Tart cherry
Summary
Tart cherry is rich in anthocyanins and contains a little melatonin. In small trials, juice concentrate lengthened sleep and raised melatonin markers (grade D), and a meta-analysis of 14 studies found faster strength recovery after hard exercise (grade C). A 20-day trial found no change in blood pressure. Juice adds sugar and calories.
Key facts
- Recovery of strength after hard exercise (C); sleep time and melatonin (D); insomnia severity in older adults (D); blood pressure (no effect, D)[1][2][3][4][5]
- 14 studies: small reduction in soreness and moderate benefit for strength and power recovery[3]
- Urinary melatonin metabolite rose after 7 days of juice concentrate in a crossover trial of 20 adults[1]
- Juice or concentrate taken twice daily for 7 days to 3 weeks; capsule extracts are less studied[1][2][4]
- 5 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 11, 2026
How it works
ProposedTart cherries supply anthocyanins with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and a small amount of melatonin; human trials link them to lower oxidative-stress markers after exercise and higher melatonin output.[1][4]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | Grade C | Improved | Meta-analysis · n = 294 · 2021 | 2 rows |
| Heart | Grade D | No effect | RCT · n = 45 · 2022 | 1 row |
| Sleep | Grade D | Improved | Crossover RCT · n = 20 · 2012 | 2 rows |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery of strength, power and soreness after strenuous exercise | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 294 · 2021 Untrained to well-trained adults in 14 exercise-recovery studies Form: tart cherry juice, concentrate, powder or capsules · Dose: Varied across studies · Duration: Days before and after the exercise bout Moderate benefit for recovery of muscle strength (ES −0.78) and power (ES −0.53), a small reduction in soreness (ES −0.44) and small drops in CRP and IL-6; no effect on creatine kinase or TNF-α. | 33440334 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Blood pressure and cholesterol | No effect | Grade D | RCT · n = 45 · 2022 Adults (three arms: tart cherry, blueberry, placebo) Form: Montmorency tart cherry juice · Dose: 60 mL/day · Duration: 20 days No significant change in systolic blood pressure; cholesterol improved with blueberry juice rather than tart cherry. | 35564709 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Recovery after a marathon | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 20 · 2010 Recreational marathon runners Form: Tart cherry juice · Dose: Twice daily · Duration: 5 days before to 48 hours after the race Isometric strength recovered faster than with placebo, with lower inflammation and oxidative-stress markers. | 19883392 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
| Sleep time and melatonin | Improved | Grade D | Crossover RCT · n = 20 · 2012 Healthy adults Form: Tart cherry juice concentrate · Dose: Twice daily · Duration: 7 days Urinary melatonin rose and time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency increased versus placebo. | 22038497 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Insomnia in older adults | Mixed | Grade D | Crossover RCT · n = 15 · 2010 Older adults with chronic insomnia Form: Tart cherry juice blend · Dose: Twice daily · Duration: 2 weeks per arm Insomnia severity and wake time after sleep onset fell versus placebo; sleep onset, total sleep time and efficiency did not differ. | 20438325 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juice or juice concentrate | Varies[1][2][4] | No head-to-head absorption data between forms in our sources.[1][2][4] | Generally well tolerated; adds natural sugar and calories.[1][2][4] | Sleep (7–14 days) and exercise recovery |
| Powder or capsule extract | Varies[3] | No comparative data in our sources.[3] | No specific tolerance data in the trials we cite.[3] | Included in some recovery studies in the meta-analysis |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from one to two servings of tart cherry juice or concentrate a day (for example 60 mL/day) for 7 days to 3 weeks; there is no agreed mg dose of extract.[1][2][5]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- People watching sugar intake
- Most trials used juice or concentrate, which carries natural sugar and calories.[1][5]
- People with insomnia
- Effects in older adults were modest compared with proven insomnia treatments.[2]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- No safety data for concentrated products were found in the trials we cite.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Where to buy Tart cherry
Products from brands we partner with that contain Tart cherry. Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.
- SupersmartPaid linkTart Cherry Extract1 capsule: 616 mg CherryPURE tart cherry extract standardized to 6.5% anthocyanins; 60 servings; most trials above used juice or concentrate, not capsulesShop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.
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Frequently asked questions
Does tart cherry help you sleep?
In small crossover trials it raised a melatonin marker and lengthened sleep in healthy adults; effects in insomnia were modest.[1][2]
Does tart cherry help muscle recovery?
A meta-analysis of 14 studies found faster strength recovery and slightly less soreness after hard exercise.[3]
How much tart cherry juice was used?
Trials used one to two servings a day, such as 60 mL of concentrate, for 1 to 3 weeks.[1][5]
Does tart cherry lower blood pressure?
A 20-day trial in 45 adults found no significant change.[5]
Sources
- [1]Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality.. Eur J Nutr, 2012. crossover-RCT
- [2]Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study.. J Med Food, 2010. crossover-RCT
- [3]Tart Cherry Supplementation and Recovery From Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2021. meta-analysis
- [4]Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon running.. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2010. RCT
- [5]Effects of Montmorency Tart Cherry and Blueberry Juice on Cardiometabolic and Other Health-Related Outcomes: A Three-Arm Placebo Randomized Controlled Trial.. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022. RCT
What changed
- Independent review: added the 14-study recovery meta-analysis as an evidence row (the summary already cited its grade C); noted that the listed capsule differs from the juice used in most trials.
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities (title, year and journal taken from the PubMed record; retraction and expression-of-concern flags checked: none) and abstracts read for each cited row. Product details in Where to buy read from the brand page on the date shown.