Natural Remedy for Osteoarthritis

Tart cherries, in pill form, may be a promising pain-reliever for osteoarthritis, a common and debilitating form of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the result of wear and tear of the cartilage surfaces inside a joint causing pain, stiffness and swelling. The wearing out of the joint tends to occur gradually with advancing years. The disease normally affects the feet, knees, lower back, hips, and fingers. Usually only one or maybe a few joints are affected at one time.

More than half of the patients enrolled in a 2007 pilot study at the Baylor Research Institute experienced a significant reduction in pain and improvement in function after taking the cherry pills for eight weeks.

Made from Montmorency tart cherries, this preparation is made up of ground whole cherries and given as a soft gelatin capsule, marketed under the brand name CherryFlex®.