Tart Cherry Supplementation – Implications for Strength and Physique Athletes

There are several reasons for strength and physique athletes to seek out pragmatic nutritional strategies, such as dietary supplementation with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Whether the end goal is to 1) promote quick recovery by lessening the inflammatory and muscle-damaging effect of intense exercise, 2) improve health-related outcomes, or 3) make up for a dietary deficiency (i.e., a period when an athlete may limit certain foods and cannot otherwise obtain a “well-balanced” diet), dietary antioxidants offer a practical strategy that can be easily incorporated into an athlete’s daily routine. In particular, tart cherry, known for its rich phytonutrient content, has garnered attention over the last two decades, especially in the field of sport nutrition. The purpose of this short review is to offer an overview of tart cherry supplementation and examine the literature related to its use around resistance training, highlighting potential implications for strength athletes, recreational weightlifters, and bodybuilders.

WHY IS TART CHERRY IN THE SPOTLIGHT?

Montmorency tart cherries (Prunus cerasus L.) are a source of polyphenols that have received considerable attention in recent years for their potential application in the recovery process following various forms of exercise, including resistance training (5,10,13,15,18,19,23), long-distance running (13,14,17,20), cycling (3,4), repeated sprints (3), and sport-specific training (21). Tart cherries are particularly rich in flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins, flavonols, and chlorogenic acid, which have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (9,11).

These compounds can confer numerous health and performance benefits to consumers (9). For example, researchers have demonstrated that tart cherry supplementation can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress while supporting cardiometabolic health (7,22). Other data supports the ability of tart cherry juice (or powder) to lower hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia, as well as enhance sleep quality, cognition, and recovery (1,2,9,16). Improved sleep quality during stressful periods of intense training extends beyond improving one’s state of restfulness and can also enhance mental clarity, mood, and performance-related outcomes. Overall, tart cherries could be leveraged by lifters to enhance health and physical performance, potentially leading to improved performance on competition day.

EFFECTIVE DOSING STRATEGIES

Considering its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, tart cherry supplementation has been shown to reduce muscle soreness, accelerate recovery, and support performance following high-intensity training (2,3,5,6,7,10,11,12,13,14,17,19,20,21). There are several tested supplementation protocols reported in the literature to date, with the form (e.g., powdered or juice form), dosage, and timing varying (11,12,22).

In general, one could consider supplementation with any one of the following protocols: 1) a 200 – 500 mg capsule of tart cherry powder (containing 66 – 257 mg of anthocyanin), 2) 60 – 90 mL of cherry juice concentrate diluted with water (containing ≈550 – 820 mg of anthocyanin), or 3) 300 – 400 mL of cherry juice (containing ≈80 mg of anthocyanin) (11,12,22).

TART CHERRY SUPPLEMENTATION AND RESISTANCE TRAINING: A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE

Seven studies have investigated the effects of tart cherry supplementation, whether in powdered or juice form, on resistance exercise and recovery among resistance-trained participants (5,10,13,15,18,19,23,24). Four of these studies have shown favorable effects of tart cherry supplementation (5,10,13,19). Interestingly, a study by Jackman et al. assessed the impact of 60 mL/day of Montmorency tart cherry concentrate supplementation for two weeks on myofibrillar protein synthesis among 16 healthy older men (60 – 75 years old) (15). The research team aimed to uncover the role of tart cherry in potentially enhancing anabolic sensitivity to protein ingestion and resistance exercise, but they found that the supplement did not affect the anabolic response. Rather, they found the tart cherry treatment attenuated the expression of proteins that play a role in the muscle inflammatory response following exercise. This is worth highlighting, as there is a notion that dietary antioxidants may negatively influence the natural training adaptation response (8). Yet, this may not be the case with tart cherry supplementation, at least in the short-term.

In terms of the favorable study outcomes, Connolly et al. assessed the efficacy of a 12 fl oz tart cherry juice blend ingested twice daily for eight consecutive days in preventing exercise-induced muscle damage following a bout of eccentric elbow flexion contractions (2 x 20 maximum contractions) among 14 college-aged men (10). Following the tart cherry treatment, participants experienced less strength loss (22%) compared to the placebo group (4% loss; p < 0.001) average over a four-day recovery period, with no differences in relaxed elbow angle or muscle tenderness.

Bowtell and colleagues assessed if supplementation with 30 mL of Montmorency tart cherry juice concentrate (containing ≈9.1 mg/mL of anthocyanins, ≈4.6 mg/mL of malvidin, and ≈3.3 mg/mL of cyanidin) could improve recovery from an intensive bout of exercise in a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover manner among 10 well-trained male athletes who all competed in high-intensity intermittent sports, such as rugby, American football, or taekwondo (5). After a one-week supplementation period, participants completed a testing trial consisting of 10 sets of 10 single-leg knee extensions at 80% of their one-repetition maximum (1RM) while having their blood drawn to assess biomarkers of exercise-induced muscle and oxidative damage before the exercise bouts, as well as immediately, 24 hr, and 48 hr post-exercise. Following the tart cherry treatment, participants experienced faster maximal voluntary force recovery at 24 hr and 48 hr post-exercise, in addition to an attenuated increase in oxidative stress biomarkers at 24 hr post-exercise.

Levers et al. assessed the impact of 480 mg/day for 10 days of powdered tart cherry supplementation among 23 healthy, resistance-trained, college-aged men versus a matched placebo (19). They found lower subjective perceptions of muscle soreness over the two-day recovery period, with lower concentrations of biomarkers of muscle catabolism and degradation.

Lastly, Hooper et al. assessed the impact of seven days of 500 mg/ day of tart cherry supplementation on biomarkers of oxidative stress, as well as indicators of cardiac and muscle damage in response to an intense bout of resistance exercise among 13 college-aged men (13). They employed an acute resistance exercise protocol consisting of 10 repetitions of the barbell back squat, performed over six total sets with two minutes of rest between sets. They found that the placebo group experienced an increase in oxidative stress biomarkers immediately (p < 0.001), one hour (p < 0.001), and 24 hr (p = 0.010) post-exercise, which was not the case for the tart cherry group. There were also significantly greater increases in creatine kinase activity for the placebo group immediately post-exercise (p = 0.008) and three hours post-exercise (p = 0.006) compared to the tart cherry group, in addition to an increase in creatine kinase myocardial band content for the placebo group one hour post-exercise (p = 0.006). Lastly, the tart cherry group exhibited increased handgrip strength output compared to the placebo group at 24 hr post-exercise (p = 0.017).

Collectively, these findings demonstrate that tart cherry supplementation can aid in lessening exercise-induced oxidative, muscle, and cardiac damage, as well as reduce muscle soreness and even increase muscular strength recovery.

EVIDENCE SHOWING NO EFFECT OF TART CHERRY SUPPLEMENTATION

There are a few studies that have demonstrated no effect of tart cherry supplementation (18,23). First, Lamb et al. assessed the impact of 2 x 250 mL/d of tart cherry supplementation for five days among 36 non-resistance-trained men and found no effect of the treatment for enhancing recovery (18). Then, Ortega et al. found no effect of an eight-day supplementation intervention with 1,000 mg/day of concentrated tart cherry extract contained in capsules on muscle soreness, peak torque, muscular power, or muscle activation following intense leg extensor exercise in 17 college-aged, recreationally active women (23). It is plausible that factors, such as the particular dose and form of supplementation (e.g., capsules vs. juice), population characteristics (e.g., varying activity or training levels), and sex differences could influence the outcomes assessed (18,23).

Lastly, a study by Squires and colleagues assessed a novel form of tart cherry called Vistula tart cherry, and found no effect of the supplementation protocol (2 x 5.1 g/day of the tart cherry extract for four days after completing five sets of eight repetitions on a maximal lengthening contraction of the elbow flexors) (24). Vistula tart cherries are believed to have a stronger phytochemical profile than Montmorency tart cherries; however, this study did not find that supplementation promoted quicker recovery than a placebo following a muscle-damaging protocol.

It is plausible that the short-term duration may have played a factor in the lack of a statistically significant effect from supplementation. Overall, these studies potentially shed light on the idea that a longer duration supplementation protocol, at least up to one week, may be warranted and that the individual’s training status may be a key factor in determining whether a benefit can be conferred. The majority of literature surrounding lifting and tart cherry supplementation appears favorable, with most studies demonstrating this nutrient can be leveraged to improve recovery and, in some cases, lifting-related outcomes (e.g., increasing handgrip strength recovery).

A TYPICAL TART CHERRY SUPPLEMENT PROTOCOL

A typical supplemental protocol involves two daily servings of 30 mL Montmorency tart cherry juice concentrate for several days leading up to muscle-damaging exercise. Each 30 mL serving — or alternatively, 300 – 400 mL tart cherry juice blend (not from concentrate) — provides the equivalent of approximately 100 tart cherries. One consideration with this supplemental strategy is its caloric content. Each 30-mL serving of tart cherry juice concentrate typically offers 80 – 100 calories, while a 300-mL juice blend may provide approximately 200 calories. For a physique athlete, these added calories should be carefully factored into the overall dietary plan. As such, using a tart cherry powder derived from Montmorency cherries may offer the same benefits without requiring juice consumption, offering a low calorie and convenient means of supplementation. Comparable recovery benefits following resistance exercise have been observed with 480 mg of tart cherry powder. Ultimately, while more research is needed to clarify its role in resistance training specifically, tart cherry supplementation presents a promising, evidence-based tool that strength and physique athletes can strategically incorporate to support recovery, performance, and overall training outcomes.

CONCLUSION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS FOR THE STRENGTH ATHLETE

Tart cherries are rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids, and other phenolic compounds known to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. A growing body of evidence supports tart cherry supplementation as an effective strategy to enhance endurance performance, promote recovery, alleviate pain, and restore muscular function following high-intensity exercise. Research examining tart cherry juice and strength training is sparse and has produced some favorable, yet mixed, outcomes.

Additionally, most research in this area utilizes intense, muscle-damaging protocols that go beyond a typical bodybuilding-style resistance workout. For athletes performing a well-rounded resistance training program, tart cherry supplementation may not be necessary for recovery under normal conditions. However, due to its potential to accelerate strength recovery, incorporating tart cherry juice could be beneficial during periods of overreaching or when daily recovery feels insufficient. Tart cherry supplementation may also elevate circulating melatonin levels, potentially leading to improvements in sleep duration and quality, which can further support recovery.

This article originally appeared in Personal Training Quarterly (PTQ)—a quarterly publication for NSCA Members designed specifically for the personal trainer. Discover easy-to-read, research-based articles that take your training knowledge further with Nutrition, Programming, and Personal Business Development columns in each quarterly, electronic issue. Read more articles from PTQ »