Montmorency cherry juice reduces muscle damage caused by intensive strength exercise.

Purpose: Montmorency cherries contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds including flavonoids and anthocyanins possessing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated whether the effects of intensive unilateral leg exercise on oxidative damage and muscle function were attenuated by consumption of a Montmorency cherry juice concentrate using a crossover experimental design.

Methods: Ten well-trained male overnight-fasted athletes completed two trials of 10 sets of 10 single-leg knee extensions at 80% one-repetition maximum. Trials were separated by 2 wk, and alternate legs were used in each trial. Participants consumed each supplement (CherryActive® (CA) or isoenergetic fruit concentrate (FC)) for 7 d before and 48 h after exercise. Knee extension maximum voluntary contractions (MVC) were performed before, immediately after, and 24 and 48 h after the damaging exercise. Venous blood samples were collected at each time point, and serum was analyzed for creatine kinase (CK) activity, nitrotyrosine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, total antioxidant capacity, and protein carbonyls (PC). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA were used for statistical analysis of the data.

Results: MVC force recovery was significantly faster (24 h: CA 90.9% ± 4.2% of initial MVC vs FC 84.9% ± 3.4% of initial MVC; 48 h: CA 92.9% ± 3.3% of initial MVC vs FC 88.5% ± 2.9% of initial MVC (mean ± SEM); P < 0.05) after CA than FC consumption. Only serum CK and PC increased significantly from baseline, peaking 24 h after exercise (P < 0.001). The exercise-induced increase in CK activity was not different between trials. However, both the percentage (24 h after: CA 23.8% ± 2.9% vs FC 82.7% ± 11.7%; P = 0.013) and absolute (24 h after: CA 0.31 ± 0.03 nmol·mg(-1) protein vs FC 0.60 ± 0.08 nmol·mg(-1) protein; P = 0.079) increase in PC was lower in CA than FC trials.

Conclusions: Montmorency cherry juice consumption improved the recovery of isometric muscle strength after intensive exercise perhaps owing to the attenuation of the oxidative damage induced by the damaging exercise.