Does Tart Cherry Juice Help With Gout?

Over the decades, people have been turning to natural remedies such as tart cherry juice for pain relief – whether gout or arthritis or even muscle pain caused due to exercise. While most people consider this to be anecdotal or a mere figment of folklore, research conducted by scientists has shown that tart cherry juice has a rich supply of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help with the pain, particularly gout. So how does tart cherry juice work? How much of it should you consume for the pain? Does this mean you don’t need to consult a doctor? Let us find out. [1]

Fresh tart cherry juice
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Tart Cherry Juice for Gout

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that is caused when there is a deposition of uric acid in the blood. The uric acid gets deposited as crystals in the joints, leading to sudden inflammation and pain. The areas where gout commonly occurs are around the joints of the ankle, big toe, and knee. According to the Arthritis Foundation, approximately 6 million American men, as well as 2 million American women, suffer from this condition. Tart cherry juice is attributed to help reduce gout-related pain. [2]

According to a 2014 study in the Journal of Functional Foods, a team of British researchers stated that drinking Montmorency tart juice helped decline blood levels of gout-producing uric acid and raise certain anthocyanin compounds in the bloodstream. Anthocyanins are antioxidants that are not only responsible for the color of the fruit but also to reduce any kind of inflammation in the body, which is vital in the treatment of gout. [3] [4]

A study published by a team of researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine in the Arthritis and Rheumatology Journal noted that when 633 people were administered with cherries over a two-day period, there was nearly a 35% reduced risk of gout attacks compared with no intake. This goes to show that when cherries are consumed in any form, which is as a whole or as a tart cherry extract or supplement, there will be a reduction in gout pain. [5]

How Much Of Tart Cherry Juice Should You Consume For Gout?

At a 2010 annual meeting of the European League Against Rheumatism, researchers at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey, presented a retrospective study comprising 24 patients. As a part of the study, each of the patients was given a tablespoon of liquid tart cherry extract, which is equal to 45 to 60 cherries, twice daily over a period of four months. At the end of the period, it was noted that there was nearly a 50 percent fall in the occurrence of gout among these patients. However, more information is needed to ascertain the right time to consume tart cherry juice during the day or whether it is more helpful when had with or without the consumption of food. [6]

Will Tart Cherry Juice Help Alone Or Should You Consult A Doctor?

If you have gout, it is always prudent and wise to visit a doctor. Your doctor will ask you questions about your lifestyle, food consumption, and symptoms to make the diagnosis. You will also be asked to go in for a blood test in order to ascertain the blood uric acid levels in your body. Once diagnosed, you could be asked to modify your diet, have medicines and use hot and cold compressions. If your doctor has asked you to strictly modify your diet, consuming tart cherry juice alone will not help relieve you of your symptoms. The ideal thing would be to consume tart cherry juice daily along with a treatment plan from your doctor. It will help to reduce the blood uric acid levels and inflammation in the joints.

Are There Any Side Effects Of Consuming Tart Cherry Juice?

Too much of anything is bad. Overconsumption of tart cherry juice could cause diarrhea because of the prevalence of high amounts of sorbitol — a type of sugar alcohol and excessive fiber. Moreover, if you are allergic to tart cherry juice, it would be advisable to consult a doctor first. [7] [8]


Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.organicfacts.net by Ishani Bose where all credits are due.

Disclaimer

The watching, interacting, and participation of any kind with anything on this page does not constitute or initiate a doctor-patient relationship with Dr. Farrah®. None of the statements here have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The products of Dr. Farrah® are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information being provided should only be considered for education and entertainment purposes only. If you feel that anything you see or hear may be of value to you on this page or on any other medium of any kind associated with, showing, or quoting anything relating to Dr. Farrah® in any way at any time, you are encouraged to and agree to consult with a licensed healthcare professional in your area to discuss it. If you feel that you’re having a healthcare emergency, seek medical attention immediately. The views expressed here are simply either the views and opinions of Dr. Farrah® or others appearing and are protected under the first amendment.

Dr. Farrah® is a highly experienced Licensed Medical Doctor certified in evidence-based clinical nutrition, not some enthusiast, formulator, or medium promoting the wild and unrestrained use of nutrition products for health issues without clinical experience and scientific evidence of therapeutic benefit. Dr. Farrah® has personally and keenly studied everything she recommends, and more importantly, she’s closely observed the reactions and results in a clinical setting countless times over the course of her career involving the treatment of over 150,000 patients.

Dr. Farrah® promotes evidence-based natural approaches to health, which means integrating her individual scientific and clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. By individual clinical expertise, I refer to the proficiency and judgment that individual clinicians acquire through clinical experience and clinical practice.

Dr. Farrah® does not make any representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of any multimedia content provided. Dr. Farrah® does not warrant the performance, effectiveness, or applicability of any sites listed, linked, or referenced to, in, or by any multimedia content.

To be clear, the multimedia content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any website, video, image, or media of any kind.
Dr. Farrah® hereby disclaims any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of the content, which is provided as is, and without warranties.