ArticlePhysical activity and nutrition2026
Tart cherry supplementation for exercise recovery: an evidence-informed narrative review and applied monitoring framework.
Article in Physical activity and nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThis review synthesizes evidence on tart cherry juice supplementation for recovery after exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and develops an expert-informed applied framework for sports nutrition practice.
methodsThis evidence-informed narrative review, supported by a structured literature search, prioritized peer-reviewed human experimental studies (especially randomized placebo-controlled trials), with systematic reviews and meta-analyses used for contextualization. The outcomes included delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)/perceived recovery, neuromuscular recovery (strength/power), and biochemical indices of muscle damage and inflammation. The interpretation considered training status, exercise model (eccentric, endurance, intermittent), supplement form, timing architecture, and assessment windows.
resultsThe proposed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms did not consistently translate into functional benefits in different contexts. Favorable signals are more frequent for soreness and perceptual outcomes, whereas strength/power findings are mixed and condition-dependent, and biochemical responses are heterogeneous and difficult to interpret in isolation. Several controlled trials have reported null effects, indicating potential limitations to efficacy related to population characteristics, protocol design, dosing/composition, and outcome timing.
conclusionTart cherry juice is best interpreted as a context-dependent adjunct during high recovery-pressure periods (e.g., congested fixtures, short turnarounds, travel) rather than as a universal daily intervention. Given the theoretical concerns regarding adaptation blunting with chronic antioxidant exposure and limited long-term data, a periodized approach is warranted. Further, potential sponsorship/publication bias should be considered when translating the evidence into practice.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.