#Low dosage tart cherry pills trial

Unfortunately, the few nights yielded no results, and I was in serious need of sleep. I really needed some course correction - my typical 10 pm bedtime had been thrown off, and I found myself struggling to fall asleep before 2 am! I was hoping tart cherry juice would help me get back to my usual shuteye schedule and regulate my circadian rhythm. So, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but tart cherry juice did not work for me. There wasn’t a clear direction on when to consume this (and again, the studies had subjects drinking twice a day), so I opted for 30 minutes before bed, which is typically when I’d have a nighttime tea or supplement. I’m not 100% sure if the brand matters, but I ordered what was available from Whole Foods, which ended up being the 365 brand of organic tart cherry juice. two cups!), and I didn’t want to drink it twice a day, so I just went with an eight-ounce serving before bed. There was a pretty big difference between the two (two ounces vs. The EJM study used a one-ounce serving twice per day. The 2018 study used 240mL of juice, consumed twice a day for two weeks (so, two cups a day for 14 days). Knowing the potential benefits of this fruit juice - and its safety profile - I put it to the test over the course of seven nights. But keep in mind that it is still fruit juice and contains natural sugar (and therefore calories). In a small amount before bed, you should be fine. Some people have adverse side effects, and it’s also contraindicated with certain medications.īy contrast, not a lot of research exists on contraindications or side effects of tart cherry juice, though anecdotally, some patients report diarrhea if they drink it in excess. Melatonin is viewed as “ safe for short-term use ,” meaning you shouldn’t have it every night for a long period of time. You might be wondering about the difference between tart cherry juice and another natural sleep remedy: melatonin (I definitely was!).

“It’s why I formulated a sleep smoothie - originally just for myself - centered on this ingredient. “Tart cherry juice was one of the key ingredients that got me through pregnancy-induced insomnia,” says registered dietitian Lisa Mastela, RD, founder of Bumpin’ Blends. Yet another study from the European Journal of Medicine reported that tart cherry juice concentrate increased the subject’s melatonin secretion. They posit that it may be due to cherry juice contributing to “increased tryptophan availability reduced inflammation.”

#Low dosage tart cherry pills trial

Keep in mind, a cherry juice manufacturer funded this study.Ī more recent study showed that “Cherry juice increased sleep time and sleep efficiency” in the eight individuals who completed the trial their sleep time increased on average by 84 minutes. It found that while not as powerful as hypnosis and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia, tart cherry juice did help a little bit.

“There is some evidence of a modest benefit to help sleep,” says board-certified sleep physician Alex Dimitriu, MD, who pointed to a small study from 2010.

RELATED: The Dos & Don’ts For Your Best Night Sleep According to an Expert Science-Backed Benefits of Tart Cherry Juiceįirst, let’s take a look at what the science has to say about it. And given that fruit juice is seen as a safe and natural thing to consume, I figured I had nothing to lose! Let’s put it to the test. But does it actually work? There’s actually a little bit of science that says yes. In fact, tart cherry juice may be one of those foods…and it’s straight from Mother Earth. Forget a whole Thanksgiving dinner - there are other foods that release tryptophan and help you catch some extra shuteye. Trouble drifting off? It could be time to add a little something to your diet.