Post-exercise recovery / DOMS
Physically active people after intense training/competition.
sports
recovery
Faster recovery
Less muscle soreness
Restore function
Core stack
Tart cherry (Montmorency) juice / concentrate
B
Form: juice 240–360 ml or concentrate 30 ml
Dose: Twice daily for 4–5 days before and 2–3 days after the event
morning and evening
peri-event (periodically around hard sessions)
Why: Meta-analyses suggest reductions in DOMS and strength loss after eccentric exercise.
Cautions
- Sugar content — caution with insulin resistance
- Possible GI discomfort
Whey protein or other high-quality complete protein
B
Form: powder
Dose: 20–40 g within 2 h post-exercise (target ~0.25–0.4 g protein/kg/meal)
post-exercise
ongoing on training days
Why: Supports muscle protein synthesis and recovery.
Cautions
- Allergy/intolerance to dairy proteins
- Fit within calorie targets
Adjuncts
Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA)
B
Dose: 1–3 g/day EPA+DHA
Monitoring
- Subjective soreness (VAS)
- Return of strength/VO2