🍒 Supplement Spotlight: Tart Cherry Juice
Is this recovery drink actually worth the hype? Let’s cut through the noise.
🔍 What it is
Tart cherry juice (usually from Montmorency cherries) is packed with polyphenols—especially anthocyanins, which give the juice its deep red colour and antioxidant firepower. Unlike sweet cherries, these are sour, less snackable, and mostly found in juices or concentrates.
💪 Key Benefits (When Used Strategically)
1. Faster Recovery from Training
Small but consistent reductions in muscle soreness
Quicker return to strength/power baseline after hard sessions
Works for both aerobic and resistance exercise
2. Better Sleep Quality
Naturally contains melatonin and tryptophan
May improve sleep duration and efficiency (especially in older adults or poor sleepers)
3. Possible Boost to Endurance Performance
May increase antioxidant capacity in muscles
Might support blood flow and oxygen delivery during long sessions
Low-GI carbs could help sustain energy output
⚠️ Drawbacks (Use with Context)
1. Sugar Load
~130 kcal and 25–30g of sugar per 8 oz serving
Not ideal in fat loss or metabolic repair phases
2. Gut Sensitivities
Contains polyols (fermentable carbs)—can trigger IBS symptoms
3. Risk for Kidney Issues
Case reports of acute kidney injury in people with CKD using cherry concentrates
Probably fine for healthy individuals, but flag if there’s a renal history
4. May Blunt Adaptations
High-dose antioxidants can interfere with training-induced adaptations
Avoid daily use in off-season or growth phases where stress → adaptation is the goal
🧠 How It Works
Anti-inflammatory & antioxidant effects via anthocyanins
Supports melatonin synthesis and may increase tryptophan availability
Potential improvement in blood flow, oxidative stress buffering, and fat oxidation
📌 Best Use Cases (Within the Optimise Method™)
Reset. To support circadian rhythm and improve sleep onset
Rebuild To speed up recovery between sessions or from inflammation-heavy training
Refine. As a precision tool in high-output or taper weeks
✅ Dosing Guidelines
For Recovery or Endurance
Start 3–7 days before a big event or training block
Take 1–2 hours pre-workout on key days
Continue for 2–4 days post-event
Dosage:
30 mL concentrate 2x/day
OR 240–355 mL juice 2x/day
For Sleep
30 mL concentrate OR 240 mL juice
Once in the morning, once 1–2 hours before bed
✋ Quick Takeaways
A legit recovery enhancer—but not a magic bullet
Most useful for sleep-deprived, inflammation-loaded, or high-frequency training clients
Use strategically, not daily forever
Avoid in fat loss phases or if gut/kidney issues are on the table
