Vitošević Biljana, Filipović Milica, Popović Ljiljana, Sterkowicz-Przybycień Katarzyna, Purenović-Ivanović Tijana
Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Leposavić, University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica, Dositeja Obradovića bb, 38218 Leposavić, Serbia.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica, Anri Didana bb, 38220 Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
Sports (Basel). 2025 Aug 14;13(8):269. doi: 10.3390/sports13080269.
The application of natural juices in sports nutrition is attracting growing interest due to their potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and ergogenic properties. Exercise, especially when prolonged or intense, increases oxidative stress and muscle damage, leading athletes to explore dietary strategies that support recovery and enhance performance. This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of five widely studied juices-beetroot, pomegranate, cherry, watermelon, and pickle juice-in the context of athletic supplementation and recovery. A thorough search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted to identify studies published between 2010 and 2025. Fifty peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria, examining various physiological, biochemical, and performance-related outcomes linked to juice consumption. Given the methodological diversity among studies, a qualitative synthesis was employed. The juices were compared across four key outcomes-inflammation, oxidative stress, delayed onset of muscle soreness, and exercise performance-to determine their most consistent benefits. Beetroot juice, noted for its high nitrate content, consistently enhanced oxygen efficiency and submaximal endurance, although benefits in elite or sprint athletes were less evident. Both pomegranate and cherry juices were effective in reducing muscle soreness and inflammatory markers, particularly when consumed over several days surrounding exercise. Watermelon juice, primarily through its L-citrulline content, offered antioxidant and recovery support, although performance outcomes varied. Evidence for pickle juice was limited, with no notable ergogenic effects beyond anecdotal cramp relief. Overall, natural juices can support recovery and occasionally improve performance, depending on the specific juice, dosage, and athlete characteristics. Beetroot juice stands out as the most reliable in enhancing performance, while pomegranate and cherry juices are more beneficial for recovery. Future research with standardized protocols is essential to determine optimal application across diverse athletic contexts.
天然果汁在运动营养中的应用因其潜在的抗氧化、抗炎和促力特性而越来越受到关注。运动，尤其是长时间或高强度运动时，会增加氧化应激和肌肉损伤，促使运动员探索有助于恢复和提高成绩的饮食策略。本系统综述在运动补充和恢复的背景下，研究了五种广泛研究的果汁——甜菜根汁、石榴汁、樱桃汁、西瓜汁和泡菜汁的有效性。对PubMed、Scopus和Web of Science数据库进行了全面检索，以识别2010年至2025年发表的研究。五十篇经过同行评审的文章符合纳入标准，研究了与饮用果汁相关的各种生理、生化和与成绩相关的结果。鉴于研究之间方法的多样性，采用了定性综合分析。对这几种果汁在四个关键结果——炎症、氧化应激、肌肉酸痛延迟发作和运动表现方面进行了比较，以确定它们最一致的益处。甜菜根汁因其高硝酸盐含量而著称，始终能提高氧气效率和次最大耐力，不过对精英或短跑运动员的益处不太明显。石榴汁和樱桃汁在减轻肌肉酸痛和炎症标志物方面都很有效，尤其是在运动前后几天饮用时。西瓜汁主要通过其L-瓜氨酸含量提供抗氧化和恢复支持，不过成绩结果各不相同。泡菜汁的证据有限，除了传闻中的缓解抽筋外，没有明显的促力作用。总体而言，天然果汁可以支持恢复，偶尔还能提高成绩，这取决于具体的果汁、剂量和运动员特征。甜菜根汁在提高成绩方面最为可靠，而石榴汁和樱桃汁对恢复更有益。未来采用标准化方案的研究对于确定在不同运动环境中的最佳应用至关重要。
