Tart cherry supplements and muscle recovery after exercise: what the research shows

Written by Dr Sean Leo, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon whose clinical focus is the knee, sports injuries and the lower limb.

Last updated: 9 October 2026.

A 2021 meta-analysis, which pools the results of 14 studies in people doing strenuous exercise, found that tart cherry supplements were associated with a small reduction in muscle soreness and a moderate improvement in recovery of muscle strength. These are group findings from studies of exercise-related muscle soreness, and they do not predict what any one person will notice.

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Do tart cherry supplements help muscles recover after exercise?

A 2021 meta-analysis, which pools the results of 14 studies in people doing strenuous exercise, found that tart cherry supplements were associated with a small reduction in muscle soreness and a moderate improvement in recovery of muscle strength. This page summarises what that research found and how far it goes.

• Tart cherry supplements were linked with a small reduction in muscle soreness after strenuous exercise. The soreness effect was small, and the range of likely values came close to no effect ^[1].
• They were also linked with a moderate improvement in recovery of muscle strength.
• These are group findings from studies of exercise-related muscle soreness, and they do not predict what any one person will notice.

More on what the meta-analysis found

The analysis covered 14 studies found by a search that ran to July 2020. Besides soreness and strength, it looked at blood markers of inflammation and muscle damage. It reported small effects for C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. No significant effects were observed for creatine kinase and tumour necrosis factor alpha.

The research concerns tart cherry supplements and muscle soreness after strenuous exercise. It does not address knee injuries or the healing of tissue inside the knee.

What does this page cover?

• Do tart cherry supplements help muscles recover after exercise?
• Should I speak to a doctor before changing what I eat?
• When is urgent help needed with a knee problem?
• What should I do next?

Should I speak to a doctor before changing what I eat?

Nutritional needs differ from person to person. Before starting any new nutrition plan, it is best to speak to your doctor.

When is urgent help needed with a knee problem?

What should I do next?

For questions about exercise, sports injuries or a knee problem, an assessment brings together the person’s story, an examination and any tests that help, so that the patient and clinician can decide what to do next.

• Browse sports injury care at OrthoKinetics.
• Read the injury prevention tips.
• Arrange an assessment when you are ready.
• Read more about Dr Sean Leo, who is named as the author of this page.

References

1. Hill JA, Keane KM, Quinlan R, Howatson G. Tart cherry supplementation and recovery from strenuous exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2021;31(2):154-167. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0145. PMID:33440334.