Juice-Based Supplementation Strategies for Athletic Performance and Recovery: A Systematic Review
Study Details
This new systematic review compiled evidence from 50 studies to investigate the effects of juice supplements for athletes 📚
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
BEETROOT JUICE
🥤 Dose: Typically 70–500 mL/day providing 6.4–12.8 mmol nitrate, taken ~2–3 h before exercise or daily for 5–7 days
🔥 Inflammation: Mixed results; ↑ nitric oxide may help, but inconsistent
💥 Oxidative Stress: Limited evidence
💪 DOMS: Modest relief in some trials
⚡ Performance: Strong benefits for endurance, weaker for sprinting/elite athletes
📝 Notes: Dose-dependent, best when preloaded
POMEGRANATE JUICE 🍎
🥤 Dose: 250–500 mL juice daily (~2.5 g polyphenols) or 50 mL concentrate for up to 2 months
🔥 Inflammation: ↓ IL-6, ↓ CRP, ↓ homocysteine
💥 Oxidative Stress: ↓ MDA, ↑ catalase, ↑ total antioxidant capacity
💪 DOMS: Effective for upper-body eccentric soreness
⚡ Performance: Mixed, mainly recovery-focused
📝 Notes: Strongest for oxidative and endocrine modulation
CHERRY JUICE 🍒
🥤 Dose: 30–60 mL concentrate twice daily (~60–300 mL juice) for 7–10 days around exercise
🔥 Inflammation: ↓ IL-6, ↓ CRP in many studies
💥 Oxidative Stress: ↓ lipid peroxidation
💪 DOMS: Reduced soreness, especially with preloading
⚡ Performance: Inconsistent across sports
📝 Notes: Best consumed on days before and after exercise
PICKLE JUICE 🥒
🥤 Dose: 1–2 mL/kg body mass (small boluses, ~70–150 mL for most athletes) during/after exercise
🔥 Inflammation: No measurable effect
💥 Oxidative Stress: Not assessed
💪 DOMS: Not directly studied
⚡ Performance: Some evidence for rapid cramp relief (neurological, not metabolic)
📝 Notes: Works via nerve reflex, not muscular recovery
WATERMELON JUICE 🍉
🥤 Dose: 500 mL/day (natural or citrulline-enriched) for several weeks, or 300–710 mL acutely; provides ~3–6 g L-citrulline
🔥 Inflammation: Limited but some support
💥 Oxidative Stress: ↑ total antioxidant capacity with chronic use
💪 DOMS: Reduced soreness in longer supplementation studies
⚡ Performance: Mixed; may improve VO₂max, muscle oxygenation, jump performance, but short-term use inconsistent
📝 Notes: Fresh/minimally processed juice more effective (pasteurisation reduces bioavailability)
Conclusion
Juice-based supplements can be an excellent strategy for athletes to enhance performance and recovery ✅
Of course many of these can be made naturally using whole foods, but one should be wary of degradation of fresh foods as this may effect nutrient levels and therefore targeted outcomes 📉
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40863778/
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