Loading…
About Muscle Recovery — Fitness.
Post-workout soreness, muscle repair, DOMS, and recovery between training sessions.
Audited published research per compound. Drill into a pair for the breakdown.
Bar length counts published studies — green marks studies reporting at least one benefit, slate the other studies (no benefit, unclear or harm); labels read benefit studies / all studies.
◆ marks each compound's research score (0-100): how consistently published studies reported a benefit, weighted by study design. It summarises the research, not how well a compound will work for you.
Compounds with published trial evidence for this condition, ranked by strength of evidence. Each result is put in plain terms and comes from the study itself — open “Exact figures” for the published statistics, or follow the study link to read the paper.
| Compound | Evidence strength | What studies found |
|---|---|---|
| Creatine MonohydrateResearch score 44/100 · Limited | 2 systematic reviews/meta-analyses — 2 studies | 8/13 outcomes showed benefit
|
We publish community results for muscle recovery only once at least 10 people have reported on the same compound — so no individual report is ever shown. Until then, here is the research side on its own.
Used something for muscle recovery? Sharing how it went for you helps the next person — it is only ever published as part of a group of 10 or more.
Add your outcomeOpen the original papers, check their methods, and discuss what is relevant with a qualified professional.
Every study behind the numbers above is linked next to its result.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Post-Exercise Inflammation, Muscle Damage, Oxidative Response, and Sports Performance in Physically Healthy Adults-A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled TrialsFernández-Lázaro D, et al. · Nutrients · 2024Systematic Review · matched via Muscle Recovery · PubMed record (CORPUS-A)
PMID 38999792 ↗02The effects of hydrotherapy and cryotherapy on recovery from acute post-exercise induced muscle damage-a network meta-analysisChen R, et al. · BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Systematic Review · matched via Muscle Recovery · PubMed record (CORPUS-A)
PMID 39294614 ↗03Effects of cold water immersion after exercise on fatigue recovery and exercise performance--meta analysisXiao F, et al. · Frontiers in physiology · 2023Systematic Review · matched via Muscle Recovery · PubMed record (CORPUS-A)
PMID 36744038 ↗04Effects of dietary supplements on athletic performance in elite soccer players: a systematic reviewAbreu R, et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2023Systematic Review · matched via Muscle Recovery · PubMed record (CORPUS-A)
PMID 37462346 ↗05Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage During the Menstrual Cycle: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisRomero-Parra N, et al. · Journal of strength and conditioning research · 2021These compounds appear in related research or traditional use. Their position is not a recommendation or ranking. Research scores summarise published studies only.
Meta-Analysis · matched via Muscle Recovery · PubMed record (CORPUS-A)
Outcome summaries extracted from the linked papers' curated records. Educational, not medical advice.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
Reduced; faster recovery between training sessions (monohydrate)
Training adults · Systematic review · PMID 30060440 ↗Strong evidenceReduced02Muscle recovery and cramping — ImprovedImproved recovery; reduced cramping
Athletes · Meta-analysis · PMID 33627718 ↗Strong evidenceImprovedFigures are reported as published; study designs and populations vary. Works for Us does not interpret results or provide medical advice.