Efficacy of Tart Cherry Juice in Reducing Muscle Injury and Biomarkers of Muscle Damage Among Healthy Adults

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of tart cherry juice to reduce serum biomarkers of inflammation and reduce muscle soreness in healthy adults who undergo a bout of controlled eccentric exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pain; Inflammation
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: tart cultivar Montmorency cherry juice; Dietary supplement: placebo cherry fruit drink

Detailed Description

Numerous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents have been identified in tart cherries, and a study among healthy, non-exercising individuals demonstrated that tart cherries decreased post-exercise weakness and muscle pain. The purpose of this study is to assess the analgesic and myoprotective effects of tart cherry juice among healthy subjects in a randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind, crossover design trial. Fifteen healthy individuals will perform a bout of eccentric elbow flexion contractions (2 x 10 near maximum), and will then ingest 10 fl oz of a cherry juice or a placebo juice twice a day for four days, beginning immediately post exercise. Before and after exercise, and for three days following the eccentric exercise, blood will be drawn to measure serum biomarkers of muscle damage and muscle soreness will be recorded. The protocol will be repeated after a 9-10 day washout period with subjects consuming the alternative juice for the second trial. The opposite arm will perform the eccentric exercise for the second bout to avoid the repeated bout protective effect. The study's outcomes are 1) to assess changes in serum biomarkers of muscle damage, and 2) to assess changes in muscle soreness.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 15
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Oregon
    • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239
      • Oregon Health & Science University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• no regular upper body strength training
• no elbow flexor pain, no history of elbow or shoulder injury
• ability and willingness not to take any anti-inflammatory or pain relieving drugs during the course of the study, not to seek any other treatment for any symptoms of muscle damage directly resulting from the exercises performed as part of the study, and not to exercise their upper extremities during the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• individuals who have used or are using antiepileptic drugs for pain, acupuncture, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation within 3 weeks before enrollment
• recent use (within 5 half-lives) of topical medications/anesthetics, muscle relaxants, tender point anesthetic injections within 2 months
• systemic steroid use within 3 months
• any investigational drug/device use in the prior 30 days
• individuals who have Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes
• individuals who are pregnant

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: tart cherry juice	Dietary supplement: tart cultivar Montmorency cherry juice
Placebo Comparator: cherry flavored fruit drink	Dietary supplement: placebo cherry fruit drink

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Lactate	Primary outcomes include measurement of serum and plasma biomarkers that provide a generalized measurement of inflammatory activity; these include Creatine Kinase (CK), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and lactate.	duration of intervention, average of 18 days per participant
Creatine Kinase	Primary outcomes include measurement of serum and plasma biomarkers that provide a generalized measurement of inflammatory activity; these include Creatine Kinase (CK), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and lactate.	duration of intervention, average of 18 days per participant
Aspartate aminotransferase	Primary outcomes include measurement of serum and plasma biomarkers that provide a generalized measurement of inflammatory activity; these include Creatine Kinase (CK), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and lactate.	duration of intervention, average of 18 days per participant
Lactate dehydrogenase	Primary outcomes include measurement of serum and plasma biomarkers that provide a generalized measurement of inflammatory activity; these include Creatine Kinase (CK), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and lactate.	duration of intervention, average of 18 days per participant

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Secondary outcomes includes measurement of physical symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness as measured by a muscle myometer.	duration of intervention, average of 18 days per participant

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Oregon Health and Science University
• Collaborators: Cherry Research Committee
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Kerry S Kuehl, MD, DrPH, Oregon Health and Science University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 24, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 5, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): March 8, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): August 10, 2012
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2012
• Last Verified: August 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: pain; inflammation; muscle damage
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Inflammation
• Other Study ID Numbers: E7220