Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Randomized, double-blind, crossover pilot trial
PubMed 20438325 · doi:10.1089/jmf.2009.0096
What was done
A randomized, double-blind, crossover pilot study evaluated whether a proprietary tart cherry juice blend (CherryPharm) improved subjective sleep outcomes compared to a placebo beverage. Fifteen otherwise healthy older adults with chronic insomnia consumed each beverage for 2 weeks, separated by a 2-week washout period. Sleep continuity variables (sleep onset, wake after sleep onset, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency) were assessed via daily sleep diaries, and overall disease severity was measured using the Insomnia Severity Index.
What was found
Tart cherry juice was associated with statistically significant pre- to post-treatment improvements across all sleep variables. Compared to placebo, the cherry juice produced significant reductions in insomnia severity (specifically minutes awake after sleep onset); however, no significant improvements versus placebo were observed for sleep latency, total sleep time, or sleep efficiency. The abstract reports moderate to negligible effect sizes but provides no exact numerical values.
Why it matters
Tart cherry juice may provide modest improvements in nighttime wakefulness for older adults with insomnia, though its effects are less substantial than established evidence-based therapies like hypnotics or cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Limits
The study had a very small sample size (n = 15) and was limited to a specific older adult population. All outcomes were subjective self-reports without objective measures such as polysomnography or actigraphy, and the abstract omits exact numerical data, confidence intervals, and p-values.
Cited by
- partial Tart cherry juice has moderate to strong scientific evidence supporting its ability to improve sleep.