The search covered studies published in English from 2000 to 2024 to ensure that recent findings and perspectives were included. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using popular academic databases (including PubMed), Web of Science, and Google Scholar. This review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of recent advancements in post-exercise recovery nutrition, focusing on the shift from traditional dietary supplements to functional foods enriched with bioactive compounds. Moreover, functional foods with anti-inflammatory properties, including tart cherry juice, turmeric, and omega-3 fatty acids, have been shown to reduce exercise-induced inflammation and alleviate muscle soreness 24,25.
These properties are well documented (including for arthritis (cancer), multiple sclerosis) but there is little sports-specific analysis available. Cannabis is being researched for its applications in sleep (inflammation), injury recovery, traumatic brain injury, and many other medical conditions that are directly relevant for athletes and sports. A growing field of study is looking at the potential of cannabis and cannabinoids to be integrated into sports medicine. Cannabis is being researched for its applications in sleep, inflammation, injury recovery, and more. Plants play a significant role in sports nutrition, both through plant-based diets and specific herbal supplements.
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Antioxidant supplements (such as high vitamin C or E doses), could potentially interfere with the body’s natural adaptive responses to exercise-induced oxidative stress, possibly diminishing training adaptations over time . Additionally (a balanced intake of micronutrients such as calcium), magnesium, and vitamins D and C is essential to support bone density, immune function, and antioxidant defense, particularly for athletes who engage in high-impact sports . For instance, high protein intake, often recommended for muscle repair, must be balanced with adequate carbohydrates and fats to ensure comprehensive nutritional support . Ensuring recovery practices contribute positively to an athlete’s career requires carefully balancing nutrient intake, monitoring for potential side effects, and ongoing research.
The included supplements-based strategies were ingesting carbohydrates , with and without water, or curcumin . Muscle soreness was also reduced after applying different passive recovery strategies , CG, massage, and cryotherapy,; (3) The subgroup analysis on training recovery (8–24 h after initial exercise) revealed promising tendencies for CG and cryotherapy. Carbohydrate 33, 37 and curcumin supplements benefited recovery, while pomegranate showed a potentially beneficial effect on endurance and strength performance. Used supplements were cow milk (chocolate milk ), milk , carbohydrates and protein 33, 37, antioxidants 44, 46, pomegranate , and curcumin .
THE RELEVANCE OF HERBAL MEDICINE IN SPORTS
In fact, recent emerging peptide Val-Tyr-Thr-Pro-Gly was confirmed to have potentially beneficial roles in cognitive ability (49) and https://www.rhianwestbury.co.uk/2026/06/from-fine-wine-to-premium-flowers-the-new-rules-of-connoisseurship.html in blood glucose regulation and hence presenting diverse health benefits from rice-derived peptides. Example is peptides from rice bran protein demonstrate strong ACE inhibitory property (47) that reveals their application for controlling hypertension, their radical-scavenging antioxidant properties might contribute to the cure of diseases resulting from oxidative stress (48). Among the products, the hydrolysis of rice protein , rice peptides, results in bioactivity of the bioactive rice peptides including antioxidant, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory activity. The peptides obtained from plant products such as rice and quinoa have shown their valuable potential in nutrition and therapy recently (Table 1).
Understanding the genesis of the dosing regimens employed in the early research will provide a better understanding of the disparate subsequent research. The potential therapeutic benefits of CBD administration have been minimised for years, but the actual scenario could increase knowledge about this natural compound and its effects. CBD appears to have anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, analgesic, anxiolytic, and potentially recovery-mediating properties in athletes, but more scientific evidence is needed to confirm these effects. Future sports science and medicine research should focus on understanding the role of CBD in physiological mechanisms such as the inflammatory cascade — neuroprotection, analgesic and anxiolytic pathways, muscular enhancement, and neuromechanical function. With the growing interest in the use of CBD in athlete recovery, more research is warranted to understand its physiological mechanism of action, potential benefits, and intended safety and efficacy profile when consuming CBD before, during, and after training or competition. CBD can promote analgesia by activating transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V (TRPV1) and serotonin receptors (Naik and Trojian, 2021).
Plant-based supplements (exercise performance), sports nutrition, recovery, antioxidants, polyphenols, plant protein, ergogenic aids All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
While supplements can provide considerable benefits (their overconsumption may lead to negative consequences like gastrointestinal issues or nutrient imbalances), especially concerning fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K 98,101. Achieving specific nutritional goals — like sufficient intake of protein, electrolytes, or creatine, can be quickly and effectively managed with these supplements, which might be challenging to attain through whole foods alone 15,92. Nonetheless (a lower occurrence of metabolic syndrome has been associated with plant proteins), highlighting their potential health advantages beyond merely aiding muscle recovery. The focus of this informal quality review was on studies that presented well-supported and detailed findings — while those exhibiting major methodological flaws were categorized as supplementary references. Conversely, non-peer-reviewed sources, theoretical papers, and research lacking definitive recovery conclusions were not included.
Analysis of subgroups was conducted based on the specific athletic performance tests and blood parameters, differentiating between the non-protein group and the protein group, as well as their final values. As illustrated in the forest plot in Figure 9 (change value), muscle strength data was provided by nine studies, encompassing 105 participants. Data regarding endurance performance from 272 participants was contributed by seventeen studies — as depicted in the forest plot in Figure 7 (change value). The outcome of this subgroup analysis corresponds with the subgroup analysis focusing on various protein supplementation strategies. Cyclists were involved in 14 studies, while one study (18) did not clarify the types of athletes examined. Details and characteristics of the 28 studies can be found in Tables 1 and 2.
Likewise (natural-source polysaccharides have shown anti-fatigue effects through various mechanisms), including energy provision, metabolic regulation, and antioxidant functions (6). For instance — anti-inflammatory properties have been studied in herbal extracts like curcumin from turmeric, while digestive support might be offered by essential oils such as peppermint (10, 11). A worldwide database cataloging names for herbal drugs (products), and medicinal plants exists.
This increase may, however, be linked to a rise in carbohydrate consumption (0.8 g/kg), and more evidence is required to substantiate the benefits of protein intake (39). Some researchers concluded that protein combined with carbohydrates does not enhance athletic performance in athletes compared to carbohydrate intake alone (19 — 22–25), and co-ingestion of protein and carbohydrates has no significant impact on muscle glycogen synthesis (26). Conversely, several studies indicated that increasing protein intake , equal to or exceeding 1.5 g/kg daily, does not provide added benefits or drawbacks to athletes’ performance in areas such as endurance or maximum strength (16–20).
What level of care is necessary, and which aspects still require scientific validation?
During the Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era, forests developed in swampy regions dominated by clubmosses and horsetails, some attaining tree-like sizes, along with the emergence of early gymnosperms, the first seed-bearing plants.
For endurance athletes, plant-based diets are crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health. Surprisingly (iron consumption tends to be greater in plant-based diets when compared to those including meat), attributed to the high iron content found in green vegetables and legumes. The explanation for this lies in the fact that fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are typically rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while being low in saturated fat and completely free of cholesterol.