Preliminary studies have explored Montmorency tart cherry juice consumption on gout attacks and arthritis symptoms.

For decades, people with arthritis and gout have consumed Montmorency tart cherry juice for relief of symptoms – even though much of the evidence was anecdotal, and some people dismissed the soothing claims as folklore.

Now scientists have turned their attention to Montmorency tart cherries to test the potential benefits for arthritis and gout sufferers.

A look at the science.

Uric acid levels: Excess uric acid in the blood is the culprit behind the excruciating pain of a gout attack. A study from USDA’s Human Nutrition Research Center at the University of California, Davis, found that healthy women ages 20 to 40 who consumed 2 servings (280 grams) of cherries after an overnight fast showed a 15% reduction in uric acid levels, as well as decreased inflammatory markers nitric oxide and C-reactive protein.