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tart cherry

What does the research say about tart cherry?

3 health outcomes synthesised

Research on tart cherry has investigated its effects on three health outcomes: blood cholesterol, body mass index, and muscle soreness. The strongest evidence, from 3 studies, supports a moderate beneficial effect on reducing blood cholesterol, particularly in elderly adults. Effective doses in studies range from 20 ml of concentrate to 480 ml of juice daily over 8-12 weeks.

Strongest evidence: The most robust finding is for reduced blood cholesterol (moderate evidence strength). Two out of three studies reported moderate beneficial effects, with effective doses of 20 ml concentrate or 480 ml/day juice, primarily in elderly adults (ages 65–80). A 2024 meta-analysis confirmed a moderate effect at 20 ml concentrate, though a 2022 meta-analysis found no effect on cholesterol.

Mixed or weaker evidence: For reduced body mass index (BMI), the evidence is low; none of the 3 studies found benefit—one reported a harmful effect and two were neutral. For reduced muscle soreness, evidence is very low; all 4 studies reported neutral effects with small effect sizes, and none reached statistical significance.

Effective dose patterns: Only blood cholesterol has a consistent effective dose range (20 ml concentrate or 480 ml juice/day). For BMI and muscle soreness, no effective dose emerged from the research.

Population insights: The blood cholesterol benefit was observed specifically in elderly adults. For other outcomes, populations were athletes (muscle soreness) or unspecified, with no consistent subgroup effects.

Notable caveats: All syntheses are based on small numbers of studies (3–4 papers), so conclusions are preliminary. Mixed signals exist—e.g., a meta-analysis for cholesterol found no effect. Many individual studies lacked statistical significance, limiting confidence in the findings.

Frequently asked

  • What is tart cherry good for according to research?
    Research suggests tart cherry may have a moderate beneficial effect on reducing blood cholesterol, based on 3 studies (2 beneficial, 1 neutral). Evidence for body mass index and muscle soreness is weaker—no consistent benefit was found across studies.
  • What dose of tart cherry is typically used in studies?
    For blood cholesterol, the effective dose is 20 ml of concentrate or 480 ml of juice daily. For muscle soreness, studies most commonly used about 300 ml of juice daily for 7 days, but no effect was seen. No consistent dose was reported for BMI studies.
  • Who benefits most from tart cherry?
    The strongest evidence points to elderly adults (ages 65–80) for blood cholesterol reduction. For other outcomes, populations studied included athletes and general adults, but no significant benefits were observed.
  • Are there caveats or limitations in the research on tart cherry?
    Yes. All evidence is based on small numbers of studies (3-4 per outcome), making conclusions preliminary. For cholesterol, a 2022 meta-analysis found no effect, creating mixed signals. For muscle soreness and BMI, most studies did not reach statistical significance.
  • Does tart cherry help with reducing blood cholesterol?
    The evidence is moderate: 2 of 3 studies showed a moderate beneficial effect, while 1 found no effect. Effective doses were 20 ml concentrate or 480 ml juice/day, with benefits seen in elderly adults over 8–12 weeks.
  • Does tart cherry help with weight loss or BMI reduction?
    No. Across 3 studies, none found a beneficial effect on BMI; one study even reported a harmful effect (moderate, statistically significant), and two were neutral. The evidence is low and does not support tart cherry for weight loss.

Most-studied combinations with tart cherry

most supplement research is combination research
Also studied with:kiwi (3)

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    4.9 (9 reviews)
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    By Swanson

    4.6 (14 reviews)
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