Tart Cherry Juice: A Natural Recovery Tool for Endurance Athletes

Training hard? Racing soon? Whether you're a runner, cyclist, triathlete, or any other athlete, how you recover determines how well you perform.

As an endurance athlete, you train hard, and recovery matters just as much as performance. One natural tool that's getting serious attention in the sports nutrition world is tart cherry juice. Backed by science, this juice may help reduce muscle soreness, improve recovery, and support better sleep.

Why It Works

Tart cherry juice (Montmorency cherries) is rich in:

• Anthocyanins to help reduce exercise-induced inflammation

• Antioxidants to combat oxidative stress from prolonged exercise

• Melatonin to support sleep and recovery overnight

• Polyphenols (flavonoids) to aid in immune defense and muscle repair

Benefits backed by science

✔️ Reduced muscle soreness (DOMS)

✔️ Faster recovery after races or long sessions

✔️ Better sleep, especially during peak training

✔️ Lower inflammation markers (CRP, IL-6)

✔️ Possible performance boost in repeat efforts

How to Use It ?

Start 1 to 7 days before a race or big training block

Timing	Protocol
7-1 days pre-event	30 ml morning & evening
Race day/Event day	30 ml post-activity
1-3 post-event	30 ml morning & evening

> For multi-day events or training camps?

Stick to 2 servings daily throughout the duration.

Which cherry juice to buy?

✅ 100% Montmorency tart cherry juice (240 ml per serving)

✅ Or tart cherry concentrate (30 ml per serving)

❌ No added sugars, blends, or artificial ingredients

Suggested products: Active Edge Cherry Active, Elite Performance Cherry, Biona Organic Tart Cherry Juice

Considerations

• 100–130 kcal per serving

• Try during training first—not on race week

• Best used strategically, not year-round. Using it occasionally during peak training, racing, or recovery is ideal. A daily high dose of antioxidants may blunt training adaptations. Tart cherry juice should be consumed when recovery is essential, not when building training adaptations.

The bottom line

Tart cherry juice isn’t a magic wand. But when paired with smart training, fueling, and adequate sleep, it’s a powerful recovery tool.

Ready to add it to your routine? Start small during a training week and see the difference. Include it in your periodized nutrition.

Don't have a nutritional plan? Click here.

References

1. Bell, P.G., et al. (2014). Montmorency cherries reduce the oxidative stress and inflammatory responses to repeated days of cycling. Nutrients, 6(2), 829–843.

2. Bell, P.G., et al. (2016). Recovery facilitation with Montmorency cherry supplementation following strenuous cycling exercise. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 26(3), 356–364.

3. Howatson, G., et al. (2010). Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon running. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 20(6), 843–852.

4. Connolly, D.A., McHugh, M.P., & Padilla-Zakour, O.I. (2006). Efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of muscle damage. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(8), 679–683.

5. Pigeon, W.R., et al. (2010). Effects of tart cherry juice on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Journal of Medicinal Food, 13(3), 579–583.

6. Levers, K., et al. (2016). Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on acute endurance exercise performance in aerobically trained individuals. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13(22).

7. Bowtell, J.L., et al. (2011). Montmorency cherry juice reduces muscle damage caused by intensive strength training. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(12), 923–929.

8. Merry, T.L., & Ristow, M. (2016). Do antioxidant supplements interfere with training adaptation? Redox Biology, 10, 180–186.