Effects of Tart Cherry Juice Supplementation on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Daab W, Bouzid MA, Nassis GP, Arumugam A, Ammar A, Pojskić H, et al.
Published in Sports Med Open, Vol. 12 (1)
Methodology
Systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA 2020) of 19 trials of tart cherry juice on recovery after exercise-induced muscle damage in trained athletes; searches to December 2025; certainty graded.
Key Findings
Tart cherry juice improved recovery of maximal voluntary contraction at every time point (ES 0.63 post-exercise to 4.82 at 96 h, I-squared 69-93%), improved countermovement jump at 48 h (ES 1.41) and lowered CRP up to 48 h. No pooled effect on muscle soreness, creatine kinase, IL-6, TNF-alpha or range of motion.
Conclusions
Tart cherry juice may support recovery of selected functional and inflammatory markers in trained athletes, but findings are heterogeneous and certainty is low to moderate.
Limitations
Substantial heterogeneity; several significant results depended on single studies in sensitivity analyses; certainty of evidence very low to moderate.
Supplements Studied
TC juice supplementation significantly improved MVC recovery in the main analysis
Outcomes Measured
may support recovery of selected functional and inflammatory markers
no significant pooled effects were found for muscle soreness
Study Details
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