Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In research with 633 gout patients, those taking two servings of cherry juice per day had 48% reduced risk of future gout attacks.
In a 2012 study (1), a case-crossover study of 633 patients (494 men, 139 women) between the ages of 21 and 81 diagnosed with gout, researchers found the following reductions of recurrent gout attacks with increased cherry consumption (one standard serving size equal to ½ cup or about 10-12 Cherries) over a 2-day period:
| Any cherry consumption | 35% reduced risk |
|---|---|
| 1 serving | 2% reduced risk |
| 2 servings | 48% reduced risk |
| 3 servings | 61% reduced risk |
| > 4 servings | 38% reduced risk |
| Cherry Extract only | 45% reduced risk |
| Cherries or Cherry Extract | 37% reduced risk |
| p - value | < 0.001 |
When suggesting how cherry consumption may help decrease recurrent gout attack risk, the researchers suggested cherry consumption may increase glomerular filtration rate in the kidneys, increasing removal of the cause of gout, urate, from the body (2) as well as possibly affecting 2 enzymes in the liver, xanthine oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase, which may lower overall uric acid production (3). Finally, the high content of antioxidants in cherries called anthocyanins (4) which may stop activity of an inflammatory enzyme called cyclooxygenase activity (5) as well as protecting cells from free radicals (6).
For the researchers, “these findings suggest that cherry intake is associated with a lower risk of gout attacks.”
Source: Zhang, Yuqing, et al. “Cherry consumption and decreased risk of recurrent gout attacks.” Arthritis & Rheumatism 64.12 (2012): 4004-4011.
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Posted February 16, 2015.
References:
- Zhang Y. Cherry consumption and decreased risk of recurrent gout attacks. Arthritis Rheum 2012 Dec;64(12):4004-11. doi: 10.1002/art.34677
- Jacob RA, Spinozzi GM, Simon VA, Kelley DS, Prior RL, Hess-Pierce B, et al. Consumption of cherries lowers plasma urate in healthy women. J Nutr. 2003; 133:1826–9
- Haidari F, Mohammad SM, Keshavarz S, Rashidi M. Inhibitory Effects of Tart Cherry (Prunus cerasus) Juice on Xanthine Oxidoreductase Activity and its Hypouricemic and Antioxidant Effects on Rats. Mal J Nutr. 2009; 15:53–64
- Kirakosyan A, Seymour EM, Urcuyo-Llanes DE, Kaufman PB, Bolling SF. Chemical profile and antioxidant capacities of tart cherry products. Food Chem. 2009; 115:20–5
- Schlesinger N, Rabinowitz R, Schlesinger MH. Effect of cherry juice concentration on the secretion of interleukins by human monocytes exposed to monosodium urate crystals in vitro. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010; 69(Suppl3):610
- van Acker SA, Tromp MN, Haenen GR, van der Vijgh WJ, Bast A. Flavonoids as scavengers of nitric oxide radical. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1995; 214:755–9
