November 28, 2011 — A new study has concluded that Cheribundi tart cherry juice is proven effective in symptom relief for patients with arthritis of the knee, it was announced recently by Malachy McHugh PhD, director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at Lenox Hill Hospital and Dr. H. Ralph Schumacher of the VA Medical Center and University of Pennsylvania.
The findings were published in the Official Journal of the American College of Rheumatology Nov. 9.
For the double blind cross-over trial, a group of arthritis patients were given Cheribundi tart cherry juice as well a placebo for individual six week periods. The exciting results show that patients who drank two 8-ounce bottles of Cheribundi (tart cherry juice combined with apple juice to decrease tartness) each day for six weeks had improved WOMAC scores and had significantly decreased hsCRP levels (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein).
CRP is a systemic inflammatory marker and if patients had a significant drop in CRP while on the juice they had symptom relief. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) is a set of standardized questionnaires used by health professionals to evaluate the condition of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. It assesses the pain, joint stiffness, physical, social and emotional function of a person with osteoarthritis in determining the overall level of disability.
The same patients drinking the placebo received no symptom relief.
Consuming foods high in antioxidant capacity has been in the spotlight now for the last few years and the enthusiasm for tart cherry juice is hitting an all-time high, thanks to proponents like Dr. Mehmet Oz, NCAA and professional athletes, the running/marathon community, the gluten-free movement and millions of health-conscious consumers to newly discover the juice.
Studies have shown that the benefits of antioxidants from tart cherries apply to virtually all the major systems of the body, including the cardiovascular system, immune system and neurons in the brain.
Source: Cheribundi, www.cheribundi.com
