Cherry extract health benefit Information by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
A cherry is both a tree and its fleshy fruit. The cherry belongs to the family Rosaceae, genus Prunus (along with almonds, peaches, plums, apricots and bird cherries).
Cherry extract supplement
Different cherry extract supplements are sold in health food stores including a
10 to 1 cherry extract concentration.
Gout
Consumption of cherries may reduce uric acid levels which may be of benefit in
gout.
Heart benefit with sour cherry (Prunus cerasus)
Cardioprotective mechanisms of Prunus cerasus (sour
cherry) seed extract against ischemia/reperfusion-induced damage in isolated rat
hearts.
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2006; Department of Pharmacology,
University of Debrecen, Health science Center, Debrecen, Hungary.
The effects of kernel extract obtained from sour cherry seed on the
postischemic cardiac recovery were studied in isolated working rat hearts. Rats
were treated with various daily doses of the sour cherry extract for 14 days
then hearts were isolated and subjected to 30 min of global ischemia followed by
120 min of reperfusion. The incidence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and
tachycardia (VT) fell from their control values of 92% and 100% to 50% (NS) and
58% (NS), 17% and 25% with the doses of 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg of the sour cherry
extract, respectively. Lower concentrations of the extract (1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg)
failed to significantly reduce the incidence of VF and VT during reperfusion.
Ten and 30 mg/kg of sour cherry seed kernel extract significantly improved the
postischemic recovery of cardiac function (coronary flow, aortic flow and left
ventricular developed pressure) during reperfusion. We have also demonstrated
that the sour cherry extract-induced protection in cardiac function
significantly reflected in a reduction of infarct size. Immunohistochemistry
indicates that a reduction in caspase 3 activity and apoptotic cells by the
extract, beside other potential action mechanisms of proanthocyanidin, trans-resveratrol,
and flavonoid components of the extract, could be responsible for the
cardioprotection in ischemic / reperfused myocardium.
Cherry Juice and muscle aches
Drinking a glass of cherry juice after exercising may help ease those aching muscles, hint results of a small study funded by Cherrypharm Inc. Researchers have identified a number of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in tart cherries but studies evaluating the fruit's effectiveness in alleviating symptoms of inflammatory conditions have yielded mixed results. One study, however, showed that men and women who ate 45 cherries a day had lower levels of inflammatory markers in their blood. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Inflammation
reduction in marathon runners
Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon
running.
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2009. Howatson G, McHugh MP, Hill JA, Brouner J,
Jewell AP, van Someren KA, Shave RE, Howatson SA. School of Psychology and Sport
Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
This investigation determined the efficacy of a tart cherry juice in aiding
recovery and reducing muscle damage, inflammation and oxidative stress. Twenty
recreational marathon runners assigned to either consumed cherry juice or
placebo for 5 days before, the day of and for 48 h following a marathon run.
Markers of muscle damage (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, muscle
soreness and isometric strength), inflammation [interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive
protein (CRP) and uric acid], total antioxidant status (TAS) and oxidative
stress [thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and protein carbonyls] were
examined before and following the race. Isometric strength recovered
significantly faster in the cherry juice group. No other damage indices were
significantly different. Inflammation was reduced in the cherry juice group
(IL-6; CRP; uric acid). TAS
was approximately 10% greater in the cherry juice than the placebo group for all
post-supplementation measures. Protein carbonyls was not different;
however, TBARS was lower in the cherry juice than the placebo at 48 h.
The cherry juice appears to provide a viable means to aid recovery following
strenuous exercise by increasing total antioxidative capacity, reducing
inflammation, lipid peroxidation and so aiding in the recovery of muscle
function.
Inflammation reduction with bing cherry and sweet cherry
Results demonstrate that cherry consumption reduces several biomarkers associated with inflammatory diseases.
Consumption of
Bing sweet cherries lowers circulating concentrations of inflammation markers in
healthy men and women.
J Nutr. 2006.
U.S. Department of Agriculture/ARS, Western Regional Research Center, Department
of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of consuming sweet
cherries on plasma lipids and markers of inflammation in healthy humans. Healthy
men and women (n = 18) supplemented their diets with Bing sweet cherries (280
g/d) for 28 d. After a 12-h fast, blood samples were taken before the start of
cherry consumption (study d 0 and 7), 14 and 28 d after the start of cherry
supplementation (study d 21 and 35), and 28 d after the discontinuation (study d
64) of cherry consumption. After cherries were consumed for 28 d, circulating
concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), regulated upon activation, normal
T-cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES), and NO decreased by 25, 21, and 18%
respectively. After the discontinuation of cherry consumption for 28 d (d 64),
concentrations of RANTES continued to decrease, whereas those of CRP and NO did
not differ from either d 7 (pre-cherries) or d 35 (post-cherries). Plasma
concentrations of IL-6 and its soluble receptor, intercellular adhesion
molecule-1, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 did not change during
the study. Cherry consumption did not affect the plasma concentrations of
total-, HDL-, LDL-, and VLDL- cholesterol, triglycerides, subfractions of HDL,
LDL, VLDL, and their particle sizes and numbers. It also did not affect fasting
blood glucose or insulin concentrations or a number of other chemical and
hematological variables. Results of the present study suggest a selective
modulatory effect of sweet cherries on CRP, NO, and RANTES. Such
anti-inflammatory effects may be beneficial for the management and prevention of
inflammatory diseases.
Sleep study
This study ascertained whether a proprietary tart cherry juice blend (CherryPharm,
Inc., Geneva, NY, USA) associated with anecdotal reports of sleep enhancement
improves subjective reports of
insomnia compared to a
placebo beverage. The pilot study used a randomized, double-blind, crossover
design where each participant received both treatment and placebo for 2 weeks
with an intervening 2-week washout period. Sleep continuity (sleep onset, wake
after sleep onset, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency) was assessed by
2-week mean values from daily diaries and disease severity by the Insomnia
Severity Index in a cohort of 15 older adults with chronic insomnia who were
otherwise healthy. The tart cherry juice beverage was associated with
statistically significant pre- to post-treatment improvements on all sleep
variables. When compared to placebo, the study beverage produced significant
reductions in insomnia severity (minutes awake after sleep onset); no such
improvements were observed for sleep latency, total sleep time, or sleep
efficiency compared to placebo. Effect sizes were moderate and in some cases
negligible. The results of this pilot study suggest that CherryPharm, a tart
cherry juice blend, has modest beneficial effects on sleep in older adults with
insomnia with effect sizes equal to or exceeding those observed in studies of
valerian and in some, but not all, studies of melatonin, the two most studied
natural products for insomnia. J Med Food. 2010 June. Effects of a tart cherry
juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Pigeon
WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML. Sleep & Neurophysiology Research Laboratory,
Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New
York 14642, USA.
I enjoy and rely on your insightfulness and thank you for your contribution. I wanted to give you first hand knowledge concerning tart cherry extract for the use in combating insomnia. I have had a 4 yr battle with this debilitating sleep dysfunction and have tried many over the counter supplements and prescription medicines with only agitation of symptoms. I have had tremendous success with this powerful supplement for the much needed relief from insomnia.
Warning
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned more than two dozen companies to stop selling cherry products that claim to help treat or prevent cancer, heart disease, arthritis and other diseases. The agency sent warning letters in October 2005 to 29 companies, ordering them immediately to stop making the health claims on their Web sites and product labels. "The companies cited are marketing dried fruit, fruit juice, and juice concentrate for treating or preventing of a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and arthritis," the FDA said in a statement. If the companies fail to take corrective measures, they may face FDA enforcement actions such as seizure of their products or criminal sanctions.
Various types and their benefits
I just read
your article regarding cherry (almonds too). Bing cherry, sweet, black, tart, all these cherries are confusing me. I think I correctly
read somewhere that sweet cherries are almost nothing in comparison to the tart
cherry in uric acid abatement. Can you explain further?
I have not come across enough human clinical studies to know
the benefits of each type and which is better for different medical conditions.