Eating Cherries Reduces Gout Attacks by 35%

BOSTONConsuming cherries over a two-day period reduces the risk of gout attacks by 35% in patients suffering from the disease compared to those who did not eat any cherries, according to a new study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. The findings also suggest the risk of gout flares was 75% lower when cherry intake was combined with the uric-acid reducing drug, allopurinol, than in periods without exposure to cherries or treatment.

Researchers at Boston University recruited 633 gout patients who were followed online for one year. Participants were asked about the date of gout onset, symptoms, medications and risk factors, including cherry and cherry extract intake in the two days prior to the gout attack. A cherry serving was one half cup or 10 to 12 cherries.

Participants had a mean age of 54 years, with 88% being Caucasian and 78% of subjects were male. Of those subjects with some form of cherry intake, 35% ate fresh cherries, 2% ingested cherry extract, and 5% consumed both fresh cherry fruit and cherry extract. Researchers documented 1,247 gout attacks during the 1-year follow-up period, with 92% occurring in the joint at the base of the big toe.

Our findings indicate that consuming cherries or cherry extract lowers the risk of gout attack," said Dr. Yuqing Zhang, professor of medicine and public health at Boston University. The gout flare risk continued to decrease with increasing cherry consumption, up to three servings over two days."

The researchers also found further cherry intake did not provide any additional benefit; however, the protective effect of cherry intake persisted after taking into account patients sex, body mass index, purine intake, along with use of alcohol, diuretics and anti-gout medications.

More than 8 million U.S. adults suffer with gout, an inflammatory arthritis triggered by a crystallization of uric acid within the joints that causes excruciating pain and swelling. Prior studies suggest that cherry products have urate-lowering effects and anti-inflammatory properties, and thus may have the potential to reduce gout pain.