Gout is an inflammatory metabolic disease caused by the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints. Those affected often experience sudden and intense episodes of pain, often accompanied by swelling and redness. In addition to available drug treatment options, many patients seek natural ways to relieve symptoms. In this context, the regular consumption of Montmorency tart cherries is gaining increasing importance: their positive effects have already been proven by scientific studies, making them a promising supplement for supporting gout.
This is what science says about the effects of Montmorency sour cherries:
We conducted a case-crossover study to examine associations of a set of putative risk factors with recurrent gout attacks. Participants were asked about the following information when experiencing a gout attack: the onset date of the gout attack, symptoms and signs, medications (including anti-gout medications), and potential risk factors (including daily intake of cherries and cherry extract) during the 2-day period prior to the gout attack. We assessed the same exposure information over 2-day control periods. We estimated the risk of recurrent gout attacks related to cherry intake using conditional logistic regression. Results: Our study included 633 individuals with taste. Cherry intake over a 2-day period was associated with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared with no intake (multivariate odds ratio [OR] = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.50–0.85). Cherry extract intake showed a similar inverse association (multivariate OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.30–0.98). The effect of cherry intake persisted across subgroups by sex, obesity status, purine intake, alcohol use, diuretic use, and use of anti-gout medications. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol use, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower than periods without either exposure (OR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.15–0.42).
The study results at a glance
Researchers at Boston University conducted a one-year case-control study with 633 gout patients. The aim was to investigate the association between cherry consumption and the risk of recurrent gout attacks.
Sour cherry consumption reduced the risk of gout attacks by 35% within just 2 days compared to no cherry intake.
Intake of sour cherry extracts showed a similar protective effect with a risk reduction of about 45% .
The combination of cherry consumption and diuretics reduced the risk of further gout attacks by 75% .
The protective effect of cherries remained independent of gender, obesity, high-purine diet, alcohol consumption, diuretic use, and use of gout medications (Zhang et al. 2012).
Can Montmorency tart cherries really help with gout?
The Montmorency tart cherry has proven particularly effective. Compared to other cherry varieties, it contains the highest concentrations of valuable plant compounds, especially polyphenols and anthocyanins. These not only give the fruit its intense, deep red color but are also largely responsible for its positive health effects (Hillman et al. 2021).
How the Montmorency sour cherry helps with gout
Promotes the excretion of uric acid through the kidneys and thus supports the relief of the body (Wang et al. 2023)
Inhibits the reabsorption of uric acid into the blood, thereby increasing its excretion (Schlesinger et al. 2012)
Has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce typical inflammatory processes in elevated uric acid levels (Gholami et al. 2022)
Conclusion on the effects of Montmorency sour cherries
The study suggests that consumption of Montmorency tart cherries or their extract can significantly reduce the risk of recurrent gout attacks. A synergistic effect appears to be particularly evident when combined with diuretics. While further randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings, Montmorency tart cherries could be a valuable addition to gout prevention.
Our expert
Robert Appuhn
Alternative practitioner, nutritionist
Focus:
Micronutrients | Orthomolecular Therapy
References for further reading:
- Gholami A, Amirkalali B, Baradaran HR, Hariri M. The beneficial effect of tart cherry on plasma levels of inflammatory mediators (not recovery after exercise): A systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized clinical trials. Complement Ther Med 2022; 68:102842. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102842.
- Hillman, AR, & Uhranowsky, K. (2021). Acute Ingestion of Montmorency Tart Cherry Reduces Serum Uric Acid but Has no Impact on High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein or Oxidative Capacity. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 76(1), 83–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-021-00879-7
- Schlesinger N. Pilot Studies of Cherry Juice Concentrate for Gout Flare Prophylaxis. J Arthritis 2012; 01(01). doi: 10.4172/2167-7921.1000101.
- Wang C, Sun W, Dalbeth N, Wang Z, Wang X, Ji X et al. Efficacy and safety of tart cherry supplementary citrate mixture on gout patients: a prospective, randomized, controlled study. Arthritis Res Ther 2023; 25(1):164. doi: 10.1186/s13075-023-03152-1.
Zhang Y, Neogi T, Chen C, Chaisson C, Hunter DJ, Choi HK. Cherry consumption and decreased risk of recurrent gout attacks. Arthritis Rheum 2012; 64(12):4004–11. doi: 10.1002/art.34677.
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