Does tart cherry juice improve exercise recovery?
Moderate EvidenceIT DEPENDS
Moderate evidence supports tart cherry juice reducing muscle soreness and accelerating strength recovery after intensive exercise. Benefits are attributed to anthocyanin anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, though effect sizes are modest.
The Verdict
Moderate evidence supports tart cherry juice reducing muscle soreness and accelerating strength recovery after intensive exercise. Benefits are attributed to anthocyanin anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, though effect sizes are modest.
What the Evidence Shows
Tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus, typically Montmorency variety) contains high concentrations of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds with demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Multiple RCTs have shown that consuming tart cherry juice before and after intensive exercise reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), accelerates isometric strength recovery, and lowers inflammatory markers including CRP and IL-6. The proposed mechanisms include inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes (similar to NSAIDs but at lower potency), scavenging of reactive oxygen species generated during eccentric exercise, and modulation of NF-kB inflammatory signaling. A meta-analysis of 10 RCTs found significant reductions in muscle soreness and faster strength recovery, though the magnitude was modest (effect sizes 0.3-0.5). Benefits appear most pronounced after eccentric-heavy exercise (marathon running, downhill protocols, resistance training) where muscle damage is substantial. One concern is that suppressing the inflammatory response to exercise may attenuate training adaptations over time, as inflammation is part of the repair and remodeling process. Short-term recovery benefits could theoretically trade off against long-term adaptation. The high sugar content of cherry juice (25-30g per serving) is also a consideration for athletes managing caloric intake.
Evidence Quality
2
Meta-Analyses
8
RCTs
5
Observational
Important Caveats
- ⚠️ Anti-inflammatory effects may blunt training adaptations if used chronically
- ⚠️ High sugar content (25-30g per serving) adds significant calories
- ⚠️ Benefits are most pronounced after unusually damaging exercise
- ⚠️ Effect sizes are modest and may not justify cost for recreational exercisers
Population Studied
Endurance athletes, resistance-trained individuals, and recreational exercisers; ages 18-45 with studies spanning runners, cyclists, and team sport athletes
Dosage
30-60ml of concentrated tart cherry juice (equivalent to 90-120 whole cherries) twice daily, or 480ml of diluted juice, typically beginning 4-5 days before and continuing 2-3 days after exercise
Duration
Acute protocols span 5-8 days surrounding an exercise bout; chronic studies lasted 4-8 weeks of regular supplementation
Supporting Studies (2)
Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon running: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Meta-AnalysisVitale KC, Hueglin S, Broad E. · Nutrients (2017)
Meta-analysis of 10 RCTs showed tart cherry supplementation significantly reduced muscle soreness (p<0.01) and accelerated strength recovery by 12-20% compared to placebo following intensive exercise.
View paper (DOI) →Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a randomized controlled trial
RCTKuehl KS, Perrier ET, Elliot DL, Chesnutt JC. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2010)
Runners drinking 355ml tart cherry juice twice daily for 7 days before and on the day of a long-distance relay reported significantly less pain increase post-race compared to placebo (12% vs 37% increase).
View paper (DOI) →Contradicting Studies (1)
Tart cherry juice has no effect on muscle recovery or exercise performance following plyometric exercise
RCTLamb KL, Ranchordas MK, Johnson E, et al. · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (2019)
Following plyometric exercise, tart cherry juice supplementation (30ml twice daily for 8 days) showed no significant differences in muscle soreness, countermovement jump recovery, or inflammatory markers compared to isocaloric placebo.
Why this disagrees:
The anti-inflammatory dose achievable through dietary cherry juice may be insufficient for certain exercise modalities. Plyometric exercise produces different damage patterns than eccentric running, and individual variation in anthocyanin absorption and metabolism may explain inconsistent results across exercise types.
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