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Healthy Adult MaleNCT07844122

Effects of Caffeine on Agility in Amateur Soccer Players

A study testing Caffeine 300 MG in people with Healthy Adult Male, run by Comenius University at 1 site in Slovakia.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial aims to investigate the acute effects of caffeine supplementation on motor and perceptual-cognitive components of agility performance in male amateur soccer players. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 35 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Healthy Adult Male
What is being tested?
Caffeine 300 MG
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
16 participants
Where
1 siteSlovakia
Study dates
21 Oct 2024to 20 Dec 2024
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 35 years
  • Men only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Active male amateur soccer players competing in Slovakian 3rd to 6th tier-league and Austrian 4th to 7th tier-league,
  • Regular participation in soccer training and competition,
  • No current health restrictions preventing participation in maximal physical testing
  • Provided written informed consent

Who cannot join

  • Goalkeepers
  • Current or recent musculoskeletal injury affecting physical performance
  • Acute illness at the time of testing
  • Cardiovascular or neurological disorders
  • Visual impairment affecting performance of the experimental tasks
  • Significant sleep disorders
  • Habitual caffeine consumption exceeding 400 mg/day
  • Failure to complete both experimental sessions

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Slovakia1 site
  • Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport

    Bratislava, Slovakia, 814 69

Other trials in Slovakia

About this study

Official title: Effects of Caffeine on Physical and Perceptual-cognitive Components of Agility in Amateur Soccer Players

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial aims to investigate the acute effects of caffeine supplementation on motor and perceptual-cognitive components of agility performance in male amateur soccer players.

The main questions are: i) Does acute caffeine supplementation improve motor performance, including countermovement jump height, drop-jump reactive strength, and planned agility? ii) Does acute caffeine supplementation improve perceptual-cognitive performance during reactive agility tasks involving light and human stimuli?

Participants will complete two experimental conditions in randomized order, receiving either 300 mg of caffeine (~3.7 miligrams/kilograms of body mass) or placebo pills. Following ingestion, participants will perform countermovement and drop jumps and three Y-shaped agility tests assessing planned agility, reactive agility to a light stimulus, and reactive agility to a human stimulus.

Read the detailed description

Caffeine supplementation was investigated for its potential to differentially affect motor and perceptual-cognitive aspects of performance in athletes. Participants were recruited from amateur soccer clubs competing in the third to fifth tiers of the Slovak league system and fifth to sixth tiers of the Austrian league system. A pre-selection questionnaire was used to assess relevant demographic, sporting, health, injury, and habitual caffeine consumption characteristics. Players with habitual caffeine intake above 400 miligrams/day were excluded. A familiarization session was conducted approximately one week before the experimental measurements to practice the procedures and reduce learning effects.

The intervention consisted of a single 300 milligrams caffeine dose, corresponding to approximately 3.7 miligrams/kilograms of body mass. The placebo consisted of potato starch. Caffeine and placebo capsules were visually identical. Condition order was determined by simple randomization using an independent online randomization generator, and the investigator responsible for randomization was not involved in testing. Participants and testers remained unaware of the assigned condition.

Participants were instructed to maintain their usual training regimen, abstain from caffeine-containing products for at least 24 hours before testing, and avoid intense physical activity on the preceding day. The two experimental sessions were conducted seven days apart, during the same period of the soccer season and at the same time of day to reduce potential effects of recovery and circadian variation. Diet, fluid intake, and sleep were not standardized.

After capsule ingestion, participants completed a standardized dynamic warm-up involving aerobic activation, lunges, dynamic stretching, and countermovement jumps. Testing subsequently assessed explosive lower-limb performance and agility under controlled laboratory and field conditions. The agility assessment used a Y-shaped setup and distinguished between a predetermined change-of-direction task and reactive tasks requiring a response to either a visual light stimulus or a live human stimulus.

The human-stimulus condition was designed to introduce a greater perceptual and decision-making component than the planned condition. Participants were required to perceive the tester's movement and rapidly select the appropriate alternative direction. Reactive trials were repeated when predefined technical errors, incorrect responses, slips, or other invalid performances occurred.

The experimental procedures were completed within a short testing window following supplementation to correspond with the expected onset of caffeine's acute physiological effects. The fixed testing sequence was maintained across both experimental conditions to ensure consistency between visits.

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Comenius University in Bratislava (Approval Number 15/2024). All participants provided written informed consent before participation.

Being tested
Caffeine 300 MG, Placebo
Keywords
Caffeine, Athletes, Exercise, Muscle Strength, Psychomotor Performance
Medical subject headings
Motor Activity

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Caffeine 300 MGDietary supplement

    Also called caffeine pills

    Supplementation was administered as caffeine capsules (Scitec Nutrition Caffeine, 100 milligrams per capsule). Subjects received 300 milligrams of caffeine, which represented an individual dose ranging from 3.16 to 4.44 milligrams/kilograms of body mass.

  • PlaceboDietary supplement

    Supplementation was administered as placebo capsules filled with potato starch. The capsules were visually identical, and neither the testers nor the participants were aware of the assigned condition.

Study groups in NCT07844122
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Caffeine ingestionExperimentalSupplementation was administered as caffeine capsules (Scitec Nutrition Caffeine, 100 milligrams per capsule). Participants received 300 mg of caffeine, which represented approximately 3.74 milligrams/kilograms of mean body mass. This dosage corresponded to an individual dose ranging from 3.16 to 4.44 milligrams/kilograms of mean of body mass. The capsules were visually identical, and neither the testers nor the participants were aware of the assigned condition. Caffeine was ingested 30 minutes before the testing session.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Caffeine 300 MG
Placebo ingestionPlacebo comparatorSupplementation was administered as a placebo capsules filled with potato starch. The capsules were visually identical, and neither the testers nor the participants were aware of the assigned condition. Placebo pills were ingested 30 minutes before the testing session.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Planned Agility

    The running course was divided into two sections. The first section consisted of a 5 meter linear sprint from a two-point starting position. At the end of the linear section, two cones positioned 1-meter apart marked the change-of-direction area. The participant was instructed by the tester to change the direction of sprinting by cutting at a 45° angle to either the left or right side. The primary outcome measure was the fastest trial completion time, recorded in seconds using a photocell timing system. Timing commenced when the participant crossed the starting gate and ended when the participant crossed the designated gate at the end of course.

    Measured: 40 minutes after caffeine/placebo ingestion

  2. Reactive Agility

    The running course was divided into two sections. The first section consisted of a 5 meter linear sprint from a two-point starting position. At the end of the linear section, two cones positioned 1-meter apart marked the change-of-direction area. The participant was instructed by the tester to change the direction of sprinting according to the a) light sensor, b) human movement, by cutting at a 45° angle to either the left or right side.

    1. Light sensor showed green arrow of dedicated change-of-direction. This stimulus occured 500 milliseconds after crossing the starting gate.
    2. Human tester executed movement to the side when participants were 2.5 meters apart from starting gate. Participants were reacting by the execution of change-of-direction to the opposite side as human tester.

    The outcome was the fastest completion time, recorded in seconds using a photocell timing system.

    Measured: 45 minutes after caffeine/placebo ingestion

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Countermovement jump

    Assessment of vertical power production by the lower limbs, evaluated as maximum countermovement jump height in centimeters.

    Measured: 30 minutes after caffeine/placebo ingestion

  2. Drop jump 30

    Assessment of reactive strength of the lower limbs, evaluated as the maximum reactive strength index (RSI) calculated from flight time and contact time during a drop jump from a 30 centimeter box.

    Measured: 35 minutes after caffeine/placebo ingestion

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted28 Sep 2026
  2. Study start21 Oct 2024
  3. Primary completion28 Oct 2024
  4. Study completion20 Dec 2024

Resources

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
Crossover
Model description
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study model
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
16 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07844122
Sponsor's protocol ID
15/2024
Status last verified
Sep 2026
First submitted
15 Sep 2026
Last updated
28 Sep 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Redondo B, Jimenez R, Molina R, Dalton K, Vera J. Effects of caffeine ingestion on dynamic visual acuity: a placebo-controlled, double-blind, balanced-crossover study in low caffeine consumers. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021 Dec;238(12):3391-3398. doi: 10.1007/s00213-021-05953-1. Epub 2021 Aug 22.

    PubMed 34420061
  • Grgic J. Exploring the minimum ergogenic dose of caffeine on resistance exercise performance: A meta-analytic approach. Nutrition. 2022 May;97:111604. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2022.111604. Epub 2022 Jan 22.

    PubMed 35203046
  • Merino Fernandez M, Ruiz-Moreno C, Giraldez-Costas V, Gonzalez-Millan C, Matos-Duarte M, Gutierrez-Hellin J, Gonzalez-Garcia J. Caffeine Doses of 3 mg/kg Increase Unilateral and Bilateral Vertical Jump Outcomes in Elite Traditional Jiu-Jitsu Athletes. Nutrients. 2021 May 18;13(5):1705. doi: 10.3390/nu13051705.

    PubMed 34069892
  • Ellis M, Noon M, Myers T, Clarke N. Low Doses of Caffeine: Enhancement of Physical Performance in Elite Adolescent Male Soccer Players. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2019 May 1;14(5):569-575. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2018-0536. Epub 2019 Apr 21.

    PubMed 30300047
  • Stojanovic E, Scanlan AT, Milanovic Z, Fox JL, Stankovic R, Dalbo VJ. Acute caffeine supplementation improves jumping, sprinting, and change-of-direction performance in basketball players when ingested in the morning but not evening. Eur J Sport Sci. 2022 Mar;22(3):360-370. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2021.1874059. Epub 2021 Feb 2.

    PubMed 33413049

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Caffeine 300 MG in people with Healthy Adult Male, run by Comenius University at 1 site in Slovakia.

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 4 inclusion and 8 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 28 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Slovakia. 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?

Planned Agility (time frame: 40 minutes after caffeine/placebo ingestion). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07844122, which also lists 5 linked publications.

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 28 Sep 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.

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