Vistula tart cherry powder around a marathon: lower hs-CRP, no difference in strength, jump, soreness or CK
Participants
n=35 recreationally trained marathon runners (age 40±10, height 176.5±10.2 cm, mass 78.8±13.8 kg); randomised to freeze-dried Vistula tart cherry powder (n=17) or calorie-matched placebo (n=18)
Protocol
7 days of supplementation with the marathon (undulating course) on day 5. Outcomes before, immediately after, 24 h and 48 h post-race: maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), countermovement jump (CMJ), muscle soreness (DOMS), plasma creatine kinase (CK), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP).
Key Results
All markers changed over time (p<0.001) — the marathon produced muscle damage and inflammation
hs-CRP lower with tart cherry during recovery: 7.9 ± 3.5 vs 12.5 ± 5.1 mg/L (p=0.031)
No treatment or interaction effect for MVC, CMJ, DOMS or CK (p>0.2) — no functional or soreness benefit
Not from this paper — extends REF-009 (Howatson 2010, cherry juice, n=20): the inflammation (CRP) effect is replicated in a larger cohort; the faster isometric-strength recovery seen there was not
Practical Application
Finding: in 35 recreational marathoners, 7 days of Vistula tart cherry powder (marathon on day 5) lowered hs-CRP during recovery (7.9 vs 12.5 mg/L) but did not change strength (MVC), jump (CMJ), soreness or CK over 48 h. Tart cherry blunts the inflammatory marker; do not promise faster functional recovery from it.
Dose window tested: 7 days spanning the race; powder dose is not given in the abstract.
Limitations
Recreational runners, single marathon, 48-h follow-up; the abstract gives no powder dose or anthocyanin content
Only the blood inflammatory marker differed; function and soreness did not
Audit note (2026-07-06)
STRUCTURAL GAP RESTORED: previously REF-021 was cited inline (see above, "Confirmation" under REF-009), but had no full-format entry of its own — classified as a dangling cross-reference. The DOI was found and confirmed via Crossref (aggressive search 2026-07-06). The year is corrected: was stated as "2026" → actually 2025.
How this entry was checked and changed
Content correction 2026-09-27
Added the null results the entry omitted: no treatment effect for MVC, CMJ, DOMS or CK (p>0.2); hs-CRP units (mg/L) and SDs added.
Added protocol (7 days, marathon on day 5, 17 vs 18), Practical Application lead and Limitations; title now states the null functional finding. Note: OpenAlex lists the issue year as 2026 (online 2025).