Phosphatidylserine, Taurine, and Caffeine for Cognitive Fatigue in Professional Football Players
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexMale
Age18-37
SponsorVizja University in Warsaw
About this trial
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial will evaluate the effects of 14 days of taurine-caffeine supplementation with or without phosphatidylserine on neurocognitive fatigue resistance, visual search efficiency, and football-specific tactical decision-making in professional male football players. Sixty-two male outfield football players from two professional clubs will be randomized to placebo, taurine plus caffeine, or taurine plus caffeine plus phosphatidylserine. Laboratory and field-based outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the supplementation period.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Male professional outfield football players aged 18 to 37 years.
First-team players or selected U19 players aged 18 years or older who are regularly integrated into first-team training.
Regular participation in club training.
At least 5 years of systematic football training experience.
Disqualifiers
Goalkeepers.
Current injury or illness limiting full participation in testing.
Neurological disease.
Recent concussion or head trauma.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Placebo
Dietary supplementInert placebo matched with the active supplements for appearance, number of units, and packaging. The placebo will be administered for 14 days.
Taurine Plus Caffeine
Dietary supplementTaurine 1500 mg/day plus caffeine 200 mg/day administered for 14 days. On training and testing days, the supplement will be consumed approximately 60 minutes before the main training session or testing procedure. On non-training days, it will be consumed at a consistent morning time.
Taurine, Caffeine, and Phosphatidylserine
Dietary supplementTaurine 1500 mg/day plus caffeine 200 mg/day plus phosphatidylserine 600 mg/day administered for 14 days. On training and testing days, the supplement will be consumed approximately 60 minutes before the main training session or testing procedure. On non-training days, it will be consumed at a consistent morning time.
Treatment groups
62 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groupsGroup A: PlaceboPlacebo comparator 1 intervention
Group B: Taurine Plus CaffeineActive comparator 1 intervention
Group C: Taurine, Caffeine, and PhosphatidylserineExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Change in Tactical Inhibitory Decision Accuracy Under Neurocognitive Load
Tactical inhibitory decision accuracy will be assessed using football-specific video clips requiring inhibition of an immediately attractive but suboptimal tactical action. Responses will be scored as 1 point for an optimal decision, 0.5 points for an acceptable decision, and 0 points for an incorrect decision. The outcome will be calculated as the mean score across inhibitory tactical clips. The score ranges from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating better tactical inhibitory decision accuracy.
Time frame
Baseline and 14 days of supplementationSecondary outcomes
1
Change in Overall Football-Specific Decision Accuracy
Overall football-specific decision accuracy will be assessed using video-based offensive and transitional football situations. Players will select the most appropriate tactical option under time pressure. The outcome will be expressed as the percentage of correct or expert-rated optimal decisions, with higher values indicating better decision-making accuracy.
Time frame
Baseline and 14 days of supplementation2
Change in Football-Specific Decision Time
Decision time will be assessed during the football-specific video decision-making task. It will be measured as the time taken to select a tactical response after the critical decision point. The outcome will be expressed in milliseconds, with lower values indicating faster decision-making.
Time frame
Baseline and 14 days of supplementation3
Change in Impulsive Tactical Errors
Impulsive tactical errors will be assessed during football-specific video clips. These errors will include selections of immediately attractive but suboptimal tactical options, such as inappropriate forward actions, low-quality shots, or forced progressive decisions when a safer or more appropriate option is available.
Time frame
Baseline and 14 days of supplementation4
Change in Stroop/Flanker Reaction-Time Variability
Reaction-time variability will be assessed during the high-load Stroop/Flanker task used to induce neurocognitive load. The task will assess attentional control, response inhibition, conflict monitoring, and reaction-time stability. The outcome will be expressed in milliseconds.
Time frame
Baseline and 14 days of supplementationSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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