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Volume 13
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10.3390/sports13040106
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Article

Caffeine Effects on Physical Performance and Sport-Specific Skills in Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Randomised Trial Using the Balanced Placebo Design

by
Eduard Bezuglov
1,2,
Timur Vakhidov
1,2,
Ryland Morgans
1,
Georgiy Malyakin
1,2,*,
Anton Emanov
2,
Egana Koroleva
2,
Elizaveta Kapralova
1,2 and
Oleg Talibov
3
1
Department of Sports Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
2
High Performance Sports Laboratory, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
3
Therapy, Clinical Pharmacology and Ambulance Care Department, Russian University of Medicine, 127006 Moscow, Russia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sports 2025, 13(4), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040106
Submission received: 2 March 2025 / Revised: 21 March 2025 / Accepted: 28 March 2025 / Published: 31 March 2025
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Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the safety and effects of relatively high caffeine doses on physical performance and sport-specific skills of young elite soccer players. Fifty-four soccer players from an elite Russian soccer academy participated in the blinded randomised placebo-controlled study with a double-blinded and balanced design. Participants were divided into four groups: group 1 CAF/CAF; group 2 CAF/PLA group 3 PLA/PLA and group 4 PLA/CAF. All participants were administered 400 mg of caffeine or the placebo. The data demonstrated that a single 400 mg caffeine administration 60 min before exercise had a positive effect on repeated sprint ability (RSA) test parameters such as fatigue index (for both groups p < 0.001) and percentage decrement score (for both groups p < 0.001). In group 4, statistically significant improvements were also found when performing the fourth and sixth sprint during the RSA test (p = 0.039 and p = 0.005, respectively). Group 1 also showed a statistically significant improvement in dribbling speed performance (p = 0.048). It was demonstrated that the number of adverse events in all four groups was not different (p = 0.56). A single administration of 400 mg of caffeine 60 min prior to maximal intensity physical activity can be considered reasonable and safe for young elite soccer players.
Keywords: young athletes; placebo effect; repeated sprint ability; football; sprint; strength young athletes; placebo effect; repeated sprint ability; football; sprint; strength

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MDPI and ACS Style

Bezuglov, E.; Vakhidov, T.; Morgans, R.; Malyakin, G.; Emanov, A.; Koroleva, E.; Kapralova, E.; Talibov, O. Caffeine Effects on Physical Performance and Sport-Specific Skills in Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Randomised Trial Using the Balanced Placebo Design. Sports 2025, 13, 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040106

AMA Style

Bezuglov E, Vakhidov T, Morgans R, Malyakin G, Emanov A, Koroleva E, Kapralova E, Talibov O. Caffeine Effects on Physical Performance and Sport-Specific Skills in Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Randomised Trial Using the Balanced Placebo Design. Sports. 2025; 13(4):106. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040106

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bezuglov, Eduard, Timur Vakhidov, Ryland Morgans, Georgiy Malyakin, Anton Emanov, Egana Koroleva, Elizaveta Kapralova, and Oleg Talibov. 2025. "Caffeine Effects on Physical Performance and Sport-Specific Skills in Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Randomised Trial Using the Balanced Placebo Design" Sports 13, no. 4: 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040106

APA Style

Bezuglov, E., Vakhidov, T., Morgans, R., Malyakin, G., Emanov, A., Koroleva, E., Kapralova, E., & Talibov, O. (2025). Caffeine Effects on Physical Performance and Sport-Specific Skills in Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Randomised Trial Using the Balanced Placebo Design. Sports, 13(4), 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040106

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