Montmorency sour cherries.
Why it’s used: Traditionally used to support joint comfort and restful sleep.
Tart cherries, also called sour cherries, are a different variety from the sweet cherries we eat from the punnet. Montmorency is the best known type, widely grown in North America and Europe, and these bright red cherries are too sharp to enjoy raw, so they are usually dried, juiced or turned into concentrate and powder.
They are naturally rich in anthocyanins, the pigments behind their deep colour, and they also contain small amounts of melatonin, tryptophan and serotonin. Tart cherry is traditionally used to support joint comfort and restful sleep. On supplement labels you will see Montmorency cherry powder, tart cherry extract or tart cherry concentrate, often in capsules or as a juice shot, and sometimes paired with celery seed.
Researchers have studied tart cherry juice and powder in several small trials. Some found longer total sleep time and better sleep efficiency, particularly in older adults with poor sleep, while others, including trials using 500 mg capsules, found no difference compared with placebo. The picture is promising but mixed, and larger studies are needed.
3 findings behind this ingredient. Hover a card for the detail and the source.
Meta-analysis of 14 studies. Tart cherry had a small effect on muscle soreness (ES -0.44), moderate effects on recovery of strength and power, and small reductions in CRP and IL-6.
Systematic review of 7 intervention studies. Three reported better sleep measures, three reported higher melatonin and two reported lower inflammatory markers; doses and designs varied widely.
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 20 healthy adults drinking tart cherry concentrate or placebo for 7 days. Urinary melatonin, time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency rose.
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Tart cherry is traditionally used to support restful sleep, and it naturally contains a little melatonin. Some small trials found people slept longer, especially older adults with sleep problems, but others found no difference from placebo.
Montmorency is a sour, or tart, variety. It is sharper than sweet dessert cherries and is mainly sold as juice, concentrate, dried fruit or powder. Tart cherries are the type used in most research on sleep and recovery.
Both have been studied. Several positive trials used juice or concentrate taken twice a day, while some capsule studies at 500 mg showed no clear effect. Capsules avoid the natural sugars in juice, so the right choice depends on your preference and diet.
Videos from doctors, research scientists and registered dietitians, for general education. They are independent of Nutra Formulations, do not refer to our products and are not medical advice for you.
Tart Cherries for Insomnia
Dr Michael Greger, MD, FACLM · NutritionFacts.org on YouTube
Information only, not medical advice. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
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