The Sweet Promises of Cherry Juice

Some athletes are turning to a lip-puckering remedy for post-workout pain and weakness: tart cherry juice. The juice can be hard to swallow, but the claim is that it diminishes muscle pain and soreness as well as, or better than, many over-the-counter medications.

Tart cherries are rich in anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that are also found (in lower levels) in arguably more popular fruits and berries. Lab tests carried out earlier this decade showed that the antioxidant capacity of tart cherry juice exceeded that of pomegranate, acai and cranberry juices, among others. Subsequent lab tests suggested that the anthocyanins in tart cherries could reduce inflammation in rats and mice and slow the growth of tumors in the animals too.

The findings on tart cherries became more applicable to humans in 2006 with the publication of research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The study, which was funded by Geneva, N.Y.-based CherryPharm, makers of a proprietary blend of tart cherry juice, randomly assigned 14 college-age men to drink either 12 ounces of CherryPharm juice twice a day for eight straight days, or the same amount of a similarly colored Kool-Aid drink.

On Day 4 of the study, all the men worked out their arm muscles with a series of intensive exercises. The men who drank the cherry juice reported less pain after the workout; their pain peaked at 24 hours, whereas pain continued to increase for two days post-workout for the men who drank Kool-Aid. The cherry juice drinkers also experienced roughly 20 percent less loss of strength after the workout.

The findings sound promising for avid exercisers, but they also may have implications for others. Glyn Howatson, senior lecturer at St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham, England, says the findings suggest tart cherry juice could help sufferers of arthritis, or could possibly be used to help cut down on the number of painkillers patients need after surgical procedures.

Given the relatively small body of research, some nutrition and fitness experts are skeptical.

“Exaggerated claims are being made for this product,” says Mark Kantor, professor of nutrition and food safety at the University of Maryland in College Park, whose research has focused on nutritional supplements and chronic disease.

Researchers have yet to compare tart cherry juice with well-established pain relievers or anti-inflammatory agents, such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

And tart cherry juice can have side effects. Many blends contain the equivalent of 45 to 50 cherries per 8- to 10-ounce bottle. That’s the equivalent of three servings of fruit.

Drinking several bottles for days on end, while consuming other fruits and vegetables, can cause diarrhea and upset stomach in some people, says Dr. Kerry Kuehl, professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University and lead author of the relay race study.