Aerial Duel Performance in Soccer PlayersCCRP-ADNCT07458594
Combined Caffeine and Rhodiola Rosea on Aerial Duel Performance in Soccer
A study testing Caffeine and Rhodiola rosea extract in people with Aerial Duel Performance in Soccer Players, run by Beijing Sport University at 2 sites in China.
Trial summary
This study will examine whether caffeine (CAF) and Rhodiola rosea (RHO) supplementation, taken alone or in combination, can improve explosive performance and soccer-specific aerial duel performance in trained male soccer players. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Aerial Duel Performance in Soccer Players
- What is being tested?
- Caffeine and Rhodiola rosea extract
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 96 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesChina
- Study dates
- 30 Oct 2025to 3 Jan 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy male soccer players from the Beijing Sport University team.
- Systematic soccer-specific training background and stable competitive level.
- Suitable for high-intensity physical testing based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
Who cannot join
- History of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal system diseases.
- Intake of caffeine (coffee/tea), other supplements, ergogenic aids, or alcohol within the last 3 months.
- Current use of antidepressants or central nervous system stimulants.
- Smokers.
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
China2 sites
China Football Institute, Beijing Sport University
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100084
Beijing Sport University
Beijing
About this study
Official title: Effects of Combined Caffeine and Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Aerial Duel Performance Under Fatigue in Soccer Players
This study will examine whether caffeine (CAF) and Rhodiola rosea (RHO) supplementation, taken alone or in combination, can improve explosive performance and soccer-specific aerial duel performance in trained male soccer players. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design, participants will be assigned to placebo, RHO, CAF, or RHO+CAF for 4 weeks. Performance outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using countermovement jump measures (including early take-off impulse) and standardized heading tests (heading reach height, ball exit velocity, and heading duel success rate), with additional measures of neck isometric strength and perceived exertion.
- Being tested
- Caffeine, Rhodiola rosea extract, Placebo
- Keywords
- Caffeine, Rhodiola rosea, Combined Supplementation, Soccer Performance, Neuromuscular Fatigue, Countermovement Jump (CMJ), Early Impulse (Impulse₀-₂₀₀), Aerial Duel
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
CaffeineDietary supplement
Anhydrous caffeine capsules administered at a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight. Taken as a single dose 30 minutes prior to the physical performance tests.
Rhodiola rosea extractDietary supplement
Standardized Rhodiola rosea extract capsules. Daily total dosage of 2.4 g (containing approx. 12 mg salidroside), taken twice daily (before breakfast and lunch) for 30 days.
PlaceboDietary supplement
Appearance-matched capsules containing inert ingredients (starch or rice flour).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo Control Group (CTR) | Placebo comparator | Participants receive empty capsules (containing starch or rice flour) identical to the active supplements for 30 days. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo |
| Rhodiola Rosea Group (RHO) | Experimental | Daily supplementation of 2.4g Rhodiola rosea extract (approx. 12mg salidroside) for 30 days, taken in two doses before breakfast and lunch. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Rhodiola rosea extract |
| Caffeine Group (CAF) | Experimental | A single dose of 3 mg/kg body mass of anhydrous caffeine administered 30 minutes before exercise testing. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Caffeine |
| Combined Rhodiola and Caffeine Group (RHO + CAF) | Experimental | Combined daily supplementation of 2.4g Rhodiola rosea for 30 days and a single 3 mg/kg dose of caffeine before testing. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Caffeine; Dietary Supplement: Rhodiola rosea extract |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Early takeoff impulse (Impulse₀-₂₀₀)
Calculated as the integration of vertical force over the first 200 ms of the countermovement jump (CMJ) takeoff phase, relative to body mass (N·s·kg-¹). This measures the capacity for rapid force production.
Measured: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 30), measured under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions.
Secondary outcomes (5)
Heading contact height
Participants perform a header and touch a football suspended on a vertical jump tester with their forehead. The highest touch height from three trials is recorded to reflect aerial reach capacity.
Measured: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test), including measurements under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions at each time point.
Heading Ball Velocity
The maximum velocity of the ball after heading is measured using a speed device. A ball machine is used to ensure consistent delivery direction and speed. This measures momentum transfer efficiency and technical execution.
Measured: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test), including measurements under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions at each time point.
Aerial Duel Success Rate
Calculated as the percentage of successful duels out of a fixed number of trials in a standardized head-to-head setting. Success is defined as effectively contacting the ball first and directing it toward a target area.
Measured: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test), including measurements under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions at each time point.
Neck Isometric Strength
Maximum isometric force measured in neck flexion and extension using a handheld dynamometer. Values are normalized to body mass ($N \cdot kg^{-1}$) to assess the stability of the head-trunk system.
Measured: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test).
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Subjective effort level reported by participants on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = nearly no effort, 10 = extreme effort) immediately following the fatigue protocol and post-fatigue tests.
Measured: Immediately after the fatigue-induction protocol and post-fatigue testing at Baseline and 4 weeks.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Mar 2026
- Study start30 Oct 2025
- Primary completion27 Dec 2025
- Study completion3 Jan 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Aerial Duel Performance in Soccer PlayersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This is a 4-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial with four arms (placebo, Rhodiola rosea, caffeine, and Rhodiola rosea plus caffeine; n=24 per arm). Participants complete identical pre- and post-intervention testing sessions. Rhodiola rosea is administered daily throughout the intervention period, while caffeine is administered acutely prior to the test sessions; matching placebo capsules are used to maintain blinding across all groups.
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 96 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Beijing Sport University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Yue Dou, Beijing Sport University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07458594
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025602H
- Acronym
- CCRP-AD
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 4 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 9 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared due to participant confidentiality and institutional data protectionpolicies.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Combined Caffeine and Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Aerial Duel Performance Under Fatigue in Soccer Players
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07458594
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CCRP-AD / 2025602H
- Keywords
- Caffeine, Rhodiola rosea, Combined Supplementation, Soccer Performance, Neuromuscular Fatigue, Countermovement Jump (CMJ), Early Impulse (Impulse₀-₂₀₀), Aerial Duel
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 96 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Beijing Sport UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 27 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 3 Jan 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 9 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will examine whether caffeine (CAF) and Rhodiola rosea (RHO) supplementation, taken alone or in combination, can improve explosive performance and soccer-specific aerial duel performance in trained male soccer players. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design, participants will be assigned to placebo, RHO, CAF, or RHO+CAF for 4 weeks. Performance outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using countermovement jump measures (including early take-off impulse) and standardized heading tests (heading reach height, ball exit velocity, and heading duel success rate), with additional measures of neck isometric strength and perceived exertion.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
- Model description
- This is a 4-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial with four arms (placebo, Rhodiola rosea, caffeine, and Rhodiola rosea plus caffeine; n=24 per arm). Participants complete identical pre- and post-intervention testing sessions. Rhodiola rosea is administered daily throughout the intervention period, while caffeine is administered acutely prior to the test sessions; matching placebo capsules are used to maintain blinding across all groups.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo Control Group (CTR) | Placebo comparator | Dietary Supplement: PlaceboParticipants receive empty capsules (containing starch or rice flour) identical to the active supplements for 30 days. |
| Rhodiola Rosea Group (RHO) | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Rhodiola rosea extractDaily supplementation of 2.4g Rhodiola rosea extract (approx. 12mg salidroside) for 30 days, taken in two doses before breakfast and lunch. |
| Caffeine Group (CAF) | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: CaffeineA single dose of 3 mg/kg body mass of anhydrous caffeine administered 30 minutes before exercise testing. |
| Combined Rhodiola and Caffeine Group (RHO + CAF) | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Caffeine, Dietary Supplement: Rhodiola rosea extractCombined daily supplementation of 2.4g Rhodiola rosea for 30 days and a single 3 mg/kg dose of caffeine before testing. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Healthy male soccer players from the Beijing Sport University team.
- Systematic soccer-specific training background and stable competitive level.
- Suitable for high-intensity physical testing based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- History of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal system diseases.
- Intake of caffeine (coffee/tea), other supplements, ergogenic aids, or alcohol within the last 3 months.
- Current use of antidepressants or central nervous system stimulants.
- Smokers.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| CaffeineAnhydrous caffeine capsules administered at a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight. Taken as a single dose 30 minutes prior to the physical performance tests. | Dietary supplement | Caffeine Group (CAF), Combined Rhodiola and Caffeine Group (RHO + CAF) |
| Rhodiola rosea extractStandardized Rhodiola rosea extract capsules. Daily total dosage of 2.4 g (containing approx. 12 mg salidroside), taken twice daily (before breakfast and lunch) for 30 days. | Dietary supplement | Combined Rhodiola and Caffeine Group (RHO + CAF), Rhodiola Rosea Group (RHO) |
| PlaceboAppearance-matched capsules containing inert ingredients (starch or rice flour). | Dietary supplement | Placebo Control Group (CTR) |
Primary outcome
Early takeoff impulse (Impulse₀-₂₀₀)
Time frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 30), measured under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions.
Calculated as the integration of vertical force over the first 200 ms of the countermovement jump (CMJ) takeoff phase, relative to body mass (N·s·kg-¹). This measures the capacity for rapid force production.
5 secondary outcomes
Heading contact height
Time frame: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test), including measurements under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions at each time point.
Heading Ball Velocity
Time frame: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test), including measurements under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions at each time point.
Aerial Duel Success Rate
Time frame: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test), including measurements under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions at each time point.
Neck Isometric Strength
Time frame: Baseline (Pre-test) and 4 weeks (Post-test).
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Time frame: Immediately after the fatigue-induction protocol and post-fatigue testing at Baseline and 4 weeks.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared due to participant confidentiality and institutional data protectionpolicies.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Caffeine and Rhodiola rosea extract in people with Aerial Duel Performance in Soccer Players, run by Beijing Sport University at 2 sites in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Early takeoff impulse (Impulse₀-₂₀₀) (time frame: Baseline (Day 0) and Post-intervention (Day 30), measured under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Mar 2026.