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. 2019 Jan 22;49(Suppl 1):3–23. doi: 10.1007/s40279-018-0998-x

Table 4.

Effects of fruit-derived polyphenol supplementation on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage

References Participant characteristics Supplementation protocol Muscle damage protocol Effects of polyphenol supplementation
Beals et al. [110] Recreationally active
RCT
30 g tart cherry powder (n = 15) versus placebo (n = 15) × 2 per day for 12 days (733 mg PP, 64 mg anthocyanins) Maximal effort unilateral isokinetic concentric/eccentric knee extensor contractions of at 60o·s−1 until 50% drop in force
Performed on d5 supplementation
= Isometric knee extensor muscle force
= Muscle soreness
= Plasma biomarkers of inflammation
Bell et al. [120] Trained cyclists RCT 30 ml Montmorency cherry concentrate (600 mg PP, 254 mg anthocyanins) (n = 8) versus placebo (n = 8) × 2 per day for 7 days (low PP diet consumed throughout trial) High-intensity stochastic cycling exercise (109 min)
Performed on days 5, 6, 7
↓ Plasma biomarkers of inflammation (IL6 and CRP)
↓ Plasma marker of oxidative damage (lipid hydroperoxides)
Bell et al. [108] Trained cyclists RCT 30 ml Montmorency cherry concentrate (600 mg PP, 254 mg anthocyanins) (n = 8) versus placebo (n = 8) × 2 per day for 7 days (low PP diet consumed throughout trial) High intensity stochastic cycling exercise (109 min)
Performed on days 5
↑ isometric knee extensor muscle force, cycling economy
↓ plasma markers of inflammation (IL6 and CRP)
= plasma marker of damage (CK and lipid hydroperoxides)
Bell et al. [107] Semi-professional male soccer players RCT 30 ml Montmorency cherry concentrate (600 mg PP, 254 mg anthocyanins) (n = 8) versus placebo (n = 8) × 2 per day for 8 days (low PP diet consumed throughout trial) Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test
Performed on d5 supplementation
↑ Isometric knee extensor muscle force, countermovement jump height, and agility
↓ Muscle soreness
↓ Plasma markers of inflammation (IL6)
= Plasma markers of damage (CK and lipid hydroperoxides)
Bowtell et al. [106] Trained high intensity intermittent sport athletes (n = 10)
Crossover trial
30 ml Montmorency cherry concentrate (600 mg PP, 254 mg anthocyanins) × 2 per day for 10 days 10 sets of 10 unilateral knee extension repetitions @ 80% 1RM
Performed on d8 supplementation
↑ Isometric knee extensor muscle force
= Muscle soreness and CK
= Plasma biomarkers of inflammation (CRP)
↓ Plasma marker of oxidative damage (PC)
Connolly et al. [104] Recreationally active men (n = 14)
Crossover trial
12 oz bottles Montmorency cherry concentrate in apple juice (600 mg PP, incl 40 mg anthocyanins) × 2 per day for 8 days 2 × 20 maximum unilateral eccentric elbow flexor contractions
Performed on d4 supplementation
↑ Isometric elbow flexor muscle force
↓ Muscle soreness
= Muscle tenderness and relaxed elbow joint angle
Howatson et al. [105] Recreational marathon runners (n = 20)
RCT
8 oz bottles Montmorency cherry juice (600 mg PP, incl 40 mg anthocyanins) (n = 10) versus placebo (n = 10) × 2 per day for 8 days Marathon
Performed on d6 supplementation
↑ Isometric knee extensor muscle force
= Muscle soreness, CK and LDH
↓ Plasma biomarkers of inflammation (IL6 and CRP)
Plasma markers of oxidative damage (↓TBARS, = PC)
Kuehl et al. [112] Recreational runners RCT 10.5 oz Montmorency cherry juice (600 mg PP, incl 40 mg anthocyanins) (n = 28) versus placebo (n = 26) × 2 per day for 8 days Hood to Coast relay race
26.3 ± 2.5 km distance
Performed on d8 supplementation
↓ Muscle soreness
Levers et al. [109] Resistance trained men
RCT
480 mg Montmorency cherry powder (n = 11) versus placebo (n = 12) × 1 per day for 10 days 10 sets of 10 repetitions @ 70% 1RM barbell back squats
Performed on d8 supplementation
= Isometric knee extensor muscle force
↑ Pressure pain tolerance
= Plasma biomarkers of inflammation
= Plasma marker of oxidative damage
Machin et al. [116] Recreationally active men RCT 30 ml pomegranate concentrate (650 mg PP, 620 mg ellagitanins) × 1 (n = 15) or × 2 (n = 15) per day or placebo (n = 15) for 8 days 3 × 20 maximum unilateral eccentric elbow flexor contractions
20 min downhill running
Performed on d4 supplementation
↑ Isometric elbow flexor and knee extensor strength
= Muscle soreness
= Blood muscle damage markers (Mb)
McCormick et al. [111] Trained waterpolo players (n = 9)
Crossover trial
30 ml Montmorency cherry concentrate (600 mg PP, 254 mg anthocyanins) × 3 per day for 7 days Fatiguing simulated water polo team activity
Performed on d6 supplementation
= Performance waterpolo specific tasks
= Plasma biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative damage
Trombold et al. [114] Recreationally active men (n = 16)
Crossover trial
500 ml pomegranate juice (650 mg PP, 620 mg ellagitanins) × 2 per day for 9 days 2 × 20 maximum eccentric elbow flexor contractions
Performed on d5 supplementation
↑ Isometric strength
= Muscle soreness
= Muscle damage (CK, Mb)
= Plasma markers of inflammation (IL6, CRP)
Trombold et al. [115] Resistance trained men (n = 17)
Crossover trial
250 ml pomegranate juice (495 mg tannins, 96 mg anthocyanins, 30 mg ellagic acid derivatives) × 2 per day for 15 days 3 × 20 maximum unilateral eccentric elbow flexor contractions
6 × 10 unilateral maximum knee extensor contractions
Performed on d8 supplementation
↑ Isometric elbow flexor strength
↓ Elbow flexor muscle soreness
= Isometric knee extensor strength
= Knee extensor muscle soreness
Hutchison et al. [35] Untrained RCT 12 oz blackcurrant juice (369 mg anthocyanins) (n = 8) versus placebo (n = 8) × 2 for 8 days 3 × 10 repeitions @ 115%1RM eccentric back squats
Performed on d5 supplementation
= Muscle soreness
↓ Blood markers of muscle damage (CK)
↓ Blood marker inflammation (IL6)
Ives et al. [136] Recreationally active men RCT Carbohydrate (n = 14), whey protein (31 g, n = 16), whey protein (31 g) and berry powder (100 mg, n = 17), consumed immediately, 6 and 22 h post-ex
(low PP diet consumed day before and day of exercise)
100 maximal eccentric knee extensor contractions ↑ Knee extensor strength
↓ Muscle soreness
No significant additive effects of berry extract except for lower soreness.
McLeay et al. [117] Recreationally active women (n = 10)
Crossover trial
200 g blueberry in test beverage (~ 420 mg PP, 242 mg anthocyanins) consumed × 3 on day of exercise and × 1 am d1 and d2 post-ex 3 × 100 unilateral maximum knee extensor eccentric contractions
Performed 10 h after first dose
↑ Knee extensor strength
= Muscle soreness
= Blood markers of muscle damage (CK)
= Blood markers of inflammation (IL6)
= Blood markers of oxidative damage (PC, p = 0.06)
Peschek et al. [118] Endurance trained (n = 8)
Crossover trial
Chocolate milk (1 g·kg−1 CHO, 0.3 g·kg−1 protein, 350 mg cocoa flavanols) versus chocolate milk with no cocoa flavanols; consumed 1 and 2 h post-ex 30 min downhill running = Knee extensor muscle strength and 5 km time trial
= Muscle soreness
= Blood markers of muscle damage (CK)
Romain et al. [148] Recreationally active (n = 13)
Crossover trial
1.5 g.d−1 extract from mangosteen, black elderberry and pomegranate (219 mg PP, 130 mg ellagic acid and derivatives, 85 × anthone derivatives)
× 1 for 5 days (first dose on day of exercise)
8 × 8RM half squats ↓ Muscle soreness
↓ Blood markers of muscle damage (Mb)

↑ Increased, ↓ decreased, = no change, CHO carbohydrate, CRP C reactive protein, CK creatine kinase, IL6 interleukin 6, ex exercise, incl including, LDH lactate dehydrogenase, Mb myoglobin, PC protein carbonyls, PP polyphenol, RCT randomised controlled trial with parallel groups, RM repetition maximum, TBARS thiobarbituric acid reactive substances