Can You Drink Tart Cherry Juice While Taking Blood Thinners?
Despite cherries’ vitamin K content, you don’t have to stop drinking cherry juice if you’re taking a blood thinner like warfarin. Many people sip tart cherry juice for its potentially anti-inflammatory compounds and its possible beneficial effects on sleep, gout symptoms, and muscle soreness. As part of a well-rounded diet rich in fruit and vegetables, cherries might also reduce your risk of high blood sugar, heart disease, and cancer, but more research is necessary to confirm these benefits.
Tart cherry juice provides vitamin K, which plays a crucial role in blood clot formation. Blood thinners like warfarin work to slow the clotting process. Significant changes in how much vitamin K you get through your diet could make your blood thinner medication less effective. However, that might not mean tart cherry juice is off-limits.
If You’re on Blood Thinners, Is Tart Cherry Juice Safe?
Despite the fact that tart cherry juice provides vitamin K, it’s not enough to interact with warfarin, says Ashesh Parikh, DO, a cardiologist at Texas Health Plano and Texas Health Physicians Group.
“There are currently no studies that show any amount of tart cherry juice will cause any interaction with blood thinners,” Dr. Parikh says.
While it’s safe to drink tart cherry juice when taking blood thinners, you may need to pay attention to your intake of other foods high in vitamin K, such as leafy greens, parsley, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. People taking blood thinners should consult their doctors to determine their ideal balance of vitamin K and maintain a relatively consistent intake from day to day.
And if you’re wondering whether other compounds in tart cherry juice, such as a potent antioxidant called quercetin, might be risky for people who take blood thinners, the answer also appears to be no.
High concentrations of quercetin, such as those in supplements, may have a possible interaction with blood thinners, enhancing their effect. However, research has not found that the concentrations of quercetin in food interact with warfarin.
What About Tart Cherry Juice Supplements or Extracts?
Some people take tart cherry juice supplements or capsules to access their perceived benefits. That said, tart cherry extract or other supplements don’t appear to interact negatively with blood-thinning medications either, Parikh says.
It’s always a good idea to get the green light from your doctor before taking an herbal supplement, especially if you take a prescription medication.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate dietary supplements in the same way as medications. A tart cherry supplement could contain additional ingredients that may interact with your blood thinner or another medication you take.
Herbal products that may increase the risk for bleeding if you’re on blood thinners include:
Danshen
Evening primrose
Garlic
Ginkgo biloba
Ginseng
Licorice
Saw palmetto
St. John’s wort
Talk to your doctor before trying any herbal supplement, especially if you are on a prescription medication like warfarin or another blood thinner.
Do Cherries or Cherry Juice Interact With Any Other Medications?
Parikh suggests that studies have found little to no evidence that tart cherry juice interacts negatively with other medications. This means tart cherry juice and supplements are generally considered safe.
“Tart cherries primarily act via an anti-inflammatory mechanism. They have no known clinical drug interactions,” Parikh says.
The Takeaway
Tart cherry juice may be safe for individuals taking blood thinners like warfarin. Its vitamin K content is low and unlikely to interact with warfarin’s clotting effects.
While drinking tart cherry juice, be mindful of your intake of other vitamin K–rich foods to maintain consistent levels that are in line with your doctor’s advice. However, tart cherry juice alone should not pose a significant interaction risk.
Consult your healthcare provider before using tart cherry extract or other herbal products while on blood thinners because the FDA doesn’t regulate them as strictly as medications.
If you experience any unusual symptoms upon consuming tart cherry juice while taking warfarin, consult a healthcare professional as soon as possible to ensure there are no adverse reactions or interactions.
