Drinking cherry juice could help ease the pain for people who run, according to new research from Oregon Health & Science University presented at the American College of Sports Medicine Conference in Seattle, Wash.
The study showed that people who drank tart cherry juice while training for a long-distance run reported significantly less pain after exercise than those who didn't. Post-exercise pain often can indicate muscle damage or debilitating injuries.
In the study of 60 healthy adults ages 18-50, those who drank 10.5 ounces cherry juice (CHERRish 100 percent Montmorency cherry juice) twice a day for seven days before and on the day of a long-distance relay had significantly less muscle pain following the race than those who drank another fruit juice beverage. On a scale from 0 to 10, the runners who drank cherry juice as their "sports drink" had a 2-point lower self-reported pain level at the completion of the race, a clinically significant difference.
Although more research is needed to understand the effects of tart cherry juice, researchers say the early finding indicate cherries may work like common medications runners use to alleviate post-exercise inflammation.
"For most runners, post-race treatment consists of RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) and traditional NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)," said Dr. Kerry Kuehl, a sports medicine physician and principal study investigator. "But NSAIDS can have adverse effects — negative effects you may be able to avoid by using a natural, whole food alternative, like cherry juice, to reduce muscle inflammation before exercise."
The researchers suggest cherries' post-exercise benefits are likely because of the fruit's natural anti-inflammation power. They attributed that power to antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which also give cherries their bright red color.
This natural anti-inflammation power of cherry juice could have far-reaching benefits for the millions of active Americans currently taking over-the-counter pain medications to reduce muscle pain and beyond.
A growing body of research suggests that cherries could affect inflammation related to heart disease, arthritis and even might help maintain muscle strength for those suffering from fibromyalgia (a common, chronic widespread pain disorder), according to a second study presented by the same researchers at the conference.
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