Tart cherry

What it is

Tart (Montmorency) cherry is a polyphenol- and anthocyanin-rich fruit, usually taken as a concentrate or juice. It is used around hard training and competition for recovery and, more tentatively, for sleep.

What the evidence shows

Recovery and muscle soreness. Preliminary· human data There is promising evidence that its polyphenols can reduce soreness and speed recovery after hard or damaging exercise, which is why some endurance athletes use it around events.

Sleep. Preliminary· human data Some small studies report modest improvements in sleep, possibly via its melatonin content. The effect is gentle rather than a sleeping pill.

Who it suits

Endurance athletes and anyone needing to recover quickly between closely-spaced hard sessions or competition rounds.

Practical notes

Like other high-dose antioxidants, routinely blunting exercise-induced inflammation could dampen some training adaptations, so many use it around competition rather than every day. Pair recovery supplements with the basics — sleep, protein and sensible load management, which you can track with our recovery-readiness index.

Sources

PubMed: tart cherry / Montmorency cherry supplementation, exercise recovery and sleep (trials and reviews)

Frequently asked questions

Does tart cherry help recovery?

There's promising evidence that its polyphenols and anthocyanins can reduce muscle soreness and speed recovery after hard or damaging exercise, which is why some endurance athletes use it around competition.

Can it help me sleep?

Some small studies report modest improvements in sleep, possibly via its melatonin content and effects on sleep-regulating pathways. The effect is gentle, not a sleeping pill.

Any downside to using it all the time?

Like other high-dose antioxidants, there's a theoretical concern that routinely blunting exercise-induced inflammation could dampen some training adaptations, so many use it around events rather than every day.