The Acute Effects of Caffeine Ingestion on Balance, Attention, and Reaction Time in Young Male Athletes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Experimental Study

Summary

This randomised controlled trial examined whether acute caffeine supplementation (6 mg/kg) enhances cognitive and motor performance in young male athletes. Caffeine significantly improved selective attention metrics and reduced reaction times compared to placebo, whilst postural balance remained unaffected, suggesting caffeine may be an effective ergogenic aid for sports requiring rapid decision-making without compromising stability.

Regional applicability

The findings are potentially applicable to United Kingdom sports science and athlete training contexts, as the study design and outcome measures align with international standards in sports performance research. However, the geography of the study is not explicitly stated, limiting direct transferability assessment to UK populations and training environments.

Key measures

d2 Test of Attention (items processed, concentration performance, omission errors); BlazePod™ reaction system (reaction time); Flamingo Balance Test (postural balance)

Outcomes reported

The study measured acute effects of caffeine ingestion (6 mg/kg) on reaction time, selective attention, and postural balance in 30 young male athletes using randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled design.

Supporting research

Oral caffeine supplementation has an explicit nutritional ingredient and measured athlete cognitive/balance outcomes.

Limits: 30 young male athletes and acute high-dose supplementation; no general population recommendation; balance interaction was nonsignificant.

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