Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is particularly rich in anthocyanins, a class of polyphenols responsible for the fruit's dark purple pigmentation. Exercise studies have focused mainly on anthocyanin-standardized extracts and their possible effects on substrate metabolism, endurance performance, vascular responses and post-exercise recovery.

The strongest current evidence involves exercise substrate utilization. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 studies involving 226 participants found that blackcurrant supplementation significantly increased fat oxidation and decreased carbohydrate oxidation during exercise.

Related site sections include Sports Nutrition, Athlete Health and Antioxidants.

The 2026 Meta-Analysis

The meta-analysis published on February 3, 2026 included 15 controlled studies.

Blackcurrant increased exercise fat oxidation by approximately:

+0.042 g/min

while carbohydrate oxidation decreased by:

−0.099 g/min.

This provides reasonably consistent evidence that blackcurrant anthocyanins can influence fuel selection during exercise.

However, only eight of the 15 studies individually demonstrated significant changes, highlighting substantial inter-individual variability.

Does This Mean Greater Fat Loss?

No.

Greater fat oxidation during an exercise session is not equivalent to greater long-term body-fat loss.

Blackcurrant may alter which substrates are oxidized during moderate exercise, but total energy balance remains central to changes in body fat.

It should therefore not be classified as a conventional fat burner.

Cycling Performance

In 14 trained male cyclists, seven days of blackcurrant extract increased fat oxidation by approximately 27% at 65% VO₂max.

A subsequent 16.1-km cycling time trial improved by approximately 2.4%, from roughly 1,722 seconds with placebo to 1,678 seconds after blackcurrant.

This remains one of the strongest positive endurance-performance findings.

Female Endurance Athletes

In 16 endurance-trained women, seven days of supplementation increased average fat oxidation by approximately 27% during 120 minutes of cycling at 65% VO₂max.

However, women represented only 34 of the 226 participants included in the 2026 meta-analysis, so sex-specific evidence remains relatively limited.

Exercise in the Heat

Eighteen participants completed 60 minutes of running at 65% VO₂max in approximately 34°C after seven days of supplementation.

Fat oxidation increased by about 0.12 g/min, while carbohydrate oxidation decreased.

There were no meaningful effects on heart rate, core temperature, skin temperature or overall physiological strain.

Blackcurrant therefore altered metabolism without demonstrating a clear thermoregulatory benefit.

Where Does the Extra Fat Oxidation Come From?

A study published in 2026 used skeletal-muscle biopsies in 10 moderately trained men.

After seven days of supplementation, whole-body fat oxidation during 120 minutes of cycling was approximately 24% higher, while degradation of intramuscular triglycerides in type-I muscle fibers was also greater.

This provides one potential mechanistic explanation for the previously observed increases in fat oxidation.

Does It Spare Muscle Glycogen?

Not convincingly.

Pre-exercise muscle glycogen was substantially higher after blackcurrant in the same trial, but glycogen concentrations after prolonged cycling did not differ significantly from placebo.

Exercise capacity was also not significantly improved.

Greater fat oxidation therefore does not necessarily produce glycogen sparing or superior endurance performance.

5-km Running Performance

In 16 trained male runners, an acute blackcurrant dose taken two hours before exercise improved treadmill 5-km performance.

Mean completion time decreased from approximately:

• 1,346 sec with placebo
• to 1,309 sec with blackcurrant.

No significant differences were observed in VO₂, heart rate, lactate, substrate oxidation or RPE, leaving the precise mechanism uncertain.

Is the Performance Effect Consistent?

No.

A 2024 narrative review reported that among performance studies:

• 60% demonstrated a positive effect,
• 30% found no significant effect,
• 10% reported mixed results.

Blackcurrant therefore has a meaningful positive evidence signal but cannot yet be considered a consistently effective endurance ergogenic aid.

Resistance Exercise

A new June 2026 randomized double-blind crossover study involved 20 resistance-trained adults.

Seven days of both lower- and higher-dose blackcurrant improved bench-press 1RM compared with placebo and control.

The higher dose also increased bench-press:

• peak power by approximately 79.5 W
• and mean power by 46.2 W

compared with placebo.

However, Wingate outcomes were unchanged.

These findings are novel and require replication before blackcurrant can be considered a strength or power supplement.

Muscle Oxygenation

In 12 intermediate-level rock climbers, seven days of blackcurrant improved selected measures of forearm muscle oxygenation and accelerated post-contraction oxygenation recovery.

Time to half recovery decreased from approximately:

• 42 sec with placebo
• to 26 sec with blackcurrant.

However, time to exhaustion did not improve.

Again, physiological effects did not necessarily translate into greater performance.

Muscle Damage and Recovery

One of the most important recent trials was published in 2026 and involved 29 elite male Taekwondo athletes.

Participants consumed blackcurrant providing 210 mg/day of anthocyanins for seven days before repeated high-intensity training.

Compared with placebo, blackcurrant attenuated the 24-hour increase in:

• CK by approximately 356 U/L
• reactive oxygen species,

while increasing total antioxidant capacity.

IL-6 and TNF-α were also lower at seven days.

These results suggest a possible role in exercise recovery, although biomarker changes are not automatically equivalent to improved competition performance.

Individual Responses

Not everyone responds equally.

The 2026 meta-analysis found no change in substrate utilization in seven of 15 studies.

Responses may be influenced by:

• baseline metabolic profile,
• sex,
• body composition,
• training status,
• anthocyanin dose,
• supplementation duration,
• exercise intensity.

A 2025 secondary analysis also suggested that baseline metabolic characteristics may help explain the magnitude of individual responses.

Important Limitations

There is an important limitation to the current evidence base.

All 15 studies included in the 2026 substrate-utilization meta-analysis used the same standardized blackcurrant preparation. Fourteen studies had some risk-of-bias concerns and one was rated as high risk.

This does not invalidate the results, but independent replication using different standardized extracts and research groups would substantially strengthen the evidence.

Research Doses

Exercise research has commonly examined approximately:

• 105 mg anthocyanins/day
• 210 mg/day
• 315 mg/day
• up to approximately 420 mg/day.

The most frequently studied protocol was around 210 mg of anthocyanins daily, often for seven days.

These are research protocols rather than an established universal sports dose.

Conclusion

Blackcurrant is one of the more interesting anthocyanin-rich nutritional strategies currently investigated in sports nutrition.

The strongest evidence concerns exercise substrate metabolism. The 2026 meta-analysis found an average increase in fat oxidation of 0.042 g/min and a reduction in carbohydrate oxidation of 0.099 g/min.

Several small trials also report improved cycling or running performance, whereas other studies find no significant effect on endurance capacity.

Emerging 2026 research extends the potential applications to resistance exercise and recovery, with selected improvements in strength/power and reductions in exercise-related muscle-damage and inflammatory biomarkers.

Blackcurrant should therefore be viewed as a promising anthocyanin-rich strategy for substrate metabolism, endurance and recovery, but not yet as a universally established ergogenic aid.

FAQ

Does blackcurrant increase fat oxidation during exercise?
Yes. A 2026 meta-analysis found a significant average increase of approximately 0.042 g/min, although responses vary between individuals.

Does that mean it promotes fat loss?
Not necessarily. Acute fat oxidation and long-term loss of body fat are different outcomes.

Can blackcurrant improve endurance?
Several small running and cycling trials are positive, while others report no meaningful performance benefit.

Can it improve exercise recovery?
A 2026 study in elite Taekwondo athletes reported lower CK, oxidative-stress markers and inflammatory cytokines following strenuous training.

Can it improve resistance-training performance?
A new 2026 trial reported improvements in selected strength and bench-press power outcomes, but no Wingate benefit. Replication is required.

What dose is used in studies?
Approximately 210 mg/day of anthocyanins for seven days is one of the most commonly studied protocols, but no universal evidence-based athletic dose has been established.

References

1. Cook M.D., Bateman J.J., Willems M.E.T. Blackcurrant Anthocyanin Supplementation Alters Exercise-Induced Substrate Utilization – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Dietary Supplements. February 3, 2026;23(2):290–305.
2. Cook M.D. et al. New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Improves Cycling Performance and Fat Oxidation in Cyclists. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2015.
3. Strauss J.A. et al. New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Enhances Fat Oxidation During Prolonged Cycling in Endurance-Trained Females. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2018.
4. Moss S.L. et al. The Effects of an Acute Dose of New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract on 5-km Running Performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2023.
5. Jones L.A. et al. New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Augments Muscle Glycogen Storage at Rest and Enhances Intramuscular Triglyceride Degradation During Prolonged Exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2026;126(3):1857–1872.
6. Kaçar M., Karimkhani H., Arslan S. Effects of New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Supplementation on Muscle Damage, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Markers Following High-Intensity Training in Elite Taekwondo Athletes. Irish Journal of Medical Science. 2026;195(3):1777–1786.
7. Koozehchian M.S. et al. Effects of Short-Term Low- and High-Dose New Zealand Blackcurrant Supplementation on Exercise and Cognitive Performance in Resistance-Trained Adults. Nutrients. June 15, 2026;18(12):1929.