Tart Cherry (Montmorency)
The tart cherry (Prunus cerasus), most commonly the Montmorency cultivar, is a sour cherry naturally rich in anthocyanin polyphenols and containing small amounts of melatonin and tryptophan. It is sold in the UK as a food, a juice concentrate, a freeze-dried powder, and a capsule extract. There are no authorised UK health claims for tart cherry. Trials in sleep, exercise recovery, and gout exist but the evidence base is small, varied, and concentrated on a handful of standardised preparations.
Camden Medicals editorial · Last reviewed 1 May 2026 · Next review November 2026
- Cross-checked against
- NHS
- NICE
- BNF
- EFSA
- FSA
Camden's editorial team independently graded each health claim below on the strength of the published evidence — see the grade beside every condition.
- Class
- Botanical
- Typical daily dose
- Trials of Montmorency tart cherry juice concentrate have most commonly used doses equivalent to 30 mL of concentrate (≈ 60 cherries) twice daily, mixed with water. Freeze-dried powder trials have used 480–500 mg of standardised powder twice daily. Capsule supplements at typical 1500 mg whole-fruit doses deliver substantially less polyphenol and melatonin than these trial doses.
- Top use evidence
- Limited
On this page
What it is
Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) is a deciduous cherry species native to Europe and South-West Asia and now widely grown in Eastern Europe, Türkiye, and the United States. The Montmorency cultivar — a French heritage variety grown commercially mostly in Michigan and the Pacific Northwest — is the cultivar that almost all of the published clinical literature has used. "Sour cherry", "tart cherry", and "Montmorency cherry" are not strictly interchangeable in research terms.
The fruit is naturally rich in anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, peonidin-3-glucoside), phenolic acids (chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, p-coumaric), flavanols, and contains small amounts of melatonin and tryptophan. Commercial supplements are sold as juice concentrates (typically labelled by anthocyanin or Brix content), freeze-dried whole-fruit powders, and concentrated capsule extracts. The clinical literature has used a small number of standardised products — most commonly CherryPure® freeze-dried powder and specific Montmorency juice concentrate brands — at doses well above what most consumer capsules deliver.
At a glance
- A sour cherry (Prunus cerasus, Montmorency cultivar most-studied) sold in the UK as food, juice concentrate, and capsules.
- No UK-authorised health claims; EFSA evaluation on hold for botanicals.
- The published research is largely on the Montmorency cultivar specifically — not "tart cherry" generically. If the supplement does not name the cultivar, it does not match what trials studied.
- A common 1500 mg capsule provides far less anthocyanin and melatonin than the 240 mL juice doses used in published trials. Dose matters.
- Naturally contains small amounts of melatonin — but at supplemental doses far below dedicated melatonin products. UK melatonin is a Prescription-Only Medicine, not a food supplement.
What people use it for
People including tart cherries or unsweetened juice in their normal diet
Tart cherries are a food. They contribute to a diet rich in fruit and polyphenols. No specific health claim is authorised on the cherry itself.
Popular, not provenInsufficientAdults with mild, occasional sleep disturbance who want to try a food-first approach
Some trials of standardised Montmorency juice concentrate have reported small improvements in sleep duration and efficiency. Effect sizes are modest, trials are small, and several have used much higher doses than typical consumer products. Sleep that is persistently poor needs assessment, not a supplement — see your GP. [1]
Some evidenceLimitedRecreationally active adults exploring recovery aids
A modest body of trials suggests reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness and faster recovery of strength after eccentric or repeated-bout exercise when standardised tart-cherry products are taken around the training session. Effect sizes are small and the doses used are typically larger than capsule products deliver. [6]
Some evidenceLimitedPeople with diagnosed gout or hyperuricaemia
Some observational data has suggested an association between tart-cherry consumption and reduced gout-flare risk. This is observational and the supplement is not a treatment for gout — UK NHS pathways for gout (urate-lowering therapy, lifestyle, allopurinol/febuxostat where indicated) apply. [2]
Some evidenceLimitedPeople considering supplements for diagnosed insomnia
Persistent insomnia needs assessment by a GP. UK pathways include sleep hygiene, CBT-I, and in specific circumstances melatonin (which is a Prescription-Only Medicine in the UK). Tart cherry is not part of these pathways. [1]
Popular, not provenInsufficient
How it works
Two mechanistic strands sit behind tart cherry research. The first is the polyphenol / anti-inflammatory pathway: anthocyanins from the fruit appear in plasma after consumption and have been associated with reductions in markers of oxidative stress and acute exercise-induced inflammation in some trials. The second is the small endogenous melatonin content, which has been proposed as a contributor to the sleep-related findings in cherry-juice trials. In practice the melatonin dose delivered by a typical Montmorency juice serving is well below the doses studied in melatonin-supplement trials, so the sleep mechanism — if real — is unlikely to be melatonin alone.
Common myths
Myth"Tart cherry capsules deliver the same as the juice in trials"
RealityThey typically do not. Trials have used Montmorency juice concentrate at doses delivering approximately 50–100 mg of total anthocyanins and small but measurable melatonin per serving, often given twice daily for 7–14 days. A 1500 mg whole-fruit capsule delivers a fraction of this anthocyanin and melatonin load. Comparing capsules to juice at the same milligram label is misleading.
Myth""Tart cherry" and "Montmorency cherry" are interchangeable"
RealityThey are not, in research terms. The Montmorency cultivar is the one most published trials have used. Other tart-cherry cultivars (e.g. Balaton) have different anthocyanin profiles. Generic "tart cherry" labels do not necessarily match trial materials.
Myth"Tart cherry treats gout"
RealityIt does not. Observational data has suggested an association between cherry consumption and reduced gout-flare risk, but tart cherry is not a treatment for gout. UK NHS pathways for gout — urate-lowering therapy, lifestyle modification, prescribed allopurinol or febuxostat where indicated — apply. [2]
Common online questions
Synthesised from the questions UK shoppers most often ask online about Tart Cherry (Montmorency). Each answer is editorial and links to its evidence in the Sources list below.
Does tart cherry actually help me sleep?
The published evidence is small, mixed, and concentrated on a handful of standardised Montmorency juice products at doses roughly equivalent to two 240 mL servings of concentrated juice per day. Improvements reported in trials are modest. A typical 1500 mg capsule supplement delivers far less anthocyanin and melatonin than these trial doses. Persistent or worsening sleep problems need an NHS pathway (sleep hygiene, CBT-I, GP review), not a food supplement. [1]
Is tart cherry the same as melatonin?
No. Tart cherries naturally contain small amounts of melatonin — well below the doses used in supplemental melatonin trials. In the UK, melatonin is a Prescription-Only Medicine (POM), not a food supplement. A tart cherry product is a food concentrate, not a melatonin substitute, and trials of supplemental melatonin and of tart cherry are not interchangeable. [5]
Why does the label say "Montmorency"?
Montmorency is a specific cultivar of Prunus cerasus that almost all the published clinical research has used. "Tart cherry" or "sour cherry" generically can refer to other cultivars whose polyphenol profiles differ. If the label does not name the cultivar, the product does not necessarily match what trials studied.
Can I take tart cherry with a sleeping tablet or melatonin?
Talk to your prescribing pharmacist or GP first. Tart cherry is a food concentrate and the interaction risk is generally low at food-derived doses, but combining "natural" and prescribed sleep agents without telling your prescriber risks duplicate action and clouded judgements about which intervention is doing what.
Will tart cherry affect my blood-thinning medication?
High-dose anthocyanin-rich supplements have theoretical platelet effects. Tart cherry has not been associated with clinically meaningful interaction with standard anticoagulants (warfarin, DOACs) at typical food-supplement doses, but disclose any supplement to your prescribing pharmacist when on anticoagulants.
🔬 Camden’s evidence review
The research Camden reviewed, graded on its strength. This is our own appraisal — it sits beneath the official guidance above, never above it.
Sleep duration and efficiency
LimitedEvidencelimitedSeveral small trials of tart cherry juice have reported modest improvements in self-reported and objective sleep measures. Howatson 2012, a randomised double-blind crossover trial in 20 healthy adults, found that 7 days of tart cherry juice concentrate raised urinary melatonin and increased time in bed, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency; Pigeon 2010 was a randomised crossover pilot in 15 older adults with chronic insomnia; and Losso 2018 a placebo-controlled crossover pilot in adults over 50 using polysomnography. Trials are small, the products and doses vary, and independent large-scale replication is limited. EFSA cherry-related sleep claims are on hold. [7,8,9]
Exercise-induced muscle soreness and recovery
LimitedEvidencelimitedTrials of Montmorency tart cherry powder or juice concentrate have reported reduced muscle soreness and faster recovery of force production after eccentric exercise, marathon running, and intensive cycling protocols. A representative trial (Howatson 2010) found faster recovery of isometric strength and reduced inflammatory markers in recreational marathon runners given tart cherry juice around the race. The literature is dominated by a small number of research groups; effect sizes are modest; independent replication at scale is limited. [6]
Gout and uric acid
LimitedEvidencelimitedA 2012 case-crossover study (Zhang 2012, 633 individuals with gout) reported a lower risk of recurrent gout attacks in 2-day periods of cherry consumption versus no intake. The study is observational and recall-based, and the cherry was largely the fresh fruit rather than a concentrated supplement. Tart cherry is not a treatment for gout — UK NHS pathways apply. [10,2]
Blood pressure / cardiovascular markers
LimitedEvidencelimitedSome short trials have reported small reductions in blood pressure markers; effects are inconsistent across populations and doses. Tart cherry is not a treatment for hypertension. Talk to your GP if your blood pressure is a concern. [11]
Safety
Tart cherry is a food and the supplement is a food-derived concentrate. Standard doses are well-tolerated; persistent sleep, gout, or muscle complaints need a GP review, not a supplement.
Talk to your pharmacist or GP first if you:
- You take prescribed anticoagulants (warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, edoxaban) or antiplatelets — disclose all supplements.
- You take prescribed sleep medication (Z-drugs, sedating antihistamines, prescribed melatonin) — duplicate-action and assessment-clouding risk.
- You have diagnosed kidney disease — high-polyphenol fruit concentrates contribute to potassium and oxalate intake.
- You have diagnosed gout — talk to your GP about urate-lowering therapy; do not substitute a supplement.
- You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive — limited supplement-form safety data.
Common side effects: Mild GI complaints from concentrated juices (loose stools, abdominal discomfort) — usually dose-related and resolves on dose reduction or splitting across the day.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Tart cherry as a food is fine in pregnancy. Concentrated supplements have limited safety data at supplemental doses. Talk to your pharmacist or GP before supplementing during pregnancy.
Tart cherry as a food is fine in breastfeeding. Concentrates have limited supplemental safety data — talk to your pharmacist.
Talk to your GP, midwife, or pharmacist before starting any supplement during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
More clinical detail (for clinicians and informed readers)
Contraindications
- Known cherry or stone-fruit (Rosaceae) allergy.
Drug interactions
- Theoretical platelet effects of high-polyphenol concentrates — disclose to anaesthetists pre-surgery.
- Possible additive sedation with prescribed sleep agents — discuss with prescriber.
This is not an exhaustive list. Always tell your prescriber and pharmacist about every supplement you take.
Common side effects
- Mild GI complaints — looser stools, mild abdominal discomfort with concentrated juices.
Rare side effects
- Allergic reactions to cherry — rare; cross-reactivity with other Rosaceae fruits possible in known fruit-allergy patients.
How to take it
- Typical supplemental range
- Trials of Montmorency tart cherry juice concentrate have most commonly used doses equivalent to 30 mL of concentrate (≈ 60 cherries) twice daily, mixed with water. Freeze-dried powder trials have used 480–500 mg of standardised powder twice daily. Capsule supplements at typical 1500 mg whole-fruit doses deliver substantially less polyphenol and melatonin than these trial doses.
- Timing
- Sleep-related trials have typically used a morning and evening dose. Recovery trials have used pre- and post-exercise dosing for several days around the training stimulus.
How to spot quality
Look for
- Cultivar named: Montmorency (Prunus cerasus var. Montmorency) is what most research has used.
- Standardisation declared: total anthocyanin content (mg) and/or whether the product matches a research-grade preparation (e.g. CherryPure®).
- Format honest about dose: a 30 mL juice concentrate twice daily delivers more polyphenol than a single 1500 mg capsule.
- GMP-certified manufacture; country of cultivation declared (Michigan, Eastern Europe, Türkiye are common).
- No added sugars in juice products; sweetened cherry-juice cocktails are not the same as concentrate.
Red flags
- Generic "tart cherry" or "cherry extract" with no cultivar named.
- No anthocyanin standardisation or polyphenol content stated on the label.
- Capsule dose marketed as "equivalent to X cups of juice" without published bioequivalence data.
- Marketing implies treatment for gout, insomnia, arthritis, or hypertension.
- "Melatonin booster" framing — UK melatonin is POM; conflating cherry concentrate with melatonin supplements is misleading.
Where Camden lands · gap declared
Camden Medicals does not currently stock a tart cherry product. A Phase-2 sleep-category supplement (a Montmorency tart cherry concentrate) was considered and did not enter the catalogue. If Camden evaluates a tart cherry SKU in future, the encyclopaedia look-for bar applies — the Montmorency (Prunus cerasus var. Montmorency) cultivar named on the label; total anthocyanin content declared; and the format honest about dose, since a juice concentrate delivers substantially more polyphenol than a single capsule. This entry is retained as a Verifera reference for the sleep, exercise-recovery, and gout question clusters.
Commonly combined with
Other ingredients that share a biological pathway, cofactor relationship, or evidence-backed protocol with this one. Mechanisms below cite primary physiology — not folk pairing. Doses are literature ranges, not recommendations. Talk to your pharmacist or GP before changing your stack, especially if you take prescription medication.
L-Tryptophan
Limited evidenceSleep-cluster pairing — tart cherry direct melatonin + l-tryptophan upstream substrate. Mechanism complementary.
Tart cherry (Montmorency) provides modest direct melatonin content; l-tryptophan provides upstream serotonin / melatonin biosynthesis substrate.
Evidence: Camden l-tryptophan covers cluster.
Doses studied: 1500 mg tart-cherry concentrate + 500-1000 mg l-tryptophan evening.
Magnesium
Limited evidenceSleep-cluster pairing — magnesium relaxation + tart cherry melatonin / anti-inflammatory.
Magnesium GABA / NMDA modulation; tart-cherry anthocyanins + melatonin + tryptophan content. Mechanism complementary.
Evidence: UK Article 13.1 magnesium psychological-function claim. [4]
Doses studied: 1500 mg tart-cherry + 200-400 mg magnesium glycinate evening.
Found in Camden: Aurifera™ Magnesium Complex 120 Capsules
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Limited evidenceSleep-cluster pairing — different mechanisms (GABA-A modulation vs melatonin / anti-inflammatory).
Valerian valerenic acid GABA-A modulation; tart-cherry anthocyanins + melatonin / tryptophan. Mechanism complementary.
Evidence: Camden valerian covers cluster.
Doses studied: 1500 mg tart-cherry + 300-500 mg valerian root extract evening.