Tart cherry juice has become one of the most popular natural recovery tools for endurance athletes. Montmorency tart cherries contain naturally occurring compounds, including anthocyanins and melatonin, that may help support sleep, reduce exercise-related soreness, and promote recovery after hard training or racing.
Whole foods often contain a variety of compounds that work together in ways isolated supplements may not fully replicate. Tart cherry juice is a good example. Research suggests it may offer several benefits for athletes, especially during heavy training blocks or before key events.
Better Sleep
Athletes who want to recover quickly, stay mentally sharp, and maintain training motivation need high-quality sleep. That can be difficult for athletes balancing training with work, family, travel, and stress.
Tart Montmorency cherries naturally contain melatonin, a compound involved in regulating sleep cycles. Studies suggest that tart cherry juice concentrate may increase melatonin levels and improve sleep duration and quality.
For athletes, better sleep can support recovery, mood, and overall readiness to train.
How to use it: Drink 1 fluid ounce of tart cherry juice concentrate diluted in 5–8 fluid ounces of cold water about 30 minutes before bed.
Support Healthy Inflammation Response
Tart cherries contain a high concentration of anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. For athletes, this may be especially helpful after demanding training sessions or races that leave the body feeling sore and depleted.
Inflammation-related joint discomfort can also make it harder to maintain training volume and intensity, especially for masters athletes. Tart cherry juice may help support a healthy inflammation response and reduce joint discomfort, helping athletes train more consistently.
How to use it: Drink 1 fluid ounce of tart cherry juice concentrate twice per day.
Reduce Muscle Soreness
Hard training and racing can come with muscle soreness, especially after long endurance events, high-intensity workouts, or unfamiliar training loads.
Some athletes turn to NSAIDs before races or workouts to reduce discomfort, but frequent NSAID use can carry gastrointestinal, renal, and cardiovascular risks. Tart cherry juice may offer a food-based option to help reduce exercise-related muscle soreness without the same concerns.
Research suggests that consuming tart cherry juice before and after intense training or racing may help reduce muscle soreness and support recovery.
How to use it: Drink 1 fluid ounce of tart cherry juice concentrate twice per day for seven days before and on the day of a key event or hard workout.
Support Immune Function
Heavy training and racing can temporarily stress the immune system. For endurance athletes, getting sick at the end of a big training block or right before a goal race can be especially frustrating.
Tart cherry juice may help reduce the incidence of upper respiratory tract symptoms after strenuous exercise, making it a useful option during peak training or race week.
How to use it: Drink 1 fluid ounce of tart cherry juice concentrate twice per day for seven days before and on the day of the event or workout.
Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate vs. Powder
Research has studied both tart cherry juice concentrate and powdered tart cherry supplements. Both may offer benefits, though dosing can vary by product.
Tart cherry juice concentrate is easy to add to a bedtime routine and can be mixed with water. For an added recovery boost, try pairing it with about 20 grams of slow-digesting casein protein before bed to support overnight muscle repair.
The Bottom Line
Tart cherry juice may help athletes sleep better, reduce muscle soreness, support immune function, and promote recovery during demanding training periods. It is not a replacement for smart training, adequate fueling, or quality sleep, but it can be a simple recovery tool to use around hard workouts, races, or heavy training blocks.
References
- Howatson, G. et al. (2011, October 30). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22038497
- Bell, P.G. et al. (2016, July 22). Recovery facilitation with Montmorency cherries following high-intensity, metabolically challenging exercise. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27455316
- Seeram, N.P. (2001, September). Cyclooxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant cyanidin glycosides in cherries and berries. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11695879/
- Kuehl, K.S. et al. (2010, May 7). Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a randomized controlled trial. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874510/
- Dimitriou, L. et al. (2015, May 11). Influence of a Montmorency cherry juice blend on indices of exercise-induced stress and upper respiratory tract symptoms following marathon running—a pilot investigation. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4432790/
- Levers, K. et al. (2016, May 26). Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on acute endurance exercise performance in aerobically trained individuals. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4880859/
