Cherry-enriched diets improve sleep from young to elderly populations

Abstract

During the last years, a number of publications have reported the benefits of consuming cherries. Sweet and tart cherries contain anthocyanins and polyphenols that possess many biological activities, including antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. The intake of these fruits has been shown to restore the muscular function, decrease oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules as well as aid in diminishing the risk to develop diabetes or heart disease. The discovery of melatonin, a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant, and its related compounds, tryptophan and serotonin, in cherries has added new potential nutraceutical properties to these fruits. Since these bioactive molecules are involved in sleep regulation, research has been conducted to evaluate whether supplementing the diet with cherry fruits exerts positive effects on sleep-wake or activity-rest circadian rhythms. Recent reports point to that. In fact, the intake of Jerte Valley cherries, either fresh or as a nutraceutical product, produces beneficial effects on sleep parameters in humans, including actual sleep time, total nocturnal activity, assumed sleep, and immobility. Similar results have been found in rats and ringdoves, animals that exhibit nocturnal and diurnal chronotypes, respectively. Also, significant increases in 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, a metabolite closely correlated with peak plasma melatonin levels measured during the previous night, and total antioxidant capacity in serum and urine have been observed after consuming diets enriched with cherries. Taken together, these findings suggest a potential health benefit of Jerte Valley cherries on sleep and activity-rest rhythms. This may be especially important in aged populations where endogenous melatonin production has been shown to wane. The incorporation of this metabolite, its precursor tryptophan, and serotonin through Jerte cherry-enriched diets may be seen as a potential nutraceutical tool to counteract age-related sleep disorders and oxidation.