What are Tart Cherries?
Tart cherries grow worldwide, and people use them for cooking or making syrups and similar concentrates. You can find them frozen, juiced or dried. People usually add sugar to these cherries, so they taste better because they are so tart.
Tart cherries are the most popular in Russia and Europe (x).
You’ll find tart cherries in conventional food as food coloring and flavoring, but it’s also a dietary supplement.
But talk with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
Tart Cherry Extract Capsules
Some people take tart cherry extract as a supplement because it contains nutrients that benefit the body. Anthocyanins, a flavonoid with extreme antioxidant activity, are one of those nutrients (x). Hydroxycinnamates are another beneficial nutrient. It has bioactive components that are antioxidants. Animal and test tube studies show that, with these components in tart cherries have anti-inflammatory qualities (x).
Making the extract requires boiling cherries to a pulp and then mashing it. After removing the moisture from the pulp, it becomes tart cherry extract powder. People then add the powder to smoothies or other liquids to take it as a supplement.
Measuring the powder and adding it to a drink for consumption can get a little messy, so tart cherry capsules are the best way to take the supplement.
Medicinal History of Tart Cherries
Nurses gave Roman soldiers injured on the battlefields tart cherries to relieve the pain. Greek physician Claudius Galenus, known as Galen of Pergamon, recommended tart cherries as an astringent for various health concerns (x).
Arabic traditional medicine, known as Unani, used tart cherry formulations to ease conditions like kidney stones, urinary tract infections and painful urination. In western Europe, people took the fresh fruits and pits to make a cherry syrup to help reduce fevers and liver diseases (x).
Benefits of Tart Cherry Extract Capsules
Tart cherry extract capsules have a good amount of fiber and contain vitamins A, B, C and K. Compared to sweet cherries, tart cherries have 20 times more vitamin A, and their antioxidant levels are five times higher.
The extract is also an excellent source of minerals, such as magnesium, potassium and manganese. It’s even a source of protein while providing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The supplement is rich in melatonin, which helps healthy bodies sleep, supports the immune system, promotes healthy moods and more.
Of late, more studies support tart cherry extract or juice for elite athletes and the general population because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenol compounds. The extract lessens pain and speeds up recovery, which is better than over-the-counter drugs and painkillers (x).
Now, let’s take an extended look at the benefits of tart cherry extract capsules. Don’t forget to talk with your caregiver before starting any new supplement.
Excellent Source of Antioxidants
Tart cherries are super high in anthocyanins, a potent flavonoid with antioxidant activity. Test tube and human studies support tart cherry extract antioxidant properties.
Tart cherry extract capsules can help reduce inflammation markers in women with osteoarthritis (x). Osteoarthritis causes joints to become inflamed, and the joints break down overtime. Copper in the tart cherry extract can help ease arthritis symptoms and allow for healthy aging (x).
What is an Antioxidant?
One of the properties that make tart cherry extract so inviting is its antioxidant capabilities. On a molecular level, antioxidants are agents that nullify free radicals. Free radicals are toxic and uncharged molecules unbalanced within the body. The deadly consequence of free radicals is destructive and short-lived.
Free radicals cause severe issues and disrupt your regular body system if not remedied. They trigger “oxidative stress,” an unhealthy state where free radicals wreak devastation faster than your body can overcome the damage. Here, antioxidants from tart cherry extract may help, thus combating diseases.
So much research supports the benefits of antioxidants as molecules that rescue the body from oxidative stress. These agents contribute an electron to disassemble the chaotic chain reactions created by free radicals.
Antioxidant enzymes also generate inside your body but taking nutrient-rich supplements, fresh fruits, vegetables and some vitamins contain them. Today, it’s beneficial to use health supplements loaded with antioxidants (x).
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties go hand in hand. You don’t have one without the other since free radicals cause inflammation. Antioxidants combat free radicals, thus lowering inflammation as an anti-inflammatory.
Oxidative stress causes inflammation that leads to diseases and other health concerns, like diabetes, Parkinson’s and cardiovascular disease. Deficiencies can also cause inflammation, such as a deficiency in magnesium causes chronic inflammation. Tart cherries are a natural source of magnesium (x).
Though the body needs some free radical activity, it’s best not to have too many. The idea is to have a healthy balance.
Helps With Competitive Sports and Training Recovery
Researchers have investigated tart cherries’ potential effects on various factors in the natural health field, such as muscle damage, vascular function, pain, sleep and antioxidant activity. The studies showed a potential use of tart cherry extract capsules in sports medicine. Even though these studies used cherry juice, the tart cherry extract has the same potential (x).
Exercise can cause decrease muscle force production, oxidative stress and inflammation. The high polyphenolic compounds in tart cherries, through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions, lessen muscle damage and pain levels and promote recovery for athletes.
Tart cherries benefit individuals undergoing intense exercise training, which naturally overloads the body’s ability to produce antioxidants. Before, studies focused on vitamins C and E for recovery, but they had mixed results. Using cherries shows a more practical and positive approach, reducing blood inflammation markers (x).
In an interview with Dr. Malachy McHugh, the Director of Research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at a hospital in New York City, he talks about “precovery,” taking tart cherries before strenuous exercise (x). He has evidence that tart cherries consumption lowers systemic inflammation and uric acid. Reducing uric acid helps an individual be less prone to gout, known as painful joint inflammation (x).
Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady promotes a tart cherry juice smoothie for sports and intense training recovery (x).
Dr. McHugh also discussed that one of his colleagues, an exercise physiologist, recruited 50 middle-aged individuals and assigned them Montmorency cherry concentrate. Montmorency is a tart cherry that’s excellent for helping with health concerns. The study showed that those who took tart cherry juice had different amino acids in their blood compared to those who took the placebo (x).
An animal study shows that tart cherry extract reduces blood measures in muscle injuries after strenuous exercise (x).
Another study with young men who drank 12 ounces of tart juice twice a day, equaling 80 mg of anthocyanins, had benefits while exercising. They performed elbow flexion movements and had less pain compared to drinking a placebo (x).
A small study had trained athletes take one ounce of tart cherry concentrate twice a day, 550 mg anthocyanin. They did this for ten days and noticed more intense weight training sessions after seven days. Their recovery time improved as well (x).
Helps Sustain Mental Alertness
Oxidative stress affects the central nervous system, and anthocyanins in tart cherries help prevent or reverse oxidative stress (x).
Tart cherry juice can positively influence older adults with mild-to-moderate dementia per a 12-week study. Again, the high concentration of anthocyanin improved verbal fluency, long-term memory and short-term memory. There was also a noticeable reduction in high blood pressure (x).
Another study tested mice with Alzheimer’s disease and the effects of tart cherry extract and essential fatty acids, which reduce the severity of cognitive deficiencies. Another study reported that human patients with Alzheimer’s disease benefit from antioxidants and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, similar to the mice study (x).
In a study concerning 50 middle-aged people, they administered tart cherries, focusing on the abundant anthocyanins and other polyphenols in the cherries. Some took the tart cherries, while others took a placebo. Those that took the cherries noticed an anti-fatiguing effect and improved sustained attention during high cognitive demands. Their amino acid metabolism also changed, which might have something to do with the positive impact of tart cherries on their diet (x).
Support Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US, particularly for those over 65. High blood pressure is one factor that causes cardiovascular disease. Several studies show that tart cherry extract lowers blood pressure, preventing the risk of cardiovascular disease. One study with older adults who took tart cherry juice daily showed an improvement in lowering their blood pressure. So, incorporating tart cherry extract into your diet is a valuable intervention for maintaining a healthy heart. (x).
Cholesterol plays a vital role in your overall cardiovascular health. Too much bad cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), including triglycerides, can build up on the artery walls. The buildup causes plaque, making it more challenging for your heart to pump blood through the arteries. As a result, it causes heart disease. If the condition goes untreated, the arteries may become blocked, resulting in a heart attack.
Studies show that tart cherry extract contains anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamates. These elements can lower the bad cholesterol in the body, particularly those with obesity and diabetes. It can also prevent the clogging of the arteries caused by bad cholesterol (x).
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Tart cherries have high levels of melatonin, which can help get a good night’s sleep. A study with 20 volunteers took a placebo or tart cherry concentrate for seven days. The study measured their quality of sleep.
The result showed that those who took the tart cherry juice had significant increases in the time in bed, total sleep time and efficiency. The data supports that taking tart cherry extract could benefit the duration and quality of sleep (x).
Other studies show that tart cherry extract capsules increase melatonin levels in the body, helping to sleep quality. One study showed improvement after taking the tart cherries for five days (x).
Reduces Cancer Cells in the Body
Research shows that anthocyanins in tart cherries help reduce colon cancer cell growth in mice (x).
Tart cherries are polyphenol-rich food and are associated with lower cancer risk. It’s because of the many bioactive agents in the tart cherries, such as anthocyanins. A test tube study showed that tart cherry juice destroyed human breast cancer cells because of the anthocyanins (x).
Another study with 48 patients with potential secondary breast cancer took tart cherry extract to see its potential as an aromatase inhibitor. Aromatase inhibitors are breast cancer treatments that prevent the body from changing hormones into estrogen. Estrogen promotes the growth of breast cancer cells. The results showed tart cherry extract significantly decreased the chances of breast cancer as secondary cancer based on suppressing estrogen (x).
Build a Stronger Immune System
Anthocyanins in tart cherries have antimicrobial elements that kill microbes like bacteria that cause health concerns. Studies support that tart cherries combat bacteria, preventing illness and colds while keeping the immune system strong (x).
Prolonged exercising, like marathon running, can cause respiratory inflammation. A study showed that tart cherry juices could combat weakness in immunity caused by inflammation.
A group of marathon runners consumed cherry juice or a placebo before and after their competition. Evidence showed that tart cherries reduced post-marathon respiratory infections and even muscle damage (x).
Supports Eye Health
Anthocyanins in the tart cherry extract capsules stimulate blood flow in the body, but it also helps the blood flow through the eyes. That way, it slows the development of glaucoma as the body ages.
With the increased use of smartphones, computers, and other screened devices, Europe and East Asia have supported supplementing anthocyanins in tart cherry extract for improved eye health. The supplement passes through the barriers in the eye, helping to relax the muscles. The component also improves dark adaptation and other aspects of the eye anatomy (x).
Since tart cherry extract has a high melatonin concentration, it benefits the eyes. Several studies support melatonin as an effective antioxidant, fighting free radicals and supporting the retinal neurons (x).
Tart Cherry Extract Benefits Seem Endless
Anthocyanins in the tart cherry extract capsules help your body. It almost seems like a panacea because prevents so many health concerns. For example, the supplement suppresses metabolic disorders. Metabolic disorders are associated with diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease (x).
Other notable benefits (x):
- Relieves ulcers
- Protects the lungs
- Supports the skin
- Reduces varicose veins
- Reduces migraines
But check with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
Where to Buy Tart Cherry Extract Capsules?
You can purchase Tart Cherry Extract Capsules at BulkSupplements.com. The company is an industry-leading manufacturer and distributor of pure dietary supplements. BulkSupplements.com is not just a consumer brand. It also supplies pure ingredients to other brands that distribute food and other supplement products. All products at BulkSupplements.com are manufactured and tested according to current and proper manufacturing practices.
Are you interested in trying tart cherry extract as a dietary capsule supplement for its potential to support the nervous system, immune system, and arthritis and combat cancer, mood swings and inflammation? Contact BulkSupplements.com to place an order today.
Tart Cherry Extract Capsules Dosage
The suggested dosage is 500mg daily. Talk with your caregiver for the most optimal dosage.
Tart Cherry Extract Capsules Side Effects
Side effects are minimal, with chances of experiencing diarrhea and stomach pain. Pregnant or nursing mothers should avoid any supplement unless their doctor approves.
The Bottom Line
For decades, science and healthcare practitioners have known about the benefits of taking tart cherry extract capsules. In ancient times, healers prescribed tart cherry extract as a panacea.
Today the benefits of taking tart cherry extract are many. Some people take tart cherry extract as a supplement because it contains anthocyanins, a flavonoid with extreme antioxidant activity. Hydroxycinnamates are the cousins associated with taking the supplement as well.
The benefits include supporting the immune and cardiovascular systems. The tart cherry extract also helps recovery from strenuous training and sports competition. Well-known professional quarterback Tom Brady takes tart cherry juice to speed up his recovery.
The supplement helps eye health, promotes better sleep and fights certain cancers. You can’t help but benefit from taking tart cherry extract capsule once a day.
Measuring the powder and adding it to a drink for consumption can get a little messy, so tart cherry capsules are the best way to take the supplement.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.