Tart Cherries and Melatonin Content

Effect of Tart Cherry Juice (Prunus Cerasus) on Melatonin Levels and Sleep Quality

The aim of this investigation was to examine the effects of tart Montmorency cherry juice on urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin and sleep quality using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sleep
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Fruit juice cordial; Dietary supplement: Cherry juice

Detailed Description

The aim of the study is to examine the efficacy of tart cherry juice on sleep quality, quantity, and timing. Naturally circulating melatonin is instrumental in regulating sleep/wake schedules. Tart Montmorency cherries (Prunus Cerasus) contain high levels of melatonin and may be a useful intervention to supplement for realignment of circadian phase and by increasing the robustness of circadian amplitude. In normal healthy adults, with experimentally induced phase advanced circadian misalignment, the administration of a 3mg supplement of melatonin significantly increased sleep architecture characteristics. In this study we want to examine the efficacy of tart cherry juice in increasing urinary levels of melatonin and the subsequent impact this will have on sleep parameters.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Tyne and Wear
    • Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom, NE1 8ST
      • Northumbria University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 39 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Equal numbers of healthy, non-pathological males and females aged between 18-39.

Exclusion Criteria:

• history of epilepsy, current episode of major depressive disorder or anxiety disorder, or a current sleep problem or an inability to comprehend English, travel over two time zones within the last six months, excessive alcohol (over 3 units per day) or caffeine consumption (more than 6 caffeinated drinks or 1 after 6pm), a smoker, a shift worker, a familial history of diabetes, users of medication or supplements, or if the participant is pregnant or currently lactating.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: CROSSOVER
• Masking: TRIPLE

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
NO_INTERVENTION: Baseline placebo; measures taken before administration of placebo
PLACEBO_COMPARATOR: Placebo; Placebo intervention given after 'baseline placebo' arm	Dietary supplement: Fruit juice cordial; fruit flavoured juice concentrate; Other Names: Apple and blackcurrent squash (0164 9338). Sainsbry's Supermarkets Ltd.
NO_INTERVENTION: baseline cherry juice; measures taken before the cherry juice intervention
EXPERIMENTAL: cherry juice; trial where cherry juice is taken following the 'baseline cherry juice' arm	Dietary supplement: Cherry juice; 30 mLs preceding morning meal and 30 mLs preceding evening meal each day for 7 days.; Other Names: CherryActive concentrate

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin	urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin is the primary metabolite of melatonin and provides a sarrogate marker of melatonin metabolism. By measuring over a 48 h period it is possible to examine the circadian rhythm of melatonin.	continually for 48 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sleep quality	Acti watches quantitively measure sleep and activity of participants, whereas slep recall provides a retrospective and subjective m,easure of sleep quality.	continually throughout the duration of the study

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Northumbria University
• Collaborators: University of Surrey

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): February 1, 2011
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): June 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 3, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 3, 2012
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): February 7, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): February 7, 2012
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 3, 2012
• Last Verified: February 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Sleep, circadian cycle, melatonin
• Other Study ID Numbers: SLS_SUB60