Novel Energy Drink Improves Cognitive Function and Gaming Performance in Young Adult Gamers: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled, Crossover Trial
Authors: Schwager Laura E. , Helwig Nathaniel J. , Rogers Emily M. , Banks Nile F. , Alpers Justin P. , Schulte Sydni L. , Lockwood Christopher M. , Jenkins Nathaniel D. 
Published: May 2022

Nootropics are compounds or formulae that are reported to improve memory, learning, and attention (e.g., cognitive function). The consumption of energy drinks and nootropics are increasing rapidly in the United States alongside growing interest in improving mental performance. Ingredients such as caffeine, citicoline, tyrosine, B‐vitamins, and carboxylic acids have each been suggested to affect cognitive function by enhancing or supporting dopaminergic‐ and catecholaminergic‐induced neurotransmission.

Objective

We conducted a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover trial to investigate whether acute consumption of a non‐caloric, novel energy drink (NED) improves cognition and video game performance in young adults who routinely play video games.

Hypothesis

We hypothesized that NED would improve cognitive function and gaming performance compared to placebo.

Methods

Forty‐five healthy young adults (37M, 8F; mean ± SD, age = 25 ± 6 y) each completed two experimental study visits in randomized order where they consumed either NED or a placebo matched for volume, calories, taste, appearance, and mouthfeel. Sixty minutes after consumption, participants completed a validated battery of computer‐based neurocognitive tests to examine cognitive function across 15 domains (CNS Vital Signs) and then played a cognitively demanding, tablet‐based video game (Tetris). There were no sex‐specific effects, so analyses were performed independent of sex and paired samples t‐tests or Wilcoxon signed ranked tests (for non‐normally distributed data) were used to examine between‐condition differences in cognitive function and gaming performance. Single‐tailed Spearman correlations were used to examine relationships among the between‐condition changes in select cognitive parameters and gaming performance.

Results

Change scores are presented as mean absolute change ± 95% confidence interval [relative change]. Acute NED consumption improved cognitive flexibility (+4.7 ± 6.9 a.u. [+10%]; p < 0.001), executive function (+4.7 ± 6.5 a.u. [+9.7%]; p < 0.001), sustained attention (+2.6 ± 5.6 a.u. [+9.9%]; p = 0.01), motor speed (+2.9 ± 6.8 a.u. [+2.7%]; p = 0.001), psychomotor speed (+4.2 ± 12.6 a.u. [+2.4%]; p= 0.04), and working memory (+1.0 ± 2.9 a.u. [+16%]; p= 0.04), and may improve complex attention (‐1.2 ± 4.2 errors [‐2.2%]; p = 0.07). NED also improved Tetris scores (+1,049 ± 3,678 a.u. [+47%]; p= 0.049). Improvements in gaming scores from placebo to NED were related to improvements in psychomotor speed (ρ = 0.28; p = 0.035).

Conclusion

Acute NED consumption improved cognitive function and gaming performance in young adult gamers, providing evidence that NED produces nootropic effects that may translate to improved performance in cognitively demanding tasks. Further, NED‐related improvements in gaming performance appear to be, at least partially, a function of improved psychomotor speed.