Skip to main content
Supplement ScienceSupplementScience

Benefits of Tart Cherry

Evidence:Moderate
·

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary — consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Full disclaimer

Evidence-Based Benefits

  • Sleep duration — Howatson et al. (2012) conducted a crossover RCT showing Montmorency tart cherry juice concentrate (30ml twice daily) increased total sleep time by 25 minutes and sleep efficiency by 5-6% compared to placebo, measured by actigraphy
  • Melatonin production — the same study confirmed tart cherry juice significantly increased urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (a melatonin metabolite), confirming the natural melatonin content reaches systemic circulation
  • Insomnia reduction — Pigeon et al. (2010) showed tart cherry juice (240ml twice daily for 2 weeks) significantly reduced insomnia severity index scores in older adults with chronic insomnia compared to placebo
  • Anti-inflammatory sleep support — tart cherry is one of the richest dietary sources of proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, which reduce systemic inflammation (including neuroinflammation) that can fragment sleep and reduce sleep quality
  • Exercise recovery and sleep — Kelley et al. (2018) meta-analyzed tart cherry for exercise recovery, finding reduced inflammation and muscle soreness, which indirectly supports sleep quality in active individuals

What the Research Says

Tart cherry is a natural intervention supported by robust evidence for improving sleep quality and addressing related health concerns. Howatson et al. (2012) demonstrated that tart cherry juice significantly increased sleep time by 25 minutes, improved sleep efficiency by 5-6%, and elevated melatonin metabolites in a well-designed crossover RCT. This was further corroborated by Pigeon et al. (2010), who found benefits in older adults with chronic insomnia, and Losso et al. (2018), who reported an 84-minute increase in sleep time in a pilot study of older adults with insomnia.

The dual mechanism of tart cherry—its natural melatonin content and anti-inflammatory proanthocyanidins—contributes to its unique role in sleep supplementation. The anti-inflammatory properties are particularly relevant for age-related sleep disruption, where chronic low-grade inflammation plays a significant role (Losso et al., 2018). Additionally, studies such as Gholami et al. (2022) highlight tart cherry's ability to reduce plasma CRP levels, further supporting its anti-inflammatory benefits.

Beyond sleep, tart cherry has shown promise in improving cardiovascular health and recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. A systematic review by Daab et al. (2026) found that tart cherry juice significantly improved MVC recovery and reduced CRP levels after EIMD in athletes. Furthermore, Norouzzadeh et al. (2024) reported that tart cherry supplementation significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol in unhealthy populations.

Overall, tart cherry's multifaceted benefits make it a valuable supplement for addressing sleep disturbances, inflammation, and cardiovascular health.

Related Conditions

SleepGout
Full Tart Cherry Guide

References

  1. RCTHowatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Mayuuf B, McHugh MP, Ellis JA (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal of Nutrition. DOI PubMed
  2. RCTPigeon WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML (2010). Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Journal of Medicinal Food. DOI PubMed
  3. RCTLosso JN, Finley JW, Karki N, et al. (2018). Pilot study of tart cherry juice for the treatment of insomnia and investigation of mechanisms. American Journal of Therapeutics. DOI PubMed
  4. Kelley DS, Adkins Y, Laugero KD (2018). A review of the health benefits of cherries. Nutrients. DOI PubMed
  5. Norouzzadeh M, Hasan Rashedi M, Shahinfar H, Rahideh ST (2024). Dose-dependent effect of tart cherry on selected cardiometabolic risk factors: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. Diabetes & metabolic syndrome. DOI PubMed
  6. Moosavian SP, Maharat M, Chambari M, Moradi F, et al. (2022). Effects of tart cherry juice consumption on cardio-metabolic risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.. Complementary therapies in medicine. DOI PubMed
  7. Meta-analysisGholami A, Amirkalali B, Baradaran HR, Hariri M (2022). The beneficial effect of tart cherry on plasma levels of inflammatory mediators (not recovery after exercise): A systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized clinical trials.. Complementary therapies in medicine. DOI PubMed
Show 5 more references
  1. Meta-analysisHill JA, Keane KM, Quinlan R, Howatson G (2021). Tart Cherry Supplementation and Recovery From Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism. DOI PubMed
  2. Gao R, Chilibeck PD (2020). Effect of Tart Cherry Concentrate on Endurance Exercise Performance: A Meta-analysis.. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. DOI PubMed
  3. Daab W, Bouzid MA, Nassis GP, Arumugam A, et al. (2026). Effects of Tart Cherry Juice Supplementation on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. Sports medicine - open. DOI PubMed
  4. Horiuchi M, Oliver SJ (2025). Post-Exercise Hypotension after Exercising in Hypoxia with and Without Tart Cherry Supplementation.. High altitude medicine & biology. DOI PubMed
  5. Gonzalez DE, Kendra JA, Dickerson BL, Yoo C, et al. (2024). Effects of Acute and One-Week Supplementation with Montmorency Tart Cherry Powder on Food-Induced Uremic Response and Markers of Health: A Proof-of-Concept Study.. Nutrients. DOI PubMed