be awake and alert during the day.
Unfortunately, our modern lifestyle - artificial light; blue light from televisions, tablets and telephones; shift patterns; children and more - often interrupts this. Meaning an extra source - and a natural one at that - is always welcome.
Tart cherries also contain an amino acid called tryptophan that the body can convert into serotonin (the 'feel good' hormone) and more melatonin. Tart cherries also allow that tryptophan to stay in the body for longer, working harder. (16)
Tart cherries contain up to 50 times more melatonin than sweet cherries, (17) and Montmorency cherries contain up to six times more melatonin than other forms of tart cherry. (18)
Let's look at some sleep facts about tart cherries, as proven by scientific trials...
Tart cherries may help your sleep by:
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Increasing the time spent asleep while in bed, known as your sleep efficiency.
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Increasing your overall sleep time across all age groups. (19)
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Potentially helping to manage disturbed sleep (20)
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One study focused on people over 50 struggling with insomnia showed that tart cherry improved sleep time by up to 84 minutes. The researchers noted that tart cherry 'may be partially responsible for improvement in insomnia'. (21)
Read our article: Do cherries help you sleep?
May Have Heart Health Benefits
We already know that fruit and vegetables are good for us, but it seems tart cherries or prunus cerasus may be beneficial for our heart health. Once again, that's due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties.
Tart cherries have been shown to lessen the risk factors related to cardiovascular or heart disease (22) by...
Lowering Cholesterol Levels
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One 12-week study of older adults taking tart cherry juice demonstrated that it helped to reduce LDL cholesterol. (23) Reducing LDL cholesterol helps to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. (24)
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Other studies have shown that anthocyanins may help to increase good cholesterol (HDL) while lowering LDL or bad cholesterol. (25, 26, 27)
Lowering Blood Pressure
The high levels of potassium in tart cherry juice concentrate and supplements may help to lower blood pressure (BP), which can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. (28, 29)
The science:
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A 12-week study of older people over 70 with mild to moderate dementia showed that drinking 200ml of cherry juice a day reduced both their systolic and diastolic BP. (30)
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Another study of adults drinking 300ml of anthocyanin-rich juice showed a significant drop in BP. This occurred in all age groups but was more obvious in older adults. (31)
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A 2018 systematic review of tart cherry research on blood pressure concluded that it has the potential to reduce both systolic and diastolic BP in certain subjects, but perhaps not in others. This may be related to their health status to begin with. Dosage and time between doses may also play a role in the results. (32)
More research into all of these areas is welcome.
Limited Research for....
There is also limited research for the following...
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Taking tart cherry to support memory in those experiencing age-related cognitive decline. A 12-week study suggested that people with mild to moderate dementia saw an improvement in short and long-term memory as well as verbal fluency after taking cherry juice. (33)
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The anthocyanin content may help to protect the immune system (34)
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Several studies have suggested that tart cherries may help to reduce uric acid, implicated in gout attacks. However, research is at the very early stages, and more studies are needed. The Arthritis Foundation stops short of recommending a specific cherry regimen but does state that a handful of cherries or cherry juice a day 'can't hurt' (35, 36)
Who Should and Shouldn’t Take Tart Cherry Supplements?
Most people won't have a problem taking tart cherry supplements. Indeed, taking cherry in supplement form is easier and more convenient than trying to eat enough cherries to compete with the dosage commonly used in clinical trials (around 100!)
Likewise, cherry supplements help to avoid the extra sugar often found in cherry juices.
However, tart cherry may interact with certain medications, such as blood thinners, and may cause problems for people with certain medical conditions, such as kidney disease or gout. (37)
Please consult with a healthcare professional if you have a medical condition or are taking any medication.
If you have an allergy, you should also avoid them.
Choosing the Right Tart Cherry Supplement
If you've decided to opt for tart cherry supplementation, you'll want to know how to choose the best product on the market. It's simple - just use our checklist below...
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Look for products using Montmorency cherries in particular
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Ideally in the form of CherryPURE® a cherry powder made from 100% Montmorency cherries. This is the only form of cherry powder that has been clinically tested. (38, 39)
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Choose a supplement that is non-GMO and gluten-free.
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If you’re vegetarian or vegan, ensure it has been approved by an official body such as the Vegetarian Society and is classed Vegan Friendly (and that includes their capsules).
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Consider a supplement that is quality tested and certified by a third-party organization
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Ensure the label lists all ingredients and dosages and avoid artificial flavors and colors.
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Look for supplements from reputable manufacturers
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Check out user reviews for valuable insights into the effectiveness of specific tart cherry supplement brands or formulations.
Best Natural Tart Cherry Supplement
Performance Lab Sleep is a quality tart cherry supplement. It uses CherryPURE® cherry extract and freeze-dries whole cherries to preserve the full benefits. It has low-dose natural melatonin to help you sleep, plus anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals.
It's free of GMO, artificial colorings and preservatives, gluten and allergens, and is certified vegan friendly. It is also third party tested and validated.
Dosage and Safe Use Guidelines
The beauty of choosing a tart cherry supplement is that the dosage is worked out for you. You don't need to research how many cherries to eat, or how much cherry juice to drink. Just follow the product guidelines.
Performance Lab Sleep, for instance, recommends you take 2-4 capsules up to 30 minutes before bed to experience its sleep benefits.
How Long Do Tart Cherry Supplements Take to Work?
How long will tart cherry pills take to work? That may depend on you - and your body type, health concerns, physiology, dosage and chosen supplement.
Studies do show that tart cherry has a cumulative effect - its benefits grow the longer you take it. Again, check with the manufacturer for any advice on regular use.
Final Thoughts
We're learning more about the humble tart cherry (prunus cerasus) every day as researchers conduct new scientific studies, and supplementation potentially holds promise for a whole range of health benefits.
The cherries are a powerhouse of useful nutrition, particularly their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Not to forget their potential sleep benefits. They're a healthy addition to your overall diet and wellness regime.
