Tart cherry (Montmorency)
Naturally melatonin-containing fruit concentrate with small RCTs for sleep and exercise recovery.
Why
Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus, Montmorency cultivar) contains naturally occurring melatonin plus a high tryptophan-to-large-neutral-amino-acid ratio. Small RCTs in adults with insomnia symptoms and in older adults report modest improvements in total sleep time and night-time wakings. A separate body of work documents reduced muscle soreness and inflammation markers after eccentric exercise.
How it works
Endogenous melatonin content (~13 ng/g in Montmorency) plus tryptophan availability favours melatonin synthesis. Anthocyanin antioxidants additionally dampen exercise-induced oxidative stress.
Expected onset · Sleep effects often visible within 1–2 weeks; recovery effects within days of strenuous training
How to take
Dosage
240 ml of Montmorency tart cherry juice twice daily (morning + 1–2 h before bed) for 1–2 weeks, the protocol used in the Pigeon and Howatson trials. Concentrate: typically 30 ml in water twice daily.
Timing
Morning and ~1 hour before bed
On the label
Look specifically for 'Montmorency tart cherry'; sweet-cherry products do not carry the same melatonin content.
Ideal for
Adults with mild insomnia who prefer a food-based source of melatonin, or active people looking for a recovery aid.
Safety
Evidence
Howatson 2012 Eur J Nutr crossover RCT (n=20 healthy adults): 30 ml Montmorency concentrate twice daily for 7 days raised urinary melatonin, total sleep time and sleep efficiency vs placebo. Losso 2018 small pilot (n=8 older adults with insomnia) reported greater total sleep time vs placebo. Effect modest; trials small but directionally consistent.
Where to get it
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