Effects of a Tart Cherry Supplement on Recovery from Exhaustive Exercise

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a tart cherry supplement on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. Seventeen recreationally active women (mean age ± SD = 22.2 ± 3.3 years, height = 162.0 ± 6.0 cm, body mass = 65.1 ± 11.1 kg, BMI = 24.7 ± 3.5 kg·m²) supplemented with 1000 mg of concentrated tart cherry or a placebo for eight consecutive days. An overload protocol of 8 sets of 10 repetitions of maximal effort concentric and eccentric muscle actions of the leg extensors at a velocity of 60°·s-1 was performed on the fourth day of supplementation. Testing sessions consisted of a muscle function test (MFT) to examine pre- and post-testing peak torque, peak power, total work, time-to-peak torque, mean power, muscle activation of the quadriceps, and muscle soreness at baseline and post-testing at 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. A second trial of testing was repeated two weeks later using the opposite supplement to the one assigned for the first trial. No significant interaction for time × condition × velocity (p = 0.916) and no significant main effect for condition (p = 0.557) were demonstrated for peak torque. However, there were main effects for time and velocity for concentric quadriceps peak torque (p < 0.001). For muscle soreness, there was no two-way interaction for time x condition (p > 0.05) and no main effect for condition (p > 0.05), but there was a main effect for time (p < 0.001). In conclusion, a tart cherry supplement did not attenuate losses in isokinetic muscle peak torque, peak power, total work, time-to-peak torque, muscle soreness, or quadriceps muscle activation.

Keywords: antioxidants; muscle function; muscle soreness; polyphenols; recovery; resistance exercise.

Figure 1

Description of each session.

Figure 2

Mean ± SE of peak torque. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. PLA: Placebo. SUP: Tart Cherry Supplement. * Denotes significant difference from pre- and post-test 24, 48, and 72 h.

Figure 3

Mean ± SE of peak power. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. PLA: Placebo. SUP: Tart Cherry Supplement. * Denotes significant difference from pre- and post-test 24, 48, and 72 h.

Figure 4

Mean ± SE of total work. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. PLA: Placebo. SUP: Supplement. * Denotes significant difference from pre- and post-test 24, 48, and 72 h.

Figure 5

Mean ± SE of time-to-peak torque. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. 60°: Velocity of 60$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 180°: Velocity of 180$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 300°: Velocity of 300$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. * Denotes significant difference among velocities.

Figure 6

Mean ± SE of mean power. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. 60°: Velocity of 60$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 180°: Velocity of 180$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 300°: Velocity of 300$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. * Denotes significant difference compared to 60$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ and 300$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$.

Figure 7

Mean ± SE of muscle soreness. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. PLA: Placebo. SUP: Supplement. * Denotes significant difference from pre-test. ᶤ Denotes significant difference from post-test 0 h.

Figure 8

Mean ± SE of concentric rectus femoris muscle activation. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. 60°: Velocity of 60$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 180°: Velocity of 180$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 300°: Velocity of 300$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. * Denotes significant difference compared to 60$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ and 180$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$.

Figure 9

Mean ± SE of vastus lateralis muscle activation. Pre: Pre-test. Post 0 h: Post-test 0 h. Post 24 h: Post-test 24 h. Post 48 h: Post-test 48 h. Post 72 h: Post-test 72 h. 60°: Velocity of 60$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 180°: Velocity of 180$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. 300°: Velocity of 300$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. * Denotes significant difference compared to 180$°·{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$.