Tart cherry effects on blood pressure and inflammation across 21 trials in people
What it found
Across 21 trials in 538 people, tart cherry did not change blood pressure or heart rate.
It slightly lowered two markers of inflammation, with bigger drops seen at higher doses.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood pressure and heart rate
Tart cherry made no meaningful difference to the top or bottom blood pressure numbers or to heart rate overall. When the authors removed one study from the analysis, the bottom blood pressure number rose slightly.
Inflammation marker CRP
Tart cherry lowered a blood marker of inflammation called CRP by 0.39 mg/l. The authors rate their confidence in this finding as moderate.
Dose and inflammation
For every extra 30 ml of tart cherry taken each day, CRP dropped by another 0.19 mg/l. Most of the dose information came from studies using 60 ml of concentrate daily.
Another inflammation marker
Tart cherry also lowered a second inflammation marker called TNF-alpha by 0.14 pg/ml. The authors rate their confidence in this result as very low, and removing one study erased the effect entirely.
Other findings
Forms of tart cherry used
The trials gave participants tart cherry as juice, concentrate, or capsules. Juice concentrate was the most common form used across the studies.
What the authors conclude
- They say tart cherry can lower inflammation when taken at the right dose, and this effect grows in a straight line as the amount increases.
- They note that tart cherry generally did not change blood pressure or heart rate, but more high-quality research is needed to be sure.
- They suggest its anti-inflammatory action works best as a regular part of the diet rather than as a treatment for existing illness.
How it was done
High blood pressure and inflammation are major risk factors for heart disease. The authors wanted to see if tart cherry could help control these risks and what amount might be needed.
They gathered 21 randomised trials involving 538 adults aged 18 or older. Participants took tart cherry as juice, concentrate, or capsules in amounts from 130 to 596 ml per day. The studies lasted from one week to 13 weeks and compared tart cherry against a placebo.
What it can’t tell you
- These trials were short, lasting between one week and 13 weeks, so they cannot show long-term effects.
- Many studies had small groups of 10 to 56 people, which limits how reliable the results are.
- Because different forms like juice, concentrate, and capsules were mixed together, it is hard to know which type works best.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
- Authors work at
- Iran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
The paper
- Title
- Dose-dependent effect of tart cherry on blood pressure and selected inflammation biomarkers: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Norouzzadeh M, Hasan Rashedi M, Shahinfar H, Rahideh ST (2023). Dose-dependent effect of tart cherry on blood pressure and selected inflammation biomarkers: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Heliyon. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19987Free full textPubMed 37809623DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error