Tart Cherry Juice for Exercise Performance and Recovery

June 27, 2018 updated by: Phil Chilibeck, University of Saskatchewan

The Effect of Tart Cherry Juice on Fat Metabolism, Exercise Performance, and Recovery

This study evaluates the effects of tart cherry juice consumption on endurance exercise performance, fat metabolism during exercise, blood pressure, and recovery from exercise as assessed by muscle pain, muscle strength and electrical properties of muscle. Comparisons will be made to Gatorade consumption. Participants include those who are moderately active and have experience with cycling.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Tart cherries are rich in bioactive components (i.e. flavonoids) that have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Inflammation and lipid peroxidation causes damage of skeletal muscle membranes during intense exercise. The damage of muscle increases the amount of time for muscle to recover from intense exercise, and can cause muscle strength to be reduced for days. When tart cherries in a concentrated form (i.e. as juice or powder) are consumed in the days leading up to intense exercise, there is a protective effect against inflammation, and lipid peroxidation . This theoretically prevents damage to the lipid component of muscle fibre membranes and helps to preserve muscle function - when muscle is damaged by intense exercise (i.e. either repetitive aerobic activity or high-force muscle contraction), consumption of cherry juice enhances the rate of muscle strength recovery following exercise compared to when a placebo (i.e. non-cherry) beverage is consumed . Muscle damage may be protected by cherry juice consumption; however, all studies evaluating the protective effect of cherries have assessed muscle damage by measuring muscle proteins in the blood. This rather indirect measure of muscle damage is highly variable and not always an accurate assessment of muscle damage; this may be why some studies indicate a reduction in markers of muscle damage with cherry juice consumption while others do not.

A more direct assessment of muscle damage can be obtained by applying electrical stimulation at different frequencies to a muscle before and after intense exercise and assessing the reduction in force output in response to low-frequency and high-frequency stimulation. After intense exercise, the force output at low frequencies of stimulation is often reduced, while the force output at high frequencies is maintained; a phenomenon termed "low frequency fatigue". When muscle is stimulated to contract (either voluntarily by the nervous system or involuntarily through electrical stimulation) calcium is released inside muscle. This calcium release leads to muscle contraction. When muscle undergoes intense exercise, there is damage to muscle membranes, including membranes inside muscle that are responsible for calcium release. This causes a lower amount of calcium to be released with each muscle contraction. Normally, if high frequencies of electrical stimulation are applied to muscle, a very large amount of calcium is released inside muscle - an amount which is "more than enough" to cause a high amount of muscle contraction and high force output. If muscle fibre membranes responsible for release of calcium are damaged, a lower amount of calcium is released, but because "more than enough" calcium is usually released with high frequency stimulation, the lower amount of calcium released with muscle damage is still enough to cause high force of muscle contraction. The force response to low frequencies of stimulation; however, is dramatically reduced when muscle is damaged - usually only a small amount of calcium is released when low frequencies of stimulation are delivered to muscle. Following muscle damage, the smaller amount of calcium released causes lower force production at low stimulation frequency. Low force production at low stimulation frequencies, with a relatively maintained force production at high stimulation frequencies therefore indicates that muscle damage has occurred. This lower muscle force capability at low frequencies of stimulation has dramatic effects on endurance performance because typical endurance performance relies on repeated low-force muscle contractions, as opposed to the few high-force contractions that might be required in other sports (i.e. short sprinting events or field events such as shot put).

The study we are proposing will use this measurement (i.e. ratio of low frequency force to high frequency force output) as a more direct measure of muscle damage. We predict that if cherry juice is consumed in the days leading up to a bout of muscle-damaging endurance exercise, muscle damage will be lower (as indicated by a faster recovery of low-frequency fatigue following the bout of exercise) than when a comparison-drink (i.e. Gatorade) is consumed.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
13

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Saskatchewan
      • Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, S7N 5B2
        • College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • experienced cyclist (i.e. bicycle exercise at a vigorous intensity on a regular basis)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Allergies to cherries

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Tart Cherry Juice
290 mL per day of Tart Cherry juice for 7 days
Dietary supplement: Drink
Beverage to be consumed
Active Comparator: Gatorade
290 mL per day of Gatorade for 7 days
Dietary supplement: Drink
Beverage to be consumed

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time time performance
Time Frame: Day 5 of beverage consumption
Time to complete 10 km of cycling
Day 5 of beverage consumption

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fat oxidation
Time Frame: Day 5 of beverage consumption
Fat oxidation determined from gas analysis
Day 5 of beverage consumption
Carbohydrate oxidation
Time Frame: Day 5 of beverage consumption
Carbohydrate oxidation determined from gas analysis
Day 5 of beverage consumption
Blood pressure
Time Frame: Day 5 of beverage consumption
Blood pressure assessed by continuous blood pressure monitor
Day 5 of beverage consumption
Muscle pain
Time Frame: Change from baseline to before, and immediately, 24 hours, and 48 hours after exercise
Muscle pain determined by a visual analog scale (participant marks a scale from 0 to 100 mm. A score of 0 mm is "no pain". A score of 100 mm is maximal pain).
Change from baseline to before, and immediately, 24 hours, and 48 hours after exercise
Quadriceps strength
Time Frame: Change from baseline to before, and immediately, 24 hours, and 48 hours after exercise
Knee extensor strength determined by isometric contraction
Change from baseline to before, and immediately, 24 hours, and 48 hours after exercise
Low frequency fatigue
Time Frame: Change from baseline to before, immediately, 24 hours, and 48 hours after exercise
Measured by force production at low and high stimulation frequencies as an index of muscle damage
Change from baseline to before, immediately, 24 hours, and 48 hours after exercise

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Saskatchewan

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 30, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 13, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 13, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 18, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 28, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 27, 2018

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 16-273

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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