The Efficacy of Cherry Juice Supplementation in Preventing the Symptoms of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: 2243: Board #180 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

PURPOSE: Numerous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents have been identified in tart cherries. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of supplementation with a tart cherry beverage (Cherry Good, CHERRYpharm Inc. Summit, NJ) in preventing the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage.

METHODS: This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Fourteen male college students drank 16 fl oz of cherry juice, or a placebo, twice per day for eight consecutive days. A bout of eccentric elbow flexion contractions was performed on the fourth day of supplementation. Isometric elbow flexion strength, pain, muscle tenderness and relaxed elbow angle were recorded prior to, and for four days following the eccentric exercise. The protocol was repeated two weeks later with subjects who took the placebo initially, now taking the cherry juice (and vice versa). The opposite arm performed the eccentric exercise for the second bout to avoid the repeated bout protective effect.

RESULTS: Strength loss and pain were significantly lower with cherry juice supplementation versus placebo (Time by Treatment: Strength p <0.001, Pain p <0.05). Relaxed elbow angle (Time by Treatment P=0.85) and muscle tenderness (Time by Treatment P=0.81) were unaffected by cherry juice supplementation.

CONCLUSIONS: These data show efficacy for cherry juice supplementation in decreasing some of the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage. Most notably, strength loss averaged over the four days after eccentric exercise was 24% with placebo trial but only 5% with cherry juice.