Tart cherry juice reduces fibromyalgia pain, improves sleep
Experts say between 3 and 6 million people are living with fibromyalgia. This chronic condition makes you feel pain all over — especially in specific tender spots — so weak and tired you can’t function normally, and unable to sleep. You may also suffer from headaches, depression, and trouble thinking.
Certain drugs battle fibromyalgia symptoms, but research shows tart cherry juice reduces fibromyalgia pain. The juice, with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant powers, may help your muscles and your whole body stay strong and pain-free.
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Cut fibromyalgia pain
In one study, women with fibromyalgia who drank 10.5 ounces of tart cherry juice twice daily for 10 days had less pain. They also kept up their muscle strength even after researchers had them do challenging arm exercises. The results shouldn’t be surprising, since tart cherry juice was already successful in stopping oxidative damage in seniors who did similar exercise tests.
Improve sleep
Tart cherry juice also has lots of melatonin, a natural hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. That’s important, since fibromyalgia can crush your ability to get a good night’s rest. Researchers found that people who enjoyed a glass of cherry juice twice a day slept longer at night and napped less during the day.
Help muscles recover
Anthocyanins in tart cherry juice are also known to cut post-exercise pain. These antioxidant compounds give the juice color and help lower inflammation. Researchers found that runners taking part in a long-distance race had less soreness and muscle pain after the race if they had been drinking tart cherry juice for several days before the event.
You could get similar benefits from eating whole Montmorency cherries, but you would need to eat 90 to 100 whole cherries to get the same benefit as you get from 1 ounce of cherry juice concentrate. So drink up and enjoy.
- FC&A Staff Writer
