What helps against sore muscles: 5 reasons for Montmorency sour cherries
Do you suffer from muscle soreness or sleep disturbances after a workout? Intense training is important for improving your fitness, but sometimes it can have undesirable consequences. When you're experiencing muscle soreness, exhaustion, or sleep disturbances, proper recovery is especially important so that you're fully fit for your next workout. The key question then is: What helps with muscle soreness and how can you achieve rapid recovery after exercise? Montmorency tart cherries could be a simple and effective solution. In this article, you'll learn five reasons why these cherries can be an interesting addition to your post-workout nutrition plan.
Here you will find out...
What helps against sore muscles: 5 reasons to choose Montmorency tart cherries 1. Supply of important nutrients from Montmorency tart cherries The role of polyphenols in Montmorency tart cherries Why Montmorency tart cherries support your recovery after exercise 2. Montmorency tart cherries help against sore muscles What happens when you have sore muscles? 3. Easy use of Montmorency tart cherries for everyday training When should you take tart cherries for the best effect? 4. Better sleep thanks to Montmorency tart cherries for optimal recovery after exercise How Montmorency tart cherries support your sleep 5. Top athletes and Olympians swear by Montmorency tart cherries Cherry PLUS for top athletes Conclusion The most important things in brief
1. Supply of important nutrients from Montmorency sour cherries
Montmorency tart cherries have enjoyed increasing popularity in recent years among ambitious athletes seeking rapid recovery after intense training sessions. The Montmorency variety stands out as it provides a variety of important nutrients that benefit the body after intense exercise while also supporting overall health.
Montmorency sour cherries are rich in:
- Vitamins A, B and C
- Minerals and trace elements such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron and zinc (1)
- Polyphenols, especially anthocyanins (2)
The role of polyphenols in Montmorency sour cherries
The Montmorency sour cherry is one of the most researched cherry varieties, especially with regard to its effects on health, athletic performance, and post-exercise recovery—and not without reason. With an average of 4.07 mg of polyphenols per gram, it is one of the most polyphenol-rich varieties of all (3).
Polyphenols are secondary plant substances that plants produce to protect themselves from external influences such as UV rays, pests and diseases or to attract beneficial insects (4).
Montmorency tart cherries contain large amounts of flavonoids and anthocyanins. In the human body, these natural substances help inhibit pro-inflammatory enzymes. This can reduce the formation of harmful oxygen and nitrogen compounds that occur after intense physical exercise. This can reduce inflammatory reactions in muscle tissue and prevent muscle soreness (5).
Why the Montmorency sour cherry supports your recovery after exercise
Regulation of inflammation :
The anthocyanins it contains inhibit the body's own inflammatory messengers. This can reduce muscle soreness and fatigue after exercise (6).Protection against oxidative stress :
The antioxidants in tart cherries neutralize free radicals produced during exercise, helping to reduce muscle cell damage, such as muscle tears (5).Faster muscle repair :
Less inflammation and oxidative stress enable faster cell regeneration and thus shorten recovery time after training (5, 6).
2. Montmorency cherries help against sore muscles
After intense training sessions, the body's recovery is a crucial step to avoid overload and injuries, as well as to increase long-term performance. Montmorency tart cherries have been the focus of numerous studies examining their effects on inflammatory processes in the body, particularly in relation to recovery after exercise and the prevention of muscle soreness. ( 5 ) .
What happens when you have sore muscles?
During intense training, the muscles are subjected to considerable stress. This can lead to small tears in the muscle fibers – a completely normal process that is part of the body's adaptation and strengthening. However, these micro-damages can also trigger inflammatory reactions.
Certain signaling pathways in the body are involved, such as the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. They influence the severity of the inflammation and which neurotransmitters are released. When this process is triggered, the body produces pro-inflammatory substances such as IL-6 or TNF-α, which can further exacerbate muscle soreness (6).
Did you know that tart cherries can also have an impact on your athletic performance ? Various scientific studies have investigated how tart cherries affect nitric oxide metabolism. The results suggest that consuming tart cherry juice up to 1.5 hours before exercise can lead to improved endurance performance.
Nitric oxide is a molecule produced naturally in the body that plays an important role in regulating blood flow . Improved blood flow ensures that oxygen and nutrients reach the working muscles more quickly and efficiently, which can support performance (7).
3. Easy use of Montmorency tart cherries for everyday training
Especially after intense training sessions, when the body needs recovery and nutrients, it's crucial to use products that are both effective and practical. Athletes place great value on quality and easy integration into daily routines. The best way to benefit from Montmorency tart cherries is through dietary supplements.
Cherry PLUS Juice concentrate offers a practical solution: It allows you to quickly and easily incorporate sour cherries into your diet. Just one serving of juice concentrate provides you with the nutrients of up to 90 sour cherries—all with a pleasant, fruity flavor.
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The concentrate can be easily mixed into smoothies, shakes or water to enjoy a refreshing and nutritious supplement after training.
Immediately after exercise, stir 30 ml of Cherry PLUS concentrate into liquid. One bottle is sufficient for 17 training sessions (€1.46 per application). 500 ml of Cherry PLUS concentrate is equivalent to 3-4 liters of sour cherry juice.
The perfect bundle for your regeneration
When should you take sour cherries for the best effect?
The research on this topic is still unclear, as different research results offer different recommendations. Furthermore, the best time to take the pill can vary from person to person, so it's worth experimenting to find out which method works best for you.
According to a study by McHugh et al., the best recovery results are seen when tart cherry juice is consumed several days before exercise (10). Other researchers, however, emphasize that the effect is greatest when tart cherry juice is consumed promptly, directly on the day of exercise (7).
4. Better sleep thanks to Montmorency tart cherries for optimal recovery after exercise
Sleep is an important component of physical recovery , especially after intense training sessions. During sleep, the body has the opportunity to recover, repair muscles, and provide energy for the next day. Restful sleep is therefore essential to promote optimal recovery.
How Montmorency cherries support your sleep
In addition to numerous polyphenols, tart cherries also contain melatonin and tryptophan—two important substances involved in sleep regulation. The Montmorency tart cherry, in particular, stands out because it has particularly high melatonin levels compared to other varieties (8).
Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally in the body that is also found in certain foods such as tart cherries. Tryptophan is an amino acid that plays a key role in the production of serotonin, another hormone that, along with melatonin, regulates the sleep-wake cycle.
A study examining the influence of tart cherries on sleep quality in female competitive athletes found that this fruit may have a positive effect on sleep duration and quality. Factors such as total sleep duration, wake time after falling asleep, and activity index were taken into account (9).
5. Top athletes and Olympians swear by Montmorency sour cherries
In competitive sports, it's not just how hard you train that counts, but also how well you recover from it. The Montmorency tart cherry has long been more than an insider tip for many professionals. From swimming star Ryan Murphy to the US women's soccer team, they all rely on the power of this special fruit to specifically support their recovery and maintain their performance naturally.
Cherry PLUS for top athletes
In Germany, too, the Montmorency sour cherry is inspiring more and more athletes – and we are proud to be part of this movement. Together with top triathlete and physician Leonie Konczalla, we are focusing on natural methods of recovery.
She is one of the top athletes in some of the world's toughest triathlon races and has already reached the podium in numerous international competitions. Her experience in elite sport and her medical expertise make her a special voice for recovery, health, and performance.
We are delighted to be able to accompany them on a very special journey: on their way to the legendary 2025 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
Leonie takes Cherry PLUS sour cherry juice concentrate every evening after her last workout or before bedtime. This means she experiences fewer problems with typical symptoms of muscle fatigue the following day, such as stiffness, increased muscle tone, or mild aches and pains.
"Thanks to Cherry PLUS, I can increase my training intensity and maintain the necessary balance between exertion and recovery after exercise! In my opinion, the positive effects of Cherry PLUS on recovery are helpful for every athlete, whether endurance athletes, strength athletes, or weekend warriors—in the end, every workout is only as good as your ability to recover from it."
Leonie Konczalla, doctor and top triathlete, 2025
The Montmorency sour cherry has long been part of the Intermarché Wanty cycling club's recipe for success. The team regularly competes at the start lines of the world's biggest races – from various championships to the Tour de France. Their successes speak for themselves: countless podium finishes, significant victories, and impressive performances at the international level.
"Cellavent Healthcare's nutritional supplements are designed to optimize performance or support adaptation to a training goal. It's crucial for our team that a supplement is legal and safe. The team follows the latest findings from training and sports nutrition research and is guided by general nutritional strategies for performance optimization and recovery promotion. The products we use should have solid scientific evidence regarding efficacy and safety."
Dr. Ortwin Schäfer (Chief Team Physician, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), 2023
Conclusion
Montmorency tart cherries offer a natural way to support post-workout recovery. Their valuable compounds may help relieve stress after intense exercise and promote overall well-being. It's not without reason that elite athletes rely on these cherries to support their recovery. Whether as juice concentrate or capsules, their versatile use makes them easy to integrate into your daily routine.
