Black cherry

BotanicalBest before bedBest taken with food

What is it

Black cherry (Prunus serotina or sweet/tart cherry varieties) is rich in anthocyanins, melatonin, and polyphenols. Supplements use cherry juice concentrate, freeze-dried powder, or standardized extracts.

Evidence for 3 uses

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Gout (uric acid reduction)

Good Evidence

RCTs and observational studies suggest cherry intake reduces gout attack frequency, possibly via uric acid lowering.

Exercise recovery

Good Evidence

Multiple RCTs show reduced muscle damage and soreness with tart cherry around exercise.

Sleep quality

Good Evidence

Small RCTs of tart cherry juice show modest improvements in sleep duration and quality.

How it works

Black and tart cherry anthocyanins inhibit COX-2 and modulate inflammatory cytokines, providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects studied in gout, exercise recovery, and sleep. Tart cherry contains modest amounts of melatonin, which may support sleep timing. Anti-inflammatory effects in arthritis and post-exercise muscle damage are documented in RCTs.

Dosage

Tart cherry juice: 8-12 oz (240-360 mL) once or twice daily. Tart cherry concentrate: 1 oz (~30 mL). Tart cherry capsules: 480 mg/day standardized.

When and how to take it

For sleep, take 1-2 hours before bed. For exercise recovery, take before and after workouts. For gout/arthritis, twice daily with meals.

3 commercial forms

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Tart cherry juice

Most-studied form.

Whole-fruit polyphenols.

Tart cherry concentrate

Convenient supplement.

Higher polyphenol per volume.

Standardized capsule

Diabetic-friendly option.

Lower sugar content.

Safety

Well tolerated as food. Higher juice doses provide significant sugar; choose unsweetened. GI upset uncommonly.

Who should be cautious

Diabetics should account for juice sugar. Pregnancy data limited for concentrates.

Interactions

Modest melatonin content may potentiate sedatives. Anti-inflammatory effect may add to NSAIDs.

Food sources

Fresh tart cherries (1 cup)

Amount
~50 kcal, anthocyanins, modest melatonin
%DV
—

Tart cherry juice (8 oz)

Amount
~120-140 kcal, rich anthocyanins
%DV
—

Frequently asked questions

Tart cherry vs. sweet cherry?⌄

Tart cherry has higher anthocyanin and melatonin content; most clinical evidence uses tart cherry.

Will cherry juice help my gout?⌄

Some evidence supports it as an adjunct, but it's not a substitute for urate-lowering medication in established gout.

References

Black cherry on Wikidata — Wikidata link

Black cherry on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Black cherry (PubMed search) — PubMed link

Track Black cherry with Pilora

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.