Black Cherry Treatment for Gout

Black cherries are one of the best natural remedies for gout pain. Cherries contain natural anti-oxidants that help neutralize uric acid in the bloodstream, the primary cause of gout.

Origins

• The therapeutic effects of black cherries were discovered by accident by Dr. Ludwig Blau in 1950. Blau suffered from gout and noticed one day that his gout pain subsided after he ate some black cherries. He ate them again the next time his gout flared up and found they had the same effect.

First Report

• That same year, Blau published his findings in a report entitled 'Cherry Diet Control for Gout and Arthritis' in Texas Reports on Biology and Medicine. Other doctors and scientists began exploring the concept.

Further Study

• Further study found that cherries and cherry juice contained anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories that were effective in alleviating gout pain and swelling and preventing gout from flaring up.

How it's Used

• In addition to eating cherries, gout sufferers can also drink cherry juice, which is available at most health food stores, or take cherry juice supplements. The recommended dose is 10 to 15 cherries a day or the juice equivalent.

Warnings

• In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warnings to several companies that produce cherry juice and cherry juice-based products. But the warnings related to claims the companies made about the effectiveness of their products in treating gout and not about the use of cherry juice.

Conclusions

• Black cherry juice doesn't work for everybody but the fact that it's a safe and inexpensive method of treating gout makes it worth trying.